Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Hoseok looks around the empty bakery as he mops around. The bell on top of the door is still.

The cafe rarely has people during his late shift, and Hoseok is always glad for that, preferring the comfort of the silence. He still has to finish the rest of his mopping and other tasks before he can call it a night.

This part-time job, along with his other one at the diner, is a big priority now that he’s done with high school. He loves this job, loves his coworkers who occasionally join him in the wee hours of the night, loves the quaint, little bakery, and loves the pay. Even though it’s not much, he’ll gladly take whatever he can. He needs the money.

Hoseok always wanted to go to college, but things don’t always work out the way you want them to. His mother left him as soon as he turned 18 saying, “Being responsible for each other just because we’re family seems unfair. It’s too much of a burden. We should go our separate paths, Hoseok.” And he agreed. Afterall, no one should be responsible for him but himself. It is what he was taught, the principle he goes by. He didn’t want to become a burden to anyone. 

So he took up jobs in high school hoping that he could save up to live in his own place once he turned 18.

With financial pressure haunting him, his options for his future have been limited. He’s never even thought about his dreams or who he really is on the inside. 

And for as long as he can remember, he has been alone.

But one day, he found this quaint, little cafe. 

He walked in one day, right after school had ended, and stumbled upon the owner— a sweet, elderly lady with the biggest sweet tooth— and she hired him on spot after claiming that she had seen his genuinity. 

He thanked the sweet gods that day.

Now, a little over five years later, he feels somewhat at home when he goes to work. It’s kind of the same with his second job at the diner, like he’s a part of something, a family of some sort. And this small cafe is home to the best fucking chocolate chip cookies he’s ever tasted, so there’s no way he can let go of it that easily.

But even this “family” of his couldn’t fill the shattered gaps of loneliness in his heart. It’s okay though, he has himself and that is enough. He shouldn’t let himself daydream; hope is dangerous.

He has witnessed it first hand. 

When the bell jingles, he lifts his head up from the speck on the floor he’d been staring at for the past ten minutes and sets his eyes on this man— or he should say boy— dressed in all black, his bright bleached hair in contrast to his outfit. 

His head is down but that doesn’t do anything to hide the bruise on his cheek. For a moment, Hoseok just stares, slightly nervous although he doesn’t show it. The boy doesn’t spare Hoseok a glance and goes straight to the counter. Hoseok immediately rushes over tightening his apron and smiling, “Hi, how can I help you?”

Hoseok tries not to stare at all the tattoos and scars covering the boy’s arms and all the way up to his neck. His shirt dips low, and he sees more tattoos peeking from under it. His soft face is donned with a scowl.

“Can I get an iced americano?” The boy asks, voice rough around the edges.

“Um, sure.” Hoseok scrambles, his hands hovering in the air before he puts the transaction in. “Is that all?”

“Yea.”

Hoseok sets off to make the drink, his back turned to the boy. The silence in the cafe is deafening, the only sounds coming from the espresso machine.

He slides the boy his drink and watches him go back out in the night, letting out a breath he didn’t even realize he was holding.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

It’s almost three in the morning when Hoseok steps into his house, cracking his neck. It’s dark and empty, much like him in a nutshell.

A very hollow nutshell.

 He sees piles of fabric sitting on the floor helpless, right next to his sewing machine and other tailoring supplies that have been collecting dust. He sighs and walks past them.

He really should stop dreaming; it’s not getting him anywhere.

It’s been a long day and he’s been sporting a headache since the mysterious guy showed up earlier. Maybe sleep would do him some good. That is if his friend, insomnia, lets him sleep. On good days, he'll get a bit over four hours; on bad days, maybe two.

Hoseok changes into his pajamas and opens up his window. He gazes into the beautiful night sky as is his nightly routine and wishes for a change in his life. He wishes to save up enough money to pay for college and rent, and maybe, if possible, he wishes for someone to care. 

That’s honestly never going to happen, but a boy can dream. But honestly, he should just stop.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Hoseok takes a deep breath while looking at himself in the mirror. He’s about to leave for his shift at the diner and realizes that today is Saturday, which means the high schoolers from his old high school are going to be there.

High school honestly wasn’t too bad for Hoseok. Okay, scratch that, it was horrendous. It actually started out normal and it was fun even. But things changed and he became infamous once they found out about his mom and her ways. There were rumors about him. So many—too many. And the rumors started to float. 

People thought he slept around just like his mother. 

People thought he was alcoholic and smoked.

People thought he was intimidating.

The kids were relentless with their rumors and bullying.

Everyone only ever heard rumors about him, but no one ever tried to understand the real him. He never knew who started the rumors, but by the time he had found out about them, he couldn’t even do anything.

Not that anyone would listen anyway.

So he learned to keep his mouth shut and stayed away from everyone. It’s not like things were better at home. Eventually, he learned to block it out and became numb and detached.

He thought once high school was over things would be okay, but even after he graduated, people still talked about him.

He has a sweetheart of a friend that works at the diner with him. She makes everything bearable. She doesn’t hesitate to kick out rude customers and stick up for him. He’s honestly so thankful and grateful, but the pain in his heart doesn’t hurt any less.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

When Yoongi first saw the boy in the cafe, he reminded him of a deer in headlights. The boy was shaking  yet he kept his head high and looked into his eyes, his almond colored eyes staring back at him without flinching.

It’s  not easy to stare into the eyes of Min Yoongi. 

Yoongi had to admit the boy was really pretty. He has eyes and they don’t lie. His face was devoid of any expression, but there was something about him, those beautiful dark brown eyes distant and dazed as if he was closed-off to the world yet looking like they were yearning for something. 

Yoongi lights a cigarette, inhaling deeply as he looks up. The night is crisp, the sky aglow with bright city lights. He loves the hum of the bustling city, the orange glow of the streetlamps, and the millions of bright stars that dot the night sky. 

Some days he’ll just walk around the city in the wee hours just to enjoy the night. It’s peaceful, cathartic even. And on the days he has his motorcycle around, he’ll glide through the empty streets racing against the sweet symphony of the wind, speed and lights. That feeling of adrenaline coursing through his veins and his heart pumping in chest is incredible.  

He’s taking in the view when he hears a ruckus at the end of the street. He squints and sees some lowlifes, probably underaged kids drinking and smoking, trying to annoy a boy passing their way.

Normally, Yoongi is not one to meddle. He prefers to keep to himself, not wanting to cause trouble for the Kim family. But these guys were coming onto this poor kid and he’s never been the one to turn a blind eye to someone in need.

“We’ve heard about you. You’re the infamous Jung Hoseok,” one of them singsongs. “Are you as easy as everyone says?”

Yoongi’s eyes and ears perk up at the comment and he moves faster toward the group. They’re starting to crowd around the boy now. 

