"So, how are things with you and Yoongi?" your best friend asks, not even bothering to conceal her shit-eating grin. You feel your heart skip a beat as you glance at your bedroom door to make sure it's shut.

"Don't talk so loud! You know the walls are thin!" you hiss.

"So what?" your best friend scoffs. "The music coming from your brother's room is so loud that I doubt those two idiots can even hear each other, much less us."

"Still!" you say. "Please don't tease me in front of him. I don't want him to know I have a crush on him!" Your face is impossibly red.

Yoongi is your older brother's best friend. He's been a part of your life for as long as you can remember, and there's never been a day where he hasn't hung the moon in your mind.

You remember the day you first crossed paths with Yoongi. It was sunny out, and your brother was walking you home from school. He was so angry. He hated having to "babysit" you. But, you weren't a baby! You were a big kid, just like your brother! Who cares that he was old enough to stay up late on weekends, and walk to the park all by himself? Not you, that's for sure.

As you and your brother walked through a popular park, a swarm of older boys circled around the two of you. "Yah, there he is!" the boys sneered, glaring at your brother. "You didn't think you could talk all that shit at school and not pay for it, right? You're not that stupid, are you?"

"Shit," your brother hissed, glancing down at you. "We're still far from home. Y/N, listen to me. You have to hide, okay?"

"What?!" you cried, staring up at him in horror. "But you—!"

"Yah, let's fight already! Fight us, or we'll kill you and the squirt." The older boys pressed in closer, their hands curling into eager fists, their grins stretching ghoulishly wide.

"Y/N, run!" Those were the last two words your brother was able to speak before a fist slammed into his mouth.

You ran away, taking shelter inside of an empty plastic tube that acted as a bridge in the park's playscape. You could hear the sounds of the fight: grunts, sudden raucous cheers. God, you hoped your brother would be okay. "Don't let him die, don't let him die...!" you whispered as you clasped your hands and bowed your head, squeezing your eyes shut.

"Yah, I think I hear a little mouse!" The sinister, lilting voice echoed eerily in your tube. Your eyes flew open, your heart plummeting straight to your feet. One of the older boys had snuck over to your hiding place. His face resembled the most vile, twisted mask you had ever seen. "Oh, looks like I was right! Come here, little mouse! I wanna squish you!" He began to climb into the tube with you. You scrambled back, your voice caught in your throat.

"Oppa!!" you desperately screamed for your brother. But he had his own giants to deal with. He didn't save you; couldn't save you. However, just because your brother couldn't help you doesn't mean the rest of the park was deaf to your cries.

"Hey, what are you doing?" This voice was unfamiliar. You sobbed as you inched back further, leaving the safety of your tube and squatting on the hard metal of the playscape. "What're you doin' there?"

"Back off!" the boy that followed you said, his voice hard with anger. "Mind your own business!" He moved toward you again, grinning.

You continued to back away from him, your hands leaving the metal grate and instead finding the warm rubber of the playscape's slide. If you were to keep going, you'd take the slide backwards.

"Leave her alone!" That new voice was loud as well. God, they sounded mean. You turned toward the sound, your eyes finding a boy glaring up at the play structure. He looked to be the same age as your brother, although the hard scowl that darkened his face aged him considerably. Even after all this time, Min Yoongi is still able to pull that same face. "Yah," he said, his gaze meeting yours. "Is he messing with you?"

You flinched as his glare pierced through you. You twisted your head to look for your brother, screaming in horror when you caught sight of the gang of boys completely beating him to a pulp. Your brother who always seemed so invincible was on the ground, curled into the fetal position as he tried to protect his face.

"Slide down, kid!" Yoongi said.

You shook your head, tears streaming down your face. "Oppa! Help!! Help me!!"

Your pursuer grinned, lunging at you while you were distracted.

"Watch out!" Yoongi said.

You turned your head at just the right time to catch your pursuer's hideous grin. You cried out as you tried to scramble away from him, resulting in you tumbling head over heels down the slide.

"Bastard!" Yoongi spat, as he lowered himself to catch you at the bottom of the slide. His hands clamped down on your shoulders as he tried to steady you. "Are you okay, kid? You're okay; don't cry." He smiled down at you. "Don't worry. I'm here now." His smile faded as he glared up at the monster that was terrorizing you. "You. You like picking on little girls, huh? What a bitch you are!" he grinned.

