They left the McDonald's right after Yoongi finished eating. It was evident how excited Taehyung was about having a guest over his house, and Yoongi didn't feel like listening to the boy whine while he let his food settle, so he didn't battle the other's persistence. He'd have to walk it off eventually, he told himself. Might as well get it over with.

"It's not far," Taehyung kept on repeating. Once wasn't enough, apparently. The boy led his bike along as they walked, glancing frequently at Yoongi on his other side so as to make sure the blond hadn't decided to make a break for it. Yoongi considered it, though. Because he still had that creeping feeling he was being led to his death.

With his hands buried deep in the pockets of his jacket, Yoongi followed Taehyung in silence down the busy streets of Seoul which gradually started to seem less busy the further they walked. It puzzled Yoongi until he realized where they were going - in the direction of a somewhat "bad" neighborhood in the city. Not so much bad in the terms of violence and drugs and the such like, but rather in comparison with the rest of Seoul, it wasn't the most desirable area to live. There were houses visibly neglected and in need of repairs, old shops that at first and even second glance you couldn't really tell if they were open - that type of neighborhood.

Livable conditions, but not pleasant ones.

And Yoongi wasn't about to lie and say he didn't feel just a bit uneasy. Sure, maybe the likelihood of getting shot on the streets sat at a considerably low level compared to other countries, but even still, Yoongi's imagination ran wild. The freezing cold didn't help ease his nerves, either. I'm getting shanked or shot today for sure.

"We're almost there," Taehyung announced at one point, drawing Yoongi from his thoughts. The latter kept his head held up to watch an elderly man walking along the sidewalk across the street. Then he faced forward, stabilized his breathing, and soon found himself slowing his pace to match Taehyung's. The boy had his eyes on the small, ramshackle home they were now approaching. It seemed to appear right before them in the blink of an eye. As Yoongi stood completely still, the other guided his bike around to the side of the house and chained it to a small metal fence separating the property from the one adjacent.

Yoongi's breath hitched. Oh, no. This looks straight outta a horror movie. There's definitely a murderer waiting behind the door. Maybe a whole tag team of them. Well, I guess it serves me right for agreeing to this. Guk, Hoseok, forgive me, you're not getting a present this year.

"Old lock," Yoongi heard Taehyung say once he had returned and stood in front of the door. "Stubborn...ah, got it."

There was a minor struggle with opening the door as well, but after just a few seconds Taehyung was stepping into the tiny home and encouraging Yoongi to follow him inside before closing the door.

Yoongi heard another door close from nearby. Instinctively, he turned his head to face where the noise had come from, his eyes skimming over the sad state of the living room. Remain calm and be respectful, he urged himself. This isn't your home. You're a guest. If someone pulls a knife on you, then you can be rude. If you're not already dead.

He managed to take a slight breath before the other person in the house made themselves visible.

As it turned out, that hopeful conclusion Yoongi had so eagerly jumped to earlier hadn't been so irrational after all. Taehyung's friend, who the boy had claimed was a talented dancer, was, in fact, the same dancer that Yoongi feared had disappeared off the face of the earth since he last saw him on the streets.

Well, clearly, that wasn't the case, because now here he was, standing in the living room of this run-down abode, staring wide-eyed in disbelief at the two individuals who had just entered.

Neon.

In furious confusion, Neon faced his friend and delivered a message in sign language that Yoongi presumed translated to 'what is he doing here??' - or something along those lines. Taehyung happily replied, also in sign language, as Yoongi stood by patiently with his lips sealed - that is, until Taehyung gestured at him, and Neon's eyes find him once again.

"Hello again, Neon." Yoongi put on a smile and waved. Neon only glared.

"Get out."

"Harsh."

"I mean it." Neon took a few steps forward and pointed towards the door. "You have no reason to be here. Go."

"Jimin, no!" Taehyung's verbal outburst caught Neon's attention - Jimin's, rather - immediately. He proceeded to sign as he spoke. "I hit him with my bike. I feel really bad, so I invited him here."

"It's true," Yoongi joined. He held up the hand that had scraped the sidewalk, then rolled up his jacket and shirt sleeve to reveal a bruise he had found after the incident, too. "I was just minding my own business, and out of nowhere, bam, he struck me. I thought I was gonna die. No joke."

In those fiercely narrowed eyes Yoongi could tell Jimin was seriously considering what to do with the situation, and fortunately it appeared things were leaning in Yoongi's favor.

"Fine, stay then," the dancer huffed in frustration. He signed something to Taehyung which made the boy's smile return in full.

He hugged Jimin without warning, then skipped over to the tiny kitchen right next to the living room.

Yoongi scarcely managed to withhold a laugh. He was certain doing so would only make Jimin even less fond of him - if that were possible at this point. He wasn't entirely sure what he had done, though. Maybe nothing at all. Maybe this boy simply wasn't a fan of having unexpected guests, or guests at all. But he had given in for Taehyung's sake, and for that, Yoongi felt lucky.

"So do you guys really live like this?"

Jimin lifted his head at the sudden question. "What, you think it's just a hangout or something? This is our home," he scoffed. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

"No, it's fine," Yoongi insisted, scanning the walls and their peeling wallpaper. "Just curious, though, how'd you end up here?"

He received no reply this time. Jimin collapsed on the pale grey sofa, head turning down again as an indescribable expression became plastered on his face.

Clearly a sensitive topic, Yoongi thought in retrospect. He sighed and pursed his lips. His desire to know more about the neon dancer's life was steadily becoming quite a compelling force, but Yoongi also had the decency and manners to respect Jimin not wanting to share such a thing. He cleared his throat before speaking again.

"Have you eaten at all today?"

Silent treatment again. But not before Jimin's shocked gaze flicked towards Yoongi's eyes.

"...I'll take that as a 'no'."

Without a shred of hesitation, Yoongi boldly started walking towards the door. Taehyung must have noticed from where he was standing in the kitchen, because he darted back out into the living room almost in a panic. Jimin also rose to his face with an equally troubled expression.

"I'll be right back," Yoongi said.

"If you're thinking about buying me food again, don't." Jimin locked eyes with the blond. "I don't want you to."

"Jiminie, do you know him??" Taehyung's voice of concern stole back his friend's attention. But only for a moment.

"Met him at work," Jimin said while signing and maintaining eye contact with Yoongi. Yoongi looked back at him with a somewhat amused smirk on his lips. He chuckled under his breath and once again reached for the doorknob.

"You okay with burger and fries again?"

"I said don't-"

"My money, my choice." He shrugged. "If you wanna come with, that's fine, too. Taehyung bought us lunch earlier, using your money from what I've gathered, so let me return the favor, okay?"

"He did that for running into you," Jimin deadpanned. "You're not returning anything. I'll just owe you more."

"Nonsense. Now c'mon, I think heard your stomach grumble again."

"It did not."

As Yoongi opened the front door and stepped out on his own, Jimin was left to bite his tongue in a strenuous attempt to refrain from yelling - Yoongi could tell just from glancing back at him. He waited by the doorstep with a smile on his face. Jimin gritted his teeth. Facing Taehyung, the dancer soon uttered "stay here, I'll be back soon" while drawing the words with his hands.

Then, regrettably, he joined Yoongi outside and closed the door.

Jimin's arm wrapped tightly around his own stomach.

"I knew it. You haven't eaten."

"Oh, aren't you clever, Sherlock Holmes..."

—
end of chapter five.