“You don’t have to be scared baby, we’ll show you a good time. We just want to have some fun.” 

When he sees them trying to lay a hand on the boy and whistle at him, he feels an unexplainable rage flicker up his system. These idiots don’t know the meaning of consent. Yoongi is way too eager to teach them a lesson. He bends down to pick up a fist sized rock and chucks at the one of lowlifes.

“OW! WHAT THE FUCK!”

Before the idiot could turn around, he grips the back of his neck and pulls him off the boy.

It was then he noticed who exactly the boy is. It’s the pretty boy from the cafe. His face is stricken with fear, and his beautiful brown eyes are staring back at him, tight and worried. It pulls something deep within Yoongi.

The other boys lunge toward Yoongi, swinging their hands but he ducks just in time. He uses their momentum to deliver a hard strike to one of the boy’s back with his elbow making him crumple to the ground.

“You fuckers think you’re cool just because you push people around? You think you’re entitled to everything and don't need to ask for consent? Well, I’ve got news for you dipwads. Once this whole hotshot persona wears off, you’ll be left with being an asshole who could end up in prison. Grow the fuck up and learn to respect other people.”

“Who are you to tell us what to do? We don’t have to listen to you!” One of them shouts back nervously looking down at his lackey who just fell to the ground.

Yoongi grabs the guy’s neck and slams him against the wall. He tightens his grip ever so slightly, just enough to scare the guy and he looks at him menacingly. When he speaks again, his voice is low and threatening, “Don’t make me say this again. If you don’t leave now, I’ll make sure the next place you go to is the hospital and then I’ll report you to the police for attempted assault.”

He hears a muted whimper to his side and notices the cafe boy. His glossy eyes are blinking rapidly to hold back tears, and Yoongi’s resolve softens, just for a bit.

Another lackey takes this as a chance to go against Yoongi and shoves him against the guy on the wall. Yoongi wastes no time turning to swing back and throw a hard punch to the guy’s face. 

The rest of the men watch in silence and horror at the fight. The guy on the wall rushes over to Hoseok frantically. “We’re so sorry for causing you trouble. We won’t disrespect you again.” He bows and the rest of the lackeys follow his lead before fleeing into the distance.

Yoongi shakes his hand trying to relieve the pain. He must’ve punched a little too hard. He looks up and notices the cafe boy still frozen in shock. His breath is coming out in short pants and, soon enough, his knees give out. 

Yoongi is quick to catch him in his arms, making his descent to the ground as easy as possible. The boy flinches at first but eventually claws his hands at Yoongi’s shirt, gripping tightly at whatever he can reach.

Yoongi recognizes what the boy is going through, he’s had his fair share of panic attacks growing up as well. He holds the boy close against his chest and whispers soothingly in his ear. “Hey, you’re okay. Breathe for me, try taking a breath with me.” He’s counting the inhales and exhales and slowly sees and feels the boy getting back a regular breathing pattern.

“Thank you,” he hears the boy croak out, his voice slightly hoarse. He continues to rub the boy’s back for a couple of minutes.

“Can you stand up?” He asks him after a moment.

“Y-yeah.” The boy whispers.

Yoongi grips the boy’s waist and helps him get up. He notices how close they are once they are standing and takes in the boy’s slightly teary face.

“Thank you so much.” The boy’s voice rings out into the silence.

Yoongi notices their close proximity once again and immediately steps back. “A-ah, yea no worries.” He stands to the side and awkwardly runs his hand through his hair. “Just wanted to-”

“You’re hurt. Oh my gosh! It’s because of me. I can help, please. My workplace is just around the block.”

“Oh, this?” Yoongi stares at his bloody knuckles. “I’ve had much worse, it’s okay.

“Please, it’s the least I can do.” The boy’s eyes are pleading and he can’t bring himself to say no.

So, Yoongi finds himself following the boy all the way to the cafe. He sits down at a table and watches the boy ruffle through the cabinets under the counter. 

Hoseok grabs the first-aid kit and glances back at the guy who is now looking kind of dazed. He makes his way over to him, placing the kit on the table. He works in silence as he uses the alcohol wipes to clean the man’s hand. It isn’t until he hears the man wince slightly in pain that he looks back up at him.

“I’m sorry,” he responds, heart heavy. “You’re hurt because of me. Why did you come in?”

“What do you mean? You could’ve gotten hurt. Who knows what those scumbags would’ve done.”

“I usually have it under control, I would’ve brushed them off or told them off. I-I don’t know what happened to me this time, and now you got hurt because of my mess.”

“Hey,” Yoongi says softly. “Don’t feel bad. I’m not hurt, this is normal for me.”

“You going around picking fights is normal for you?” Hoseok questions, his lips lifted upwards in a small teasing smile.

“Well, if you put it that way…” Yoongi shrugs playfully.

They both chuckle and Yoongi sees a dimple appear above the boy’s sweet smile. The boy catches his gaze and blushes, his cheeks faintly pink. Yoongi’s cheeks feel hot and he mentally chides his brain for making a fool of himself around a pretty boy.

 ⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

It’s been about two weeks since the incident, and Hoseok’s shifts go by relatively quietly. The boy still comes by the cafe late at night. Sometimes he busies himself on his phone in the corner while sipping on his drink; other times he’ll just leave after grabbing his drink; and on rare days, he’ll find those piercing eyes following him around as he finishes his duties. Some days, Hoseok joins him across his seat and they sit in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

Ever since that fateful day, they seemed to have a small connection. Hoseok finds the boy mysterious and intriguing, especially when he comes in covered in blood. Somehow, he always manages to turn into a clumsy dork in front of him. During one of his shifts, Hoseok had a panic attack. He wasn’t used to having people around when his panic attacks hit, so he flinched instinctively  when the boy tried to help. However, it didn’t take long for the overbearing presence in his head to leave once he registered the boy’s soothing, gravelly tone telling him to breathe.

Hoseok still remembers how it felt to be in those sturdy arms. He recalls the way those arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, gently rubbing his back. Hoseok has always prided himself on being independent and self-sufficient. Despite always having his walls built up high, somehow this boy managed to get through them. Normally men pissed him off with the way they always acted entitled and snobbish, and he wasn’t the type to deal with that type of shitty behavior. But he could tell that the boy was different just from the way he carried himself. 

He’s still not sure how he got so lucky to have someone step in and help that night. Although he is grateful, he still feels guilty for having involved another person into his mess. 

Hoseok has been trying to get the boy’s name for a week now to give him a proper thank you, but every time they catch each other’s gaze, he ducks away embarrassed. They rarely talk so it would be weird to just go up and say, “ Hiya my name is Hoseok, what’s your name?”

