apology

four

December 16, 2015, 8 a.m.

"I want coffee!" Taehyung yells at me from the bathroom, over the sound of rushing water.

"But we've run out!" I try to overpower the sound of the shower with my voice, and succeed.

"I can't survive without coffee! I'll fall asleep in the middle of holding fans' hands!" he whines. Sometimes, I feel like the older one when I'm with Taehyung.

I roll my eyes. "They would die of happiness anyways! Especially if you drool on them!"

"My career is on the line!" he argues. "Just go get some coffee from the store downstairs! I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"

"It'll just be pizza anyways!" I protest, but put on my shoes anyways. An hour ago, I finished washing up and changed into a white woolen sweater and jeans. Since then, Taehyung has been hogging the shower. Talk about water wastage.

The concrete pavement below my apartment is caked with snow when I arrive downstairs. Slowly, I walk towards the nearby convenience store to avoid the snow getting into my boots.

I enter the store, heading straight for the beverage aisle. Taking a carton of six cans of coffee from the shelf, I hug it in front of my chest as I tread towards the cashier's counter to make payment.

"That'll be 9000 won," the cashier says after scanning the bar code.

I reach into my pocket for my wallet, but realize that my pocket is empty. I check the other pocket, patting the back pockets as well. It's not here.

"Are you going to pay or not?" the cashier snaps impatiently.

"I-" I start to explain, but a voice cuts me off from behind.

"I'll get it," the voice says.

I turn around to face its owner, locking eyes with a guy in round-rimmed glasses. His black hair is center parted, and a mask covers the bottom half of his face. His shirt says '화양연화', the official merchandise for BTS's most recent album. Even when he's dressed like that, I recognize him almost immediately. Jung Hoseok.

Hoseok hands the cashier a 10,000-won bill, and the cashier gives him his change, placing my coffee into a plastic bag. I smile thankfully at Hoseok, who grins back.

Together, we walk out of the store. "Are you like, advertising your own album?" I ask Hoseok jokingly, referring to his shirt.

Hoseok shrugs, a slight smile reaching his eyes. "Maybe. It looks good on me anyways."

I grin at him, silently agreeing. He walks me to the entrance of my apartment building, and I am about to ask him whether he wants to come in and sit, before an excited shout sounds from the top of the stairs.

"MY COFFEE!!" Taehyung exclaims, snatching the carton from me and taking a can out, chugging its contents down.

"Hello to you too," Hoseok mumbles.

"Oh, Hoseok! You're here too!" Taehyung greets his band-mate delightedly, before handing me the rest of the carton.

Just then, the large SUV that BTS owns drives up the street, stopping in front of us. The driver gets out and opens the door for Taehyung and Hoseok to enter.

"We'll get going first, then," Hoseok bids me goodbye, ruffling my hair before stepping into the car.

"I'll be back by seven!" Taehyung informs me, before following suit.

As they climb in, I catch a glimpse of Park Jimin, who's currently glaring at me from his seat. I stick my tongue out at him, before turning on my heels, heading back to my apartment.

***

That night, as promised, Taehyung brings two boxes of pizza home, as well as a beaming Hoseok. "Hi Minrae!" Hoseok greets me.

"Hoseokie, you're here!" I exclaim, waving to him from the couch as Taehyung puts the takeaway down on the dining table.

"I invited him along because we have a song to work on, you're okay with that, right?" Taehyung explains.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" I grin, taking a seat at the table. Even if I'm not okay with that, it's not like I can chase Hoseok out with a broom, can I?

We have a silent dinner, and I offer to take out the garbage afterwards. It's awkward anyways, me sitting there listening to Taehyung and Hoseok compose a song.

I dump the black trash bag into the recycling bin in an alley beside the convenience store, digging out my phone to call Yoongi. I haven't been in touch with him since yesterday, and I really want to catch up with him.

"The number you have called is unavailable. Please try again later. Thank you," the operator tells me. I sigh, deciding to text him instead.

"Scream out and I slit your throat," a scratchy voice says from behind me just as I open my chat with Yoongi. I feel metal up against my neck as a hand reaches forward, snatching my phone away from my grasp and dropping it onto the ground in front of me. My attacker steps on my phone, crushing it into bits and pieces under his boot.

This can't be happening. This can't be happening.

"Please don't hurt me," I beg as fear creeps into my heart.

"Pretty ones like you don't usually come this late at night," the man says as his scruffy beard rubs against my face. He takes his hand and wraps it around my waist.

"Please just let me go," I cry, my eyes going over to the pedestrians on the street, but it's too dark to see anything. What is he going to do to me?

"I doubt that's gonna happen, Princess," he whispers in my ear.

"I'll do whatever you want," I cry out. The knife presses closer to my throat.

"Keep your voice down," he hisses in a whisper.

Tears stream down my face as he pulls me close, his lips leaving butterfly marks on my face. The smell of his breath - cigarettes mixed with alcohol - wafts into my nostrils. How am I going to get out of this?

"Let her go!" I hear a stern voice shout.

I feel a slight bit of relief come over me, but there's still a knife to my throat. The man turns around to face the person who's trying to save me. I feel the knife press closer to my neck and I clench my teeth while forcing my eyes shut.

"Come and get her," my attacker spits.

"Just let me go, let me go, let me go," I cry.

"Shut your mouth, slut!" the man roars while hitting my head with the hand that's around my waist. My head spins in confusion. He hit me hard, and my head is bulging with pain.

I cry out.

"Call her a slut one more time, and I bust your face in!" the man who's trying to save me screams. "Give. Me. The. Girl," he says sternly.

I open my eyes to see a familiar figure.

Orange hair. Sculpture face.

Park Jimin.

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aaand i hope y'all enjoyed that :D vote and leave a comment !! thanks for reading :)

by the way, '화양연화' translates into 'the most beautiful moment in life', which is the name of bts's album, in case you're wondering about hoseok's shirt ;)

;hoseokieomo

p.s. what's your favorite song? :3 mine is currently the full-length version of 'love is not over' by bts <3