~Yumi~

I stood outside our private bungalow, eyes on the sea and hands on the railing. Memories of last night came back, making me blush. What made me happy wasn't the fact that Seokjin and I finally did it. No, it's the words he said.

I love you.

Words that made everything better.

The only thing I wasn't happy about was the fact that I never got the chance to say them back to him. It didn't bother him though and I suspected that maybe Seokjin already knows how I feel. After all, it was me who fell for him first.

I felt Seokjin's warmth behind me before he wrapped me in his arms, hauling me against his chest.

"Morning Shortcake," he murmured, dropping a kiss to my exposed shoulder.

I leaned back against him, smiling, "Morning."

"Overthinking already?"

I shook my head. "No. Just thinking of ways to make this work."

"Give me reasons why it won't work if we continue like this," he murmured, running his lips over my neck. I arched my neck to the side to give him more access.

"There's too much history," I said, feeling my heart race. "Your parents don't like me.... And there's my father too."

Seokjin stilled.

I closed my eyes briefly before opening them, turning around in his arms so that I could see him.

His expression was blank. I didn't like this. I didn't want to think that after I let him in, he might walk away.

So, I slid my arms around his waist, pressing my forehead against his naked chest, nuzzling against him.

"D-don't," I said, my voice trembling with fear. "Don't look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're putting a wall up," I said, "I don't like it. I don't want to see it."

He said nothing.

"I—love you," I blurted. "So... don't look at me like... like you're seeing nothing at all. I don't want to throw this away. I can't."

Seokjin softened.

This had me tilting my head back so I can look at him. I was afraid but all that disappeared when I saw the warm look in his eyes.

Reaching to cup my face, his thumb traced my cheekbone, "I see you, Shortcake. More than you think."

"I—"

Seokjin leaned down, giving me a gentle and chaste kiss before pulling back, locking eyes with me. "The one who's putting a wall up is you, Yumi. Not me."

"Wha..."

His eyes looked sad, tightening my chest. "You have all of me. Something I've never given to any woman."

My heart raced at that. "I...do?"

"But," he murmured, stroking my cheek, "your walls are still up. I don't like that."

I wanted to deny it but I couldn't.

Seokjin's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You're not denying it?"

"Seokjin," I whispered.

"I hope you'll learn to put those walls down," he said, letting go of me. "it's not easy but you're stronger than you think. What I need is for you to trust me."

"Trust..." I swallowed. "I do trust you."

Seokjin shook his head, slowly. "No. You don't."

"But—"

"I need you to trust me so I can help you," he said, softly.

I wanted to tell him that I do trust him but he stopped the words coming out of my mouth because he grabbed onto my face, crushing his lips against mine. Biting, licking and bruising my lips like he wanted to punish me for not opening up to him even though he owned me.

So, I held onto him tightly, hoping that I can keep this man.

***

Seokjin's words still lingered in my mind even when we came back to Korea. It was pretty obvious that the distance between us is almost gone. However, my heart just couldn't rest, knowing that my father still has his eyes set on me and Seokjin.

My heart hurt at the thought of never seeing my mother's resting place and at the thought of Seokjin's sad eyes as he told me that I don't trust him. It wasn't because of that though. In a way, I was just... ashamed of myself. My life. Everything.

It was because I love him so much that I don't want him to ever know about me or my past. I don't want him to know about the abuse or anything, though I suspect that he is suspecting it. Either way, if I don't confirm it, it should be fine, right?

My phone vibrated once more, telling me that my father is still calling me. Ever since Seokjin and I got back, it's like he knew that I was back in Korea. He wants to meet. I know that. However, I can't find the strength to go there.

I shivered against the cold, holding the umbrella over me as I sat in the garden, asking myself why my life had to be this way. I was scared. Scared of the things that happened to me when it rained. Maybe that's why I'm unable to move right now.

So, I closed my eyes, listening to the raindrops falling onto my umbrella. Frozen in fear of my memories, I couldn't move at all. All I wanted... was to be free.

~Jungkook~

"Oh no," Yoongi said, loudly. "Is that Yumi outside?"

The members returned from their meeting, only to see that it was raining and that Yumi was in the garden. It seemed like she was in a lot of thoughts.

Jimin bit down his lower lip to stop himself from laughing at Yoongi's bad acting. It sounded forced and fake.

"You're right, hyung," Jungkook said, equally as bad as Yoongi. "I think she might catch a cold."

"Catch a cold?" Hoseok said, loudly, his eyes shaking as he swung them to Seokjin and back to Yumi. "Yumi might catch a cold?"

Jimin couldn't say his lines, too busy trying hard not to laugh and ruin it all.

Maybe it was because Seokjin was too focused on Yumi that he walked out of there to go to her.

"Huh?" Namjoon got up from the sofa, hair dishevelled and half-asleep but his eyes filled with concern. "Yumi's outside? In this rain?"

They all watched, dumbfounded as Namjoon leaned over, grabbing an umbrella before walking towards the door.

Taehyung reached out, hooking him with his arm and bringing Namjoon to a stop.

"Taehyung? What are you doing?" Namjoon demanded.

Taehyung closed his eyes, trying to look for patience.

"Can't you read the atmosphere?" Yoongi said, with disbelief. "So much for IQ 148."

"Don't be mean," Jungkook said, trying hard not to laugh at the confused look on Namjoon's face. "Namjoon is really innocent."

"That, he is," Jimin agreed, coming to Namjoon's said. "Come, hyung. I have a song I want you to listen."

Namjoon's eyes swing towards the window where he could just see Seokjin and Yumi. He was worried, they could tell.

"As expected from our leader," Taehyung said with a soft laugh. "Let's leave them."