But maybe one day he’ll find the courage to ask.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Hoseok’s joints ache as he clears the tables. He’s been on his feet for the past 10 hours and just worked past the dinner rush. Sooyoung comes out from the back to help him so they can get things done faster and go home soon.There are only a few tables that are open with high schoolers that he needs to kick them out soon. He feels the hot air rising up his throat just at the thought of talking to them. 

“You look like you’re about to drop dead, Hoseok oppa,” Sooyoung observes. “Have you been sleeping at all?”

Hoseok looks sheepish and shakes his head. “No, not really, Sooyoung-ah. I can’t seem to fall asleep at night for whatever reason.”

“It’s because you’re overworked and undercompensated!! You need a break and someone who can fuck all that stress out of you.”

“Sooyoung!” Hoseok gapes at her bluntness and looks around to see if anyone overheard their conversation.

“What? It’s the truth, Sungjae doesn’t hold back on my rough days and honestly it’s the best.”

Hoseok looks mildly disgusted. “Please do not talk about your private life in public for my sanity! I need to keep it intact.”

Sooyoung laughs, her favorite oppa always making her giggle. She admires him so much. He has gone through hell and back, yet he has one of the kindest hearts. He rides the wave of adversity instead of succumbing to the turbulent current. No doubt he is one the strongest people she knows, and she wishes for the day he can see that himself.

Hoseok hauls a heavy tub of dirty dishes into the back with Sooyoung on his tail ranting about how her chemistry professor is scheduling a pop quiz in her lab and how she hasn’t even started it yet. He smiles, sometimes he wonders how he deserves her.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Hoseok finds out the boy’s name a month after their first meeting, on a quiet October night. The weather is starting to get cooler these days, the trees donning the most vibrant hues of vermillion and amber. 

Hoseok has memorized the boy’s order by now: iced americano with some sort of pastry. He’s hoping the boy doesn’t drink this when winter rolls around. They sit at one of the tables, face to cafe after Hoseok brings him his order—this time he also ordered a maple pecan scone. The boy has a black cap on, a meager attempt at hiding his bright blonde hair, and a grey bomber jacket around his shoulders. His tattoos peek out on his collarbone. He looks so comfortable, and even with his face somewhat covered, he’s really handsome. 

After a while the boy looks up for a moment and tilts his head toward the back of the cafe where the bathroom is. Hoseok nods understanding and gets up to finish cleaning.

He thinks of how often the boy frequents the cafe and how long he stays. Hoseok doesn’t mind the company. Maybe he’s lonely too. 

A couple of moments later the door jingles as Hoseok is wiping the counter, ringing loudly in the silent cafe. 

Two burly looking men come in making a ruckus. They’re unbelievably loud, and their eyes are shifty as they try to take in the whole cafe. They abruptly walk up to the counter, almost knocking the tip jar over, and smile sleazily at Hoseok, “Heya gorgeous, mind telling us where Min Yoongi is?”

He’s confused. These entitled men come into his cafe causing a scene just to look for some random person he doesn’t even know? Hoseok wasn’t annoyed earlier, but now he’s pissed. His eyes narrow, “Excuse me? No, I’ve never heard of that name. Now, are you going to order something?”

“Don’t lie to us, sugarplum. Our sources said that he’s been frequenting this place recently. The faster you sell him out to us, the faster we’ll get out of here without creating a scene.” The guy smiles disgustingly.

Hoseok takes a deep breath. He realizes they must be talking about the boy who’s made himself somewhat of a regular customer over the past month—that seems like the only explanation. But he isn’t going to sell him out, not after how kind he has been to him.  “I’m sorry, sir. As you can see, there is no one else in this cafe at this time, and I am not aware of a Min Yoongi. If you aren’t going to be purchasing anything, I’m going to kindly ask you to leave; otherwise, I will have to take other measures to escort you out. Thank you very much.”

The thugs don’t let off. Instead, one of them leans in menacingly. “Oh yea? A cute thing like you is gonna escort us out? How ya gonna do that, sugarplum? Bet you can’t even throw a punch.”

Hoseok reaches for the phone on the counter. “I’ve given you countless warnings and you aren’t listening. I’m calling the cops.” Immediately, one of the guys grabs his hand tightly and lifts it up. “Now, now. No need to get hasty. What are you going to say to the cops? We didn’t do anything illegal nor did we break the law; we just asked a question. But I guess you might have to call them after we’re through with your feisty ass.”

The next moments are blurry to him. All he sees is the one guy’s face slamming down roughly into the counter multiple times before he slides down to the floor. His blood is scattered all over the counter.

Hoseok starts to take in everything in front him. The boy, or he assumes Yoongi, walks toward the other guy slowly, taking calculating measures. “I should’ve known the crows would come looking for me after what happened, but I didn’t think you guys were this desperate and sloppy. Look at your little friend down there lying pathetically. You don’t want to become like him do you?” 

“Fuck you, Min Yoongi. And fuck Kim Hyunbin and Vermillion too. My boss told me to drag you to Obsidian for what you did to Choi Minwoo and Choi industries. I won’t be going down without a fight.”

Yoongi smirks. “Bring it.”

The guy attacks with a punch, but Yoongi catches his hand skillfully mid-swing and pushes the fist away. He blocks with his forearm and uses the momentum to send the guy slamming into the tables behind him. Yoongi takes notice of how both men are not armed, and from their amateur attacks, he deduces they’re from the lower sector of Obsidian.

He delivers a final blow to the guy’s face and he falls back against the table defeated. The guy scrambles over to his friend to grab him and rushes out. “This isn’t over Min Yoongi," he says one final time.

Yoongi turns around to see a shocked Hoseok. His eyes are blown wide, and his hands grip the counter tightly.

Hoseok is in shock. The fight seemed like it ended as soon as it started. Was he crazy? Is he going to be safe?

“Hey, you’re okay, Hoseok-ah. Did they hurt you?”

Hoseok’s eyes widen slightly with fear, “How do you know my name?”

“You always wear your name tag.”

“Oh.. right. Um, yea sorry.” He finishes lamely.

Yoongi chuckles, “It’s okay. I would’ve reacted the same as you if some random person called me by my name.”

“You’re not random! I- I mean..” Hoseok covers his red face. He’s embarrassed himself far too many times in front of the bo- Yoongi. 

Yoongi.

“Do you mind if  I grab the cleaning supplies? I want to clean the blood.” Yoongi interrupts Hoseok’s thoughts, walking around to the back of the counter.

Hoseok shakes his head and lets Yoongi do his thing. He doesn’t want to clean the blood anyway; it’s making him nauseous. “So, your name is Yoongi?”

“Yea.” Yoongi gives him a small smile as he  starts to clean up the mess left behind. There’s a lot of blood on the counter and on the flowery tiles on the floor. 

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Hoseok starts out. “What do you do?”

Yoongi lifts his head up and looks at Hoseok, pondering what he should say. “Well, the world I come from isn’t exactly legal. It’s kind of dangerous. But I’m sure you could probably tell.”