"Fuck you!" your pursuer growled. "Come here and fight me like a man."

"A man?" Yoongi grinned. "I don't see a man here. All I see is a little... bitch."

The boy that was messing with you glowered down at your savior. "Wait your ass down there. I'm gonna kill you!" He jumped down from the play structure, grunting quietly as he swayed lazily on his heels. He grinned evilly as he looked at you. You sucked in a breath, shrinking back against Yoongi.

"Get behind me," Yoongi said. "I'll protect you. He won't lay a finger on you."

When the two boys collided it sounded like thunder. You squatted down in the sand behind Yoongi, covering your eyes. The way it sounded when they were hitting each other... You hope you never hear that sound again—even now. You did peek through your fingers a few times, catching sight of the battered and beaten figures before you. They looked like they could barely stand, let alone fight. But still they brawled, rolling around in the sand like two devils.

"Get off me!" the older boy growled, digging sand up with his fingers and flinging it into Yoongi's face, gouging his fingers in Yoongi's eyes.

Yoongi cried out, shaking his head. "Fuck!" He swayed back for a moment, swinging his arms to maintain his balance. "Bastard!" Yoongi was shoved into the sand as the other boy took advantage of his momentary falter.

Yoongi's face was pummeled over and over again. He squirmed as he tried desperately to escape the onslaught of punches. Blood began to pour down his face like a river, and even then he never showed any sign of fear at all.

But then the older boy's hands wrapped around Yoongi's neck, squeezing. Yoongi's eyes widened in surprise as he tried to suck in a breath. "What's the matter?" the older boy said as he continued to constrict Yoongi's airway. "Can't breathe? Who's the bitch now?"

Before you knew what you were doing, you found your fingers tightly clutched around a rock that was too big for your hands. You rushed over and slammed the rock into the back of the bully's head with as much strength as you could muster. His hand swung out to shove you back. You landed hard on the ground, the force of his shove and your impact with the sand making you lose your breath. You lay there, taking gasping sobs, unable to move.

In the next instant, Yoongi slammed his head into the other boy's, knocking him out cold. "That'll teach you to pull a bitch-move." He shook his head, rubbing his eyes. "Aish," he groaned, walking over to you. "Are you okay? Can you stand?"

You stared up at him, your eyes wide as you took in his bloodied face. "Come on." He scooped you up into his arms, limping over to your brother's fight. Your brother was being held back by two boys while another punched him over and over.

"Oppa," you whispered, your eyes locked on the scene before you. Tears spilled down your cheeks. You couldn't tear your gaze away from the boys. "Oppa..."

"Hey," Yoongi said, his voice low and gentle. "Don't look." He gently drew your face into the crook of his neck.

"But—"

"I'm going to help," he murmured. "Don't worry. Keep your eyes closed, okay?" He set you down, immediately rushing into the fray like he didn't just get into a fight himself. You kept your eyes closed, sneaking quick peeks a few times. Your hands fell away from your eyes as you took in the fight.

Your brother and Yoongi stood back to back, looking like the fiercest warriors you had ever seen. The way they moved, it was as if they were dancing. They complimented each other perfectly, making up for where the other lacked and watching each other's blind spots.

"Hey! What're you kids doing?!" As soon as that harsh voice rang out, the group of boys immediately scattered, swarming like scared cockroaches.

"Let's go!" your brother shouted, looking toward Yoongi as he slipped his backpack over one shoulder, and picked you up in one fluid motion.
Yoongi nodded, quickly following your brother as he ran away from the park.

Once you were far enough away, Yoongi and your brother stopped running. Your brother set you down, looking you over. "Are you okay?"

You nodded, glancing at Yoongi.

"One of those guys tried to mess with her, but we handled him, didn't we?" Yoongi said, smiling down at you. "You're tough, right?"

You felt a warm flush heat your cheeks as you looked away, shyly.

