The Runaway

Friends - Part 3

Yoongi woke to the comforting smells of coffee and cinnamon buns wafting in the cozy space.  Still, his legs shook as he came downstairs for breakfast and wondered how he would spend the rest of his day.  The friendly faces that greeted him disarmed him and he suddenly felt comfortable and reassured in the tiny kitchen full of love and yummy smells. 

Ara heated the food her mom had brought from the restaurant but he still could barely eat because of his nerves.  As the others ate, Yoongi stared at the steam rising from his cup his mind finding peace in the simple act of sharing a meal.

His friends had decided the right thing to do would be to take him to school with them. He agreed to go not wanting to leave their side since they made him feel safe and happy.

He shyly accepted Dawon's school uniform and stared at his reflection, stress clearly shown in his eyes. He hadn't been to school for a long time. He wondered how he would be received by the other students. Would they be nice like his new friends or cruel as he had experienced previously? He also wondered if the staff would accept him or turn him away. 

When it was time to leave, Mrs. Kim hugged her children and handed them lunch boxes.  Yoongi stood there thinking she would only hug her kids but she saved the biggest hug for him.  He struggled to keep his emotions under wraps since he wasn't used to such loving treatment.  

Ara's face softens as she watches the scene. She lets the boys walk ahead and catches her mom's expression that is equally moved.

"Mom, we need to do the right thing."

"Oh baby, not another one, we have four cats," her mom said predicting what she will ask.

"No, no. It's not a cat.  It's him," Ara giggled cause she remembered calling him 'kitten.'

"Yoongi."

"How did you guess?"

"He has a lost look in his eyes.  How can we help?"

"He is a runaway.  Mom, I heard him cry in his sleep. We can't let him go back and be mistreated."

"I know what you're going to ask," her mom smiled. "If he behaves well, he can stay here for now.  I will find out if we can be his foster family.  Perhaps the money will help us out.  This place is so small though, but I'll think of something."

Ara jumped up and down excitedly, "thank you, mom!  You're the greatest!"

"Ara."

"Yes, mom?"

"Watch over him."

Ara hugged her sweet mom that was always willing to help anyone in need.  On the way to school, she told Yoongi the good news.  Her mom was willing to foster him and give him a home if he wanted it.

At school, they introduced him to their friends.  Ji-woo looked at Yoongi suspiciously.  Ara was afraid of what her blunt friend was going to say.  Thankfully, Ji-woo had the tact to whisper her thoughts in her ear.  

"Isn't that the lost kid?  He's cute!"  

Ara just nodded not wanting to go into any more details especially when Jay walked up to her wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in for a kiss.

"Jay!"  she says pushing him off. "You didn't call me!"  She pouted angrily.

"Sorry, I had no connection,"  He brushed off her protest as if it was of no importance making her angrier.

"I doubt that," she replied with the fakest smile.

Yoongi looked up at the tall muscular kid.  He wasn't just built, he was handsome too.

"Who is your new friend?" Jay quickly changed the conversation to a safer subject.  The way the raven-haired boy was eyeing him made him want to assert himself.  He wasn't sure who this new kid was but he seemed kind of chummy with his girlfriend and he didn't like that.

"Yoongi, This is Jay, Jay Yoongi," Ara introduced them.

"Hi.  I'm her boyfriend," he asserted standing tall making Yoongi feel small.

'Well, that was direct,' Yoongi thought.  'This alpha is marking his territory.  How predictable.'

"Only when he feels like it," she retorted and walked away.

Yoongi smiled his lips making a thin line but the smile did not reach his distrustful eyes.  He knew instinctively that this kid was a player and just using this sweet girl.  By no means was he jealous.  He wasn't in love.  He had just met her but he knew she had a good heart.  He had been around cold, broken people some of them lashing out because of their depression and feeling bad about themselves.  The worse they felt about themselves the more they wanted to hurt others.  This girl had a different aura.  She wasn't broken yet and she won't be.  Not if he could help it.