“Yea, I had a hunch. I’m assuming you’re not trying to infiltrate into this cafe to find out our deepest, darkest cookie secrets. You wouldn’t hurt me right?”

Yoongi grins with amusement at the brunette and answers seriously. “Rest assured, that is not the reason I’m here. And I definitely wouldn’t hurt you.”

They laugh. The atmosphere is much too cheerful for what took place a couple minutes ago. He likes this feeling. He always feels light and happy when Yoongi is around.

Hoseok bends down to help Yoongi, and soon, they finish cleaning up all the blood. This time, Yoongi waits around until Hoseok closes up the cafe and offers to walk him home. 

Although Hoseok can take care of himself, he’s glad he has Yoongi’s company after what happened tonight. Besides, he likes the time he spends with Yoongi.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

It’s late into the night, and Hoseok is listening to Yoongi ramble on about basketball while pointing to the match on tv. Something about Kevin Durant being a snake and the referrees being stupid.

Most nights are like this with either Yoongi or Hoseok chatting away about their respective day and the other listening and nodding quietly. Hoseok has come to realize that Yoongi is a genuine guy, and although he might be a gangster or mobster of some sort, he’s really sweet and attentive.

They’ve started getting closer. Yoongi more often than not waits for him until shift ends and walks him home. It’s really sweet. They have conversations on just about everything from Epik High music to astronomy. Hoseok has really grown fond of the tattooed man.

It’s also amusing the way they see each other almost everywhere. They’ve run into each other at the convenience store a couple times during the day and at night. Yoongi will walk with him back to the cafe on those nights after enjoying a nice cup of ramyeon and kimbap. Other times, they’ll pass each other on the street and Yoongi will send a tiny smile of acknowledgement his way. It makes Hoseok grin like a fool for the rest of the day.

He doesn’t know what to think of the butterflies in stomach.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

“I fucking hate morning rounds,” Yoongi yawns as he gets back in the car. Namjoon chuckles and slides in right after him into the passenger seat.

They had gotten into a minor scuffle this morning.  After that surprise visit in the cafe, Yoongi told the gang about Obsidian and their lackeys. Seokjin wanted to show them a lesson, but that usually ended up creating more problems, so Namjoon tagged along to do the peacemaking.

Of course, telling them about the cafe incident raised a lot of questions about what Yoongi was doing there in the first place. The kids—Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook—would not let him see the light if he confessed why he has been going to the cafe. Seokjin would just make things worse and try to show up to embarrass him, so he’s glad that it’s Namjoon who came along for the warning.

“So are you going to tell me why you’ve been frequenting that cafe?”

“There’s no reason.”

“Hyung,” Namjoon says firmly.

Yoongi takes a right turn and sighs. He knows he’s not going to be let off easy. It’s better to just tell the truth to Namjoon. Maybe he can help with whatever is going on with him.

“A little over a month ago, I stopped by this cafe during my rounds for some coffee. The coffee was really good, but there was also the boy who was just really intriguing. I didn’t really think much of him until I saw some goons cornering him one night and I stepped in to help him. Then, he took me back to the cafe to fix up my hand because I had gotten a cut, and we had a small conversation. From then on, I kept going back and I don’t know why.”

When Namjoon doesn’t respond, Yoongi pulls over to the side of the road. He’s looking right back at Yoongi with a smug, disbelief expression on his face.

“What?”

“Hyung, I thought I was emotionally constipated but you’re like a million times worse.”

Yoongi narrows his eyes at him. “Joon, the fuck are you talking about? I’m going to kick your ass out of this car if you don’t spit out what’s on your mind.”

“Chill hyung. No need to go crazy, geez. We don’t want Jin hyung to murder your ass for leaving his wonderful boyfriend on the side of the road. Okay, before I say anything, answer me this. How do you feel when you are around that boy? Um- what’s his name?”

“Hoseok.”

“Hoseok. Great! So how do you feel when you are around Hoseok?”

Yoongi ponders for a second before answering. “When I’m around him, I feel like all of my senses are heightened. They get stronger every time I see him too. Like my heart starts beating fast when he’s nearby, and when I leave the cafe, all of it leaves. Oh, for fucks sake Joon, do I have anxiety now too? It’s all because of that damn coffee isn’t it? Oh fuck-”

When Namjoon starts laughing, Yoongi stops rambling and stares at him with a confused look on his face. He is having a serious dilemma and Namjoon isn’t helping him like he’s supposed to.

“Yoongi hyung, I mean no offence by this but I can’t believe how dumb you are!” He keeps laughing loudly and it reminds him of Hoseok. “I don’t think you need to be a psychiatrist to know what is going on with you. Anyone on the street could tell you. You, Min Yoongi, have a crush on this Hoseok guy!”

Suddenly, Yoongi can’t breathe. It feels like it all makes sense. Hoseok with his shy smiles and giggles. Hoseok with his kind heart, warm coffee, soft hands and cute rambling that makes Yoongi crack a smile even on the roughest days. Yoongi has one rule that he’s always gone by: no strings attached. But when Hoseok came into the picture, it’s like all of that was thrown out the window. He really should hate this Hoseok kid.

But damn, he really fucking likes him.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Hoseok finds himself thinking about Yoongi more often than not these days. They’ve gotten closer now, but he still exudes an authoritative aura and, for some godforsaken reason, Hoseok likes it.

It should scare him. He knows Yoongi’s world must be somewhat dangerous—given all the times he’s come into the cafe littered with bruises, cuts and sometimes even blood—but Hoseok trusts him.

He thinks about how he’s getting bolder with Yoongi. He recounts all the times their fingers have touched while exchanging coffee or when holding the door open for the other. He remembers the blush on Yoongi’s face when their hands grazed each other’s while walking home one night.

Hoseok is dozing off and smiling into the distance when Sooyoung interrupts his thoughts. “Okay, spill, oppa.”

“Spill what?” Hoseok asks confused, looking up from where he was cleaning the tables. 

“You’ve been acting very weird for the past two months! You’re smiling a lot more! Are you seeing someone? Are they good in bed?”

Hoseok blushes, trying not to imagine Yoongi and all his tattooed glory on a bed. “What? NO! Th- That’s  nonsense! I’m just happier because the weather is getting cooler. Yea.” He finishes nervously, refocusing his attention on the tables he’s been cleaning so that she doesn’t see the blush on his face.

Sooyoung purses her lips and squints her eyes as she tries to get a read on him. She’s always been good at pointing out his bullshit.

“Now, I know that’s a lie! You ARE seeing someone! Are they nice? Are they Hot?”

Hoseok admits defeat; it has always been hard keeping anything from Sooyoung. She just figures him out too easily. It’s both a gift and a curse.