Your brother took your hand, listening as Yoongi filled him in on his own fight. As he talked, you couldn't keep your eyes off of him. When he got to the part of the fight where you hit the older kid with a rock, he laughed; beaming proudly as he looked down at you. You reached for his hand, and he let you take it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

After that day, Yoongi stuck around, easily becoming a seemingly-permanent figure in your life. You've loved him since that day, and you've always wondered how he views you. Are you like a sister to him? God, you hope not. You'd be devastated if he saw you in that way.

Later that night, as everyone gathers around the dining room table for dinner, your friend can barely contain her grin. Every time Yoongi even glances your way, she nearly has a heart attack. But thankfully, she doesn't stay too long after dinner.

"Well," she says, standing up from her perch on your bed. "It's been fun! I'll see you tomorrow." She suddenly pulls you in for a hug, squeezing you tightly.

"What was that for?" you ask, but she's already heading downstairs.

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ:⋆*･ﾟ

Later that night, you're getting ready for bed, when you realize you can't find your phone. You tear your room apart looking for it, but after 30 minutes, you fear it's lost forever. But then you remember the hug your friend gave you and how she was acting at dinner. "Oh, no..."

Suddenly, there's a quiet knock at your bedroom door. "Are you still awake?"

When you open the door, Yoongi is standing there, his face hidden in shadow. "Yoongi? What're you—"

"I got your message," he says. "I'm sorry it took me so long to come see you. Is it okay if I come in?"

"My message?" you parrot dumbly as you step back to allow him to enter your room. "But I—"

"Yeah," Yoongi continues. "I had to wait for your brother to fall asleep. He'd kill me if he knew I came in here. Are you sure it's okay?"

"Sure," you say. "Come in."

Yoongi enters your room, quietly shutting the door behind him. "You know, no one's ever called me that before. 'Pretty boy'." he chuckles, the sound making your stomach flip. "It smells nice in here." He moves around your room, taking everything in by the light of the full moon filtering in through your window.

"S–so, what did my text say again?" you ask.

"You said 'Hey, pretty boy'," he says. "Why'd you say that all of a sudden? Do you like me or something?" He stops in front of you. He's so close you could reach out and touch him.

"Yoongi, I—"

"I bet you do," he says. You can hear the teasing lilt in his voice, and it makes your cheeks flush. "Since when?" he continues. "I bet you've liked me for a long time, huh? I'm gonna tell your brother!" He laughs.

"Shut up!" you say, turning away from him and pressing your hands to your cheeks.

"Aww, don't hide," he says, amusement clearly evident in his voice.

"Did you just come in here to laugh at me?" you mutter. "Now you and my brother are never going to let me live this down no matter what I say, right? You're going to make fun of me..." A note of sadness slips into your tone. You hastily wipe at your nose.

"Are you crying?" Yoongi asks. You hear a slight shift in his tone.

"No," you reply. "I'm not crying."

"Hey," he says. "Show me your face."

"No," you say, crossing your arms. "You're making fun of me!"

"Stop," Yoongi says, reaching for your arm. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. I'm just teasing you." He pauses, his voice sounding surprisingly meek when he speaks again. "Can you please show me your face?" He gently turns you to face him, lifting your chin with his fingers when you don't meet his gaze. "There you are," he says, a small smile quirking his lips upwards. "I knew you weren't crying."

This small smile makes your heart squeeze in your chest. "Yoongi—"

"Is it true?" he asks, his gaze boring into yours.

"I–is what true?" you stammer, your heart hammering in your chest.

"That you think I'm pretty," he says. "Feel free to correct me if I'm jumping to conclusions."

"That's— That—"

"Do I make you nervous?" he asks, taking half a step forward so he's close enough that the smell of his cologne envelops your senses. You take a step back and his smile fades. "Hey... Do I really make you nervous?"

"A little," you say breathlessly as you avert your gaze from his.

"But, we've known each other for years," he says, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Why do I make you nervous? I never knew I made you uncomfortable. I always thought you were just awkward and shy." He turns away from you, still murmuring to himself. "I had no idea... Do I do that to everyone...?"

"Yoongi—"

"Am I scary?" For once, Yoongi's voice is small. He seems to shrink before your eyes.

"No, Yoongi," you say, turning him around to face you and reaching up to cup his face with your hands. "You're not scary at all. I've never felt unsafe with you, ever."

