Pop Star || Yoongi x Reader

43. Ear Twists

You were so preoccupied with his hands that you didn't see his eyes open.

"I wasn't staring," you reply, flustered. He is observing you so coolly that whatever reprimanding you were planning to give him for sleeping off is driven out of your mind. But you proceed to try.

"Hey, how can you sleep when we have so much work to do?"

He has closed his eyes again, but this time his face is lit with amusement.

"OI!" you move towards him, caught between the embarrassment of the moment before and urge to hold those hands and pull him off the chair. Annoyance, of all the feelings, wins in the end and you grab his left ear -

"OW Y/N!" he yells. You win this round with delight.

Both of you get back to shifting crates, folding cartons and playing off each other. You notice that he is more open with you today than he has ever been. And it's infectious - his low-key chaotic energy against your more high-key comedic vibe. You exchange stories - him and his tour tales, you and your album updates - all interspersed with details about parts of your life that you haven't shared with anyone since ages. You appreciate him letting his guard down more than you show. It's precious to you - you've grown to respect Yoongi and to like his presence - so it's very precious to see him finally be easy around you.

"Are you doing something on 9th March?" he asks suddenly.

"I'll have to see. Why?"

"There's a - little something at my house that day. I'd like you to come."

You squint your eyes to think. There's something that you're missing completely.

"I will try my best to come then," you answer.

"Cool," he says, not looking at you. As much as he doesn't want to set his heart on it, Suga really wants you there with him that day. It's freaky - how fast you've become someone he wants to keep close. But then, after all these years, after knowing so many people, he has learnt to trust his instincts.

"By the way, how was UK?" you ask.

He throws back his head and wails in a move that strongly reminds you of yourself. It's exceedingly cute to watch him do that.

"I think I may have died back there," he says.

"That bad, huh?"

"It wasn't bad, I met people, I performed, I fried my hair, I met people, I performed, I lost weight again - don't look at me like that you know it's natural after performing so much -"

You end up giggling on seeing him become so defensive.

There is a pause, after which he asks a bit tentatively, "How are things with - your ex-label?"

"Things are - moving along..."

There's a pause as you contemplate what to tell him, and he contemplates asking you an uncomfortable question.

The sound of someone coming up the steps causes both of you to pause. The American customer from before pokes in his head, "Sorry for interruptin' y'all - this isn't the washroom, is it?" he asks, apologetic in his tone.

"No, no - it's downstairs - I'll show you," you offer. Ugh.

But he is not looking at you anymore. Instead, he is staring at Yoongi as if he recognizes him.

Before you can ask, Yoongi says, "I know you, don't I?"