“Be quiet! We’re still at work,” Hoseok whisper shouts at her. “And yes, for your information, he is VERY hot. But there’s nothing happening! We’re just friends, wait.. not even. We’re acquaintances who occasionally like each other’s company.”

“Bullshit, oppa. I know you like him! You should tell him!”

Hoseok scoffs. “First of all, there’s no way he’d ever be into me. And second of all, I don’t have the guts to do that! I’ve never liked someone before, I don’t know how all of this works! I’d much rather admire him from afar.”

“You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?” She looks at him with questioning eyes before pulling out an empty chair to give Hoseok her undivided attention. “Nevermind… Tell me all the details, oppa. How did you guys meet?”

So Hoseok tells her about their first meeting in the cafe, about Yoongi saving him in the alley and their midnight walks and conversations. He conveniently does not mention Yoongi potentially being part of a gang or mob, but Sooyoung figures it out anyway.

“He sounds real dope, oppa! I’m really happy for you! But you should tell him sometime; it wouldn’t hurt you know? From what you told me, it seems like he’s interested in you too. I mean why else would he wait for you to close up and walk you home? Unless he’s an assassin... but I'm pretty sure that is not the case.”

Hoseok rolls his eyes at her antics, his cheeks still warm from thinking about Yoongi. He’s in too deep isn’t he? He thinks about Yoongi’s tired eyes, strong arms and his signature smirk and he knows. he isn’t dangerous. He’s just human.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

One special night, Hoseok decides to be bold and invites Yoongi inside his house. He’s ranting about this and that while carrying Hoseok’s groceries in one hand and keeping the other snug in his jacket pocket. It catches Hoseok off guard at how knowledgeable Yoongi is about so many things, always eager to share new interesting facts with him, but he finds it incredibly endearing. In that deep, raspy voice of his, he rambles about the weather, his love for music, and even Ponyo. (Hoseok did not take him for a Ponyo guy.)

“Do you wanna come inside? I can whip up something for us to eat.” Hoseok asks once they reach the top of the stairs.

Yoongi blinks a couple times, trying to register what Hoseok is asking.

“Um, yea sure.” 

At Yoongi’s tone, Hoseok rushes to explain himself. “You’re always doing so much for me, I just want to show my thanks. You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I- I don’t want to force you or anything.”

“Hoseok-ah, I’d love to have dinner with you.” He smiles softly and Hoseok smiles back just as soft. His heart skips a bit.

“It’s a little shabby,” Hoseok says apologetically once they step inside. He reaches for the light switch to turn on the dim light.

“No, no it’s nice.” 

Hoseok walks to the kitchen and Yoongi follows, setting the bags on the counter. He washes his hands and ties a cute pink apron around his waist. Yoongi can’t help but smile at how effortlessly adorable the other boy is.

“I bought shrimp because it was on sale. Is it okay with you if I make shrimp fried rice?”

“Yea, of course. I’ll eat whatever you make. I’m honestly not picky when it comes to food.”

Hoseok busies himself in the kitchen while Yoongi takes a look around his small, one room apartment. He checks out the fabric and sewing machine, the rickety balcony, the small cot in the corner, and the several bins scattered around the floor.

“What’s with all the bins?” He asks once he makes his way back to the kitchen.

“Wait, hold this for a second.” Hoseok hands him a bowl of shrimp. “I heard it’s going to rain in the next couple days and my ceiling isn’t the best at keeping the water out, so I keep the bins out to collect the water. It doesn’t really help much, but I’d much rather come back to a place that isn’t flooded.”

“Hmm,” Yoongi muses, thinking seriously. He thinks about all the times Hoseok came in with tired eyes and aching muscles. He vaguely remembers Hoseok telling him about his other workplace and comes to realize that this boy doesn’t get a lot of rest. 

He is hardworking, lively, and just so kind. He’s the exact opposite of Yoongi’s type—not that he had a type anyway. He wonders what made him attracted to Hoseok in the first place. But he already knows the answer. 

He loves that regardless of how afraid Hoseok is, he is still so determined and head-strong. Just like when those thugs attacked them in the cafe. Yoongi recalls, when peeking from the corner, seeing Hoseok shake with fear and yet his eyes remained fierce and unwavering. He loves his stubborn tenacity. But most of all, he loves his smile.

His broken smile. 

It was one of the first things he had noticed about the other. No matter how rough his day is, Hoseok never fails to have a smile on his face.  It was then that Yoongi realized that this boy must've felt so much pain that he was holding onto the last recesses of his strength. 

Yoongi is broken out of his thoughts when Hoseok nudges his shoulder holding a tray of delicious food. They migrate to the small table in the middle of the room and start eating. Yoongi takes notice of the yarn and fabric in one of the corners.

“So what’s up with all of the fabric and yarn?” Yoongi asks, taking a bite of the rice. He moans internally at how good the food is.

“I like to knit and sew things. It’s a hobby of mine actually. I haven’t really had much free time nor the energy for it recently, so they’ve just been collecting dust in the corner. I really want to get back into it, but I just can’t seem to find my mojo.”

“Ah, so you’re cute AND talented. I expected no less from you, Hoseok.” Yoongi mutters nonchalantly and takes another bite,  a pleased noise escaping his lips. Hoseok gawks at his response, unable to form a sentence. What Yoongi does next sends him reeling. Yoongi takes off his flimsy jacket, leaving him in nothing but a simple white t-shirt exposing his arms and chest. Hoseok’s eyes linger, taking in the various tattoos on the other boy.

Yoongi sees Hoseok staring and smirks. “Do you like what you see, Hoseok?”

Hoseok blushes and averts his eyes quickly. “You’re a lot more smooth now than that first night in the cafe.”

“Well, that was my first time dealing with someone so pretty. Cut me some slack please.” Yoongi recalls himself being a flustered mess as Hoseok tended to his wounds on the night they officially met. Hoseok is right; he is a lot more smooth.

“W- What?” Hoseok blurts, his blush deepening as he wipes the grease off his mouth.

“I said what I said.”

Hoseok covers his face with his hands. He knows his whole face is red. “You- You can’t just say stuff like that!” 

The rest of the “dinner” goes smoothly (NOT) and Yoongi heads up to leave as it’s almost 4 in the morning. But before he leaves there is something he wants to do, something that is long overdue.

He’s at the door about to leave when he asks. “Hoseok-ah, can I have your number?”

The expression on Hoseok is palpable, his eyes widening at first and then turning into a gentle eye smile, so warm and inviting.

“Yoongi, I thought you’d never ask.”

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Of course the day Hoseok forgets an umbrella, it rains. He has been taking an umbrella with him for the past couple days because of the rain warning and it had NOT rained on those days. And to make matters worse, this morning the sun was shining bright and there was not a cloud in sight, so Hoseok didn’t think there was a need for one today. He even joked about it with Yoongi earlier when they met up.