"Really?" he smirks. "As long as I don't scare you, I guess that's all that matters." His hand comes up to close around your wrist. He's so gentle. You can feel his rough calluses against your skin. You know his hands have caused pain, hurt. But you also know they'd always be gentle when it comes to you.

You take one of his hands, turning it over and running your fingers against his palm. Your thumb skims against the broken skin of his knuckles. "Your hands... Who did you two fight this time?"

"This loser that was going around and breaking into people's houses, trying to make a quick buck." He grins. "We taught him a lesson he won't ever forget."

"Did he hurt you?" you ask, your eyes scanning the bit of his skin you can see.

"Psh," Yoongi scoffs. "Yeah, right. You know your brother and me are unstoppable. As long as we're together, no one can beat us." He pauses, studying your face as you continue to look over his hands. "You worry too much, you know. I'll always make it out fine."

"I know," you murmur. "But that doesn't stop me from worrying about you. I don't know what I'd do if...you never came back one day." For some reason, saying this makes a weight settle on your chest. You bite your lip to keep from sobbing. "Sorry." You drop his hands, turning away from him as you press your fingers beneath your eyes.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Yoongi asks. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," you reply, trying with all your might not to cry. You're trying so hard to keep your emotions back that you start to tremble.

"Hey," Yoongi murmurs, gently taking your elbow and drawing you back into his chest. "Talk to me. What's the matter? What made you sad?" His arm snakes around your shoulders, his breath hits the back of your neck.

"I..." you cut yourself off, biting back the sob that threatens to leap up your throat. Your hands clutch his arm, latching onto the sureness of its light pressure against your chest. "I'm so scared that one day you won't come back and I'll—" The sobs finally come, hitching and hiccuping out of you.

"Oh," Yoongi murmurs. "You feel strongly about this, huh?" He turns you to face him, and you cover your face with your hands. "Let it out. It's okay. I'm right here." He pulls you into him, rubbing your head. "I'm here, I'm here." He presses his lips to your head, holding you securely against himself. You catch his heartbeat, steady and strong.

"Yoongi," you murmur, pressing your ear to his chest.

"Yes?" he breathes, slow and deep. "Wanna talk about it?"

You bite your lip as your arms snake around his torso. "I'm scared you won't come back and I'll never..."

Are you about to confess?! What if he rejects you?! What if he laughs in your face?! But what if he doesn't come back one day and you never get to tell him how you feel...? You have to confess. Do it now.

"You'll never what?" Yoongi murmurs, pressing his lips to your hair again.

"I'm scared you won't come back and I'll never get to... tell you how I feel." Your heart feels like it's going to beat right out of your chest. It's pounding so hard you wouldn't be surprised if he could hear it.

"And how do you feel?" You can hear the smile in his voice, and your face floods with heat.

What if he laughs at you?!

No! You have to get it out! You're halfway there! See it through!

"I... I've been in love with you for the longest fucking time, Min Yoongi."

It's out! You did it!

Yoongi laughs, the sound low and soft. It cuts straight to your heart. You hang your head, taking a step back and out of his arms.

"I–I know it's dumb. I shouldn't have even said anything; I'm sorry." You feel surprisingly calm. But that could be because you don't have any tears left to cry.

"Stop that," Yoongi says, his voice firm. "You think you have me all figured out, huh? What, you think I'm laughing at you? I'm laughing because I'm surprised, is all." He smiles. "I hate that you do that all the time. You don't even know what I'm going to say. Let me talk before you go jumping to conclusions."

You keep quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"I don't know what to say," he laughs, pushing a hand through his hair. "I... I never thought this would happen."

Say anything!! you want to shout. Don't leave me just standing here!! But you hold your tongue.

"I... So it's true, then? You think I'm pretty?" he asks, grinning. He takes a step forward, towering over you.

"Yes, Yoongi!" you say glaring up at him, trying so hard not to smile. "I think you're the prettiest person I've ever seen."

Yoongi hums, cocking his head. "You don't look in mirrors much, huh?"

"Huh?!" you falter, your face flushing.

"You're too cute," he chuckles. "Come here." He takes your wrist, drawing you into his chest again. He looks down at you, smiling. "Close your eyes."

You do as he says, your heart fluttering in your chest as your hands come up to rest on his shoulders. His lips