Honestly, with his luck he should’ve expected this. 

When he stepped out of the convenience store with his groceries, he did not expect a freaking torrential downpour. 

Now, the icy grey sky restlessly grumbles on from above. He tries to wring the rain water out of his hair under the bus stop shelter. Now that he is out of the rain, the chilly air starts setting in. His feet are soaked in his shoes, his hair is damp, his clothes are soaking wet, and his teeth are chattering loudly from the cold.

There’s no one around for him to ask for a ride, and his phone died an hour ago so he can’t even reach Yoongi. He sits down on the floor and curls into a ball, trying not to focus on the cold or the puffs of air coming out of his mouth. When he sniffles, the tip of his nose starts burning from the cold.

He has a headache now, and his head is feeling a bit woozy and lightheaded. He curses himself for not buying a thicker jacket. He feels his eyes blink tiredly and falls back against the railing, dizzy. The last thing he hears before losing consciousness is a rough voice calling out his name.

-

When Hoseok wakes up again, it’s to an incessant hum of voices and to the comforting smell of cedar and cigarettes. His eyes open, and he takes in the Epik High posters on the walls, the brown comforter he’s wrapped in, a bookshelf filled with books, and dirty laundry strewn on the floor. He looks to the side and sees the rain continue to wreak havoc outside through the window.

His body stiffens and eyes widen with uneasiness as he continues to look around. He doesn’t know where he is. Before he can continue to worry, the door opens and a bright-eyed boy steps in with two others in tow. 

“Hyung! He’s awake!”

“HI! How do you know our hyung?”

“Are you his secret boyfriend?”

“Do you like bears, cats, or dogs?”

Hoseok is bombarded with too many questions. These boys did not give him a chance to breathe, and he did not know what to say. Who was the hyung they were talking about? 

At that moment, Yoongi steps into the room, his dark eyes taking in Hoseok’s condition.

“Hi Seok, how do you feel?” He turns to the younger boys and swats them away. “Yah, Leave him alone, don’t blast him with questions.” He walks around the bed and sits on the edge and puts his hand on Hoseok’s forehead.

“Where am I?” Hoseok mumbles quietly, still trying to catch up with what’s happening. 

“You’re in my room.” He gestures around the room. “You passed out at the bus station, and I brought you back here. You really scared me Hoseok. I’m glad you’re awake.”

Hoseok blinks in surprise, thinking of how the last thing he had heard before everything turned black was someone saying his name. It all makes sense now.

“How come you’re always saving me? I’m honestly really grateful to you, Yoongi. Thank you so much.” He looks to the three boys in the corner and smiles nervously at them as well. “Hi, my name is Jung Hoseok. Thanks for letting me stay.”

The boys beam and run towards the bed. The bright-eyed one immediately says, “You’re more than welcome! Anyone who has Yoongi hyung running out in the middle of a thunderstorm at midnight has a special place in our hearts! I’m Jimin by the way.”

“I’m Taehyung!”

“And I’m Jungkook,” The last boy says quietly.

Hoseok softens as he notices how sweet and close the boys are. They also seem to be attached to Yoongi. 

“Well, let's get you to change and dry off. You’re soaking wet.” Yoongi interrupts his thoughts.

Hoseok rubs the back of his neck sheepishly and sits up properly. “I don’t have any spare clothes.”

Taehyung laughs bright and loud. “Don’t worry, I’m sure we can find something for you to wear!”

“Jimin, why don’t you lend Hoseok one of your sweatpants. You both are around the same size. I can give him my shirt.” Yoongi offers.

“Yea, sounds good! Let me go grab something!” Jimin leaves and the boys follow him out, leaving only Hoseok and Yoongi in the room.

Yoongi scoots closer on the bed and cups his cheek with one hand. “You really had me worried, Seok. Let’s get you in a hot shower.”

When Hoseok doesn’t reply, his cheeks burning a bright red, Yoongi grabs his wrist and helps him out of the bed towards the bathroom. His hands automatically move to Hoseok’s waist, steadying him as he stands up. His grip is firm and comforting, and Hoseok gets flustered at their closeness.

Tonight’s going to be a long night.

-

“I’m done!” Hoseok says, messing with his wet hair. He walks back into Yoongi’s room to see him sitting on the bed.

Yoongi’s eyes trail down to notice his own shirt engulfing the other, the way it hangs perfectly on his skin with his collarbones fully on display. His eyes move toward his legs that fit snugly in Jimin’s sweatpants, showcasing his beautiful thighs.

Fucking hell, get a grip, Yoongi.

“I’ll go out so you can shower, Yoongi. You’re wet too.”

Yoongi needs to get a grip. He looks away abruptly, trying not to think of the beautiful man in front of him. Once Hoseok leaves, Yoongi covers his eyes and lets out a sigh.

This is going to be a long night.

-

“And this was when we tried to surprise Yoongi hyung for his birthday two years ago and he almost jump kicked Taehyung hyung.” Jungkook says, pointing to another picture with a grumpy Yoongi trying to avoid a cheerfully smiling Taehyung.

Hoseok chuckles and looks at the three boys around him. “You guys are really close, huh?”

Jimin smiles and cozies himself against Hoseok’s side. “We’ve basically all known each other since we were teens. We took Jungkook in when he was barely 12. He was the youngest and the last one to join us. But we’re basically family!”

“That’s really nice,” Hoseok ruffles Jimin’s hair. “Who are these two?

“Oh, that’s Jin hyung and Namjoon hyung! They’re not here right now. It’s date night for them so they’re spending the night out. But they’re super boring compared to us! Do you have any siblings, Hoseok hyung?” Taehyung asks and then withdraws. “Wait… is it ok if I call you hyung?”

“No, I don’t. But I wish I did. And yes, you can call me hyung.” He smiles sadly and thinks about all the lonely nights he spent growing up. But his thoughts are interrupted by Jungkook’s stomach growling. He laughs.

“Are you hungry?” 

“Yea, we were gonna get takeout, but since it’s been raining no one is taking orders for delivery. I’ve drank half of my banana milk already, but it’s not enough.” He’s pouting and Hoseok thinks it’s adorable.

“I can cook for you guys!” Hoseok blurts. 

All the boys turn to look at him as if he just offered to give them a million dollars. He blinks back nervously, not really knowing how to react.

“OH MY GOSH! YES PLEASE! PRETTY PLEASE! WE WOULD LOVE THAT!” Taehyung exclaims, throwing his arms around Hoseok. Jimin and Jungkook follow soon after and it warms Hoseok’s heart.

“We haven’t had a proper home cooked meal in like weeks! Months even!!” Jungkook jumps up and down punching the air. “We could have movie night and dinner!”

“But wait, is that okay? We wouldn’t want to impose!” Jimin says.

“It’s completely okay! I love to cook and I already bought groceries. Besides, this is the least I can do since you guys are so accommodating by letting me stay here.”

Hoseok gets up and heads to the kitchen to prepare, letting the kids fight about what movie they should choose. He finds his grocery bags on the kitchen counter and gets to work, his hands working on autopilot. 

This whole situation feels surreal. Never in his life did he think that he’d be making dinner in Yoongi’s kitchen, wearing his clothes. He has no idea what to think of Yoongi or how he even caught his attention in the first place. Maybe it was his tattoos, who knows. 

Growing up, he never could keep the friends he made because of his mom, and he didn’t have the energy to fight for them either. But it’s different now. What he has with Yoongi is confusing. He likes to think that they’re friends, but he also wants to think that they’re also something more . That’s uncharted territory for Hoseok. He has no idea how anything is going to play out. He’s at the mercy of the one and only Min Yoongi.

And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“What are you doing?” His thoughts are interrupted by Yoongi standing in the kitchen doorway in a sleeveless shirt, hair wet and tattoos on full display.

Hoseok gulps. He looks away immediately and tries to busy himself with the ingredients on the cutting board.

“I’m cooking up some dinner.” He can see Yoongi walking towards him from the corner of his eye and his heart starts beating faster.

Hoseok is so hyper focused on cutting the mushrooms that his hair keeps getting in his face. Yoongi thinks it’s adorable everytime Hoseok lets out a puff of air to try to get it out of his face.

He comes up behind Hoseok after grabbing the apron hanging on the wall and murmurs in his ear, his lips brushing the shell. “You shouldn’t have to cook for them. They’re adults who can take care of themselves.”

Hoseok gasps and turns around, the hairs on his neck rise immediately. He feels Yoongi’s large hands slowly slide around his waist as he ties an apron around it. His own hands unconsciously grab onto Yoongi’s forearms.

“Wha-”

“Just keeping my shirt safe,” Yoongi smirks, his hands lingering on his hips before he steps away.

Hoseok’s heart is beating so erratically in his chest, it feels like it could fall out at any moment. Goddamn, Min Yoongi and his stupidly attractive voice and hypnotic eyes.

What is happening to him?

-

Dinner goes by rather smoothly. The kids end up loving Hoseok’s Sundubu Jjigae and shower him with endless praise and affection.

Hoseok, although kind of uncomfortable at first, accepts their warm and welcoming nature. He’s not used to this. But it’s not something he can’t get used to. 

He likes this. 

By the end of the night, he was divulging little parts of his life with them with a small smile on his face. And they took every bit of information enthusiastically.

Things were going so well. He found himself having fun instead of feeling like a burden.

Everytime one of the kids would say something to him, Yoongi’s gaze would become more soft and his lips would quirk up into the smallest smile. The tension from earlier in the kitchen was nowhere to be seen.

The kids leave to wash the dishes leaving Yoongi alone in the room with Hoseok. They both are seated next to each other and Hoseok shifts when he feels Yoongi’s eyes gazing intensely at him.

And there it is. The tension from earlier coming back so quick and strong, like jumping face first into the ocean. like hitting him head on with a truck.  

Hoseok stares right back into those icy, onyx eyes. He gulps when he sees Yoongi take a quick glance at his lips before leaning in and kind of malfunctions.

What does this mean? What is going on? 

His heart is hammering away in his chest, and he is fighting with his brain to try to either say something to lessen the tension or if he should just give into his feelings. 

Lucky for him, Jimin and Jungkook come back into the living room, and Yoongi moves back quickly. Hoseok coughs and waves to them nervously while they just jump back on the couch to resume watching Iron-Man.

Thirty minutes into the movie (Taehyung joined a couple minutes after the movie started), Hoseok starts feeling his eyes get droopy. His body is exhausted beyond relief and the tiredness from the whole day starts hitting him in full force. It has been A day.

He lets out a small sigh and nuzzles his cheek into his knees, pulling them closer to his chest. He dozes off.

Honestly, he doesn’t care about how crazy this situation feels. He likes having friends, ones who are genuine and don’t make nasty comments behind his back. It is refreshing and absolutely welcome. His mind wanders back to Yoongi and warmth immediately fills his chest. The boy always catches him off guard with everything he does. There’s something about the small, tattooed boy that has always pulled him towards him.

It’s safe to say he feels something for the mystery man with the never-ending tattoos. 

Something that he has never really felt before.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Hoseok is restocking the food by the counter while thinking about the other night. 

He had nodded off during the movie and Yoongi woke him up to take him to his room. His sleep-addled brain hadn’t registered until the next day that they shared a bed. Hoseok thinks about how close their faces were when he first woke up in the morning, how he could count every single one of Yoongi’s eyelashes, the small moles on his face and even the cracks in his dry lips.

He thinks about how much he smiles when Yoongi is around. He thinks about how patient, kind and charming Yoongi is. He isn’t sure how long Yoongi is going to stay in his life. He could disappear whenever he wants, leaving that sensation in Hoseok’s heart desperate with want and despair.

Hoseok is really tempted to ask him to stay.

For once, he has someone who he doesn’t want to let go.

⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘

Yoongi steps into the cafe donning a leather jacket, multiple rings in his ears, and his hair slicked to the side. He’s absolutely stunning, and Hoseok momentarily forgets how to breathe. He spots Hoseok at the counter and saunters toward him hiding something behind his back.

Upon reaching the counter, Yoongi brings out a bouquet of sunflowers from behind his back and gives it to Hoseok. Hoseok sees the pink burn through Yoongi's cheeks and feels his own aflame.

“What’s this?” Hoseok grabs the bouquet and shifts, anxiously waiting for a response. The sunflowers are so beautiful.

Yoongi scratches the back of his head and his eyes fidget, a nervous habit of his that Hoseok picked up on. “I- I wanted to ask you on a date. After your shift is done! If that is okay with you?”

Hoseok stares at Yoongi, breathless and in awe. Hisheart is beating 10 times faster now. He can’t believe this is happening. “Yea, I’d love that.” 

After his shift, Yoongi leads Hoseok outside where he finds a shiny, sleek motorcycle parked in front of the cafe.

“Is this yours? I’ve never ridden one before.”

“Yea, are you okay with riding it? I brought a helmet for you.”

“I’ll admit I am scared, but I know I can hold onto you.” Hoseok says cheekily.

“I’ll keep you safe, sunshine. I promise it’s not going to be too long of a ride.”

Hoseok chuckles softly at the nickname; he really likes it. The last time someone called him by a nickname was his dad, years ago before he passed away.

It takes Hoseok by surprise when Yoongi hooks his leg over the motorcycle and gracefully gets on in one single motion. He watches with awe as he stands to the side. Yoongi kicks away the kickstand and revs the engine; the machine comes to life instantly. It makes Hoseok take a couple steps back. Yoongi is just so stunning.

Yoongi wears his helmet and looks toward Hoseok, waiting for him to get on as well. It’s all or nothing, Hoseok thinks, so he gets on, not as smoothly Yoongi, and wraps his arms tightly around the elder’s waist. He finds the air stuck in his throat when he realizes how close he is to the other boy.

I mean, they’ve shared a bed already and Hoseok is still shy.

“Let’s go”, Yoongi says before the engine roars to life and they glide through the streets of Seoul. Hoseok’s cheek is glued to Yoongi’s shoulder and his eyes close for a second. It’s frightening at first. Hoseok clenches his jaw but then he relaxes into it and opens his eyes. The view is incredible. They’re zipping past the cars on the freeway, and his blood in thrumming in his veins.

By the time Yoongi reaches the Han River, Hoseok is fully enjoying the ride without any inhibitions. He’s smiling like a fool and is almost sad that it has to end. 

“Well, what do you think? Did you like the ride?” Yoongi climbs off the bike to take his helmet off and runs a hand through his stiff hair.

“Gosh, it was exhilarating! My heart is beating so fast, I feel so alive! Like I can do anything.” Hoseok’s eyes are bright and wild and he’s still shaking from the ride, his fingers tingling.

“That’s called an adrenaline rush.” Yoongi chuckles, taking in Hoseok’s enthusiasm while parking. The boy is so beautiful, his smile makes Yoongi’s heart flutter.

Hoseok looks around excitedly at the beautiful stretch of bike and walking trails along the Riverbed to their right. The city lights are twinkling in the distance across the river under the moonlight. Yoongi takes his hand and leads him to a stretch of grass and they sit side by side.

“Yoongi, this is so beautiful.” Hoseok says, still mesmerized. “Is this that the Han River? This is Hangang Park right? I’ve only been here once.”

They talk and talk about this and that, Hoseok revealing more bits of his childhood and Yoongi rambling about his day. Hoseok loves these moments, loves when they let down their walls slowly and let each other in. He rests his head on Yoongi’s shoulders and the ambient noise that comes with Yoongi’s voice and the crickets chirping makes his mind relax.

There’s more to Min Yoongi than what first meets the eye. He’s realized that in the past months they’ve known each other. Yoongi is the type to say what’s on his mind without shying away. He loves basketball and has the biggest sweet tooth known to mankind. No matter how annoying the kids can be, he never yells at them instead he goes along with their shenanigans. He doesn’t have a resting bitch face but he exudes a “ Don’t talk to me, I don’t like you” aura to almost everyone he doesn’t know. But it’s the mundane things like that and many more, the little details that make Hoseok’s heart skip a beat when he least expects.

It’s safe to say that he has been falling for this man and maybe he’s in too deep.

But he doesn’t care.

He’s deep in thought when Yoongi interrupts him.

“Can I say something?”

“Hmm?” Hoseok responds, head still resting on Yoongi’s shoulder.

“I’m sure it’s obvious by now but I wanted to do it properly.” At that, Hoseok lifts his head and stares into Yoongi’s eyes prompting him to continue. “I like you, Hoseok. A lot.”

Hoseok eyes widen and crimson blush spreads across his cheeks. He opens his mouth to say something but nothing comes out for a moment. “I-I like you too, Y-Yoongi.” 

Then Yoongi does something so unexpected.

He smiles. Soft and sweet, a lovely gummy smile. And Hoseok has never seen anything more beautiful.

Yoongi takes Hoseok’s hands in his and pulls him closer. “I’ve been wanting to ask you a very important question for a while now. But before I ask that, there are something’s about me I want to tell you. I want to put everything out on the table before asking because my world can be dangerous.” Hoseok nods and Yoongi continues. “I work for a crime syndicate called Vermillion. We’re an organization that deals with, I guess you could say settlements for people who have been unjustly wronged. They come to us when the police don’t do anything.

“How did you join them?”

“Seokjin hyung and Namjoon actually found me on the streets doing graffiti and getting into fights and took me in. I joined them when I was 14. I was the first one to join the group after them and I guess the rest is history, they raised me.”

“What about your parents? Weren’t they worried?” Hoseok questions. He tightens his grip on Yoongi’s hands.

Yoongi sends a sad smile his way. “Life hasn’t been kind to either of us, Seok. My parents were physically abusive and toxic, I ran away from home when I couldn’t take it anymore. I was homeless for months and I had no one. I guess it’s a miracle Seokjin hyung found me and I ended up meeting the boys. They’re my family and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”

Hoseok tears up and intertwines their fingers. “I’m so happy that you found people who love and respect you, Yoongi. You deserve that. You are so so good. Even what you’re doing, protecting and fighting for those who don’t have anywhere else to go. That’s really amazing.”

“Hoseokie, I know I told you we help people in need but I want you to know that the way we bring ‘justice’ isn't exactly legal and we also own a lot of illegal assets, like that one club in Gangnam, Lust. That's actually ours. So we’re not all that good and I’m far from good. My world can be dangerous Hoseok-ah, you saw what happened at your cafe.” Hoseok continues to nod and take in everything Yoongi is saying. “But like I said I wouldn’t change it because I found my family because protecting them runs in my veins. But in these past couple months I met a stranger who I wanted to protect and love.”

“Yoongi…” Hoseok whispers. But the latter continues.

“I met a boy who shines so bright even on the darkest days. I’ve never been the one to believe in love, in fact I always shied away from something as trivial as dating but then I met a boy. A boy with a smile so warm even the sun is jealous. I met a boy who made me, Min Yoongi fall so deep. I met a boy who made my heart skip a beat for the first time and since then I’ve wanted to protect and love him the way he deserves.”

Hoseok chokes on a sob. More tears form in his eyes.

“With all of that out of the way, I have something important I want to ask this precious boy a very important question.” There’s a moment of silence before Yoongi moves closer and looks straight into his eyes with so much warmth it catches him off guard. His hands cup Hoseok’s cheeks and he gently traces his thumb over them. “Hoseok-ah, will you do me the honor of being my boyfriend?”

Hoseok’s eyes light up immediately and finally the tears fall. For the time in forever he feels like he too deserves to be loved. He too deserves to date, to be cherished, to go on dates, and all the other things young people do when they’re dating.

He knows it’s a risk getting involved with someone like Yoongi. But that is a risk he is willing to make because he wants to watch his own love story unfold.

For the first time in years, he's depending on someone else. He should be scared, terrified even. The walls around his heart are there for a reason. But... But . With Yoongi it’s different. It has always been like that.

And it always will be. He knows it to be true.

He smiles back at the boy who caught his attention since the very beginning. “Yes, I will.” And he leans in, pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss under the stars.