VISUAL // Yoongi

HP +3

<> Yoongi <>

"Here you go."

At last, two caramel macchiatos have come to the table. The glorious aroma wafts in the air as the waitress puts my mug on a coaster. Jungkook impatiently receives his mug, too.

Warmth spreads through my fingers. "Thank you."

"If you need anything, let me know," she smiles. Once she's walked away from our table, Jungkook and I cautiously slide our masks down.

Jungkook takes the first sip from his mug. I wait until he puts the mug down to start my attack.

"Thanks, Hyung. Sorry for complaining, Hyung. I enjoyed my day with you, Hyung." My inner thoughts come to life. With every sentence, Jungkook flinches. "Daebak, Hyung, you're paying for my macchiato?"

A cruel smile tugs at my lips. Jungkook squirms in his seat with every comment. As he glances out the window, he pulls his mask back up to cover his reddening cheeks. "Thanks, Hyung. Sorry for complaining, Hyung. I enjo--"

"Aish!" I jokingly kick his leg. "I'm busting your chops. Thanks for putting up with me all day."

Jungkook's eyes bunch up. I can tell he's laughing under the mask despite his coy attempt at playing upset.

Leaning back in my chair, I scan the coffee shop. Save for the waitress and her friends, the place is empty. Closing time must be soon.

"Ouch!" My eyes drift to the girl standing at one of the corner tables. She's tenderly handling a VR headset.

I hadn't realized there was a VR station set up here. Crossing my arms, I observe the girl as she flips and twists the VR headset in her hands.

You would think she doesn't know how to put a headset on, I joke with myself. I reach for my mug, taking comfort in the warmth of my macchiato.

"Yoona, how do I put this on?"

Choking, my eyes go wide. She really doesn't know how to put it on.

Taking notice of my surprise, Jungkook waves his hand in front of my face. I swat his hand away and impolitely, but subtly, point a finger in the girl's direction.

Jungkook sips from his mug while locking his eyes on the source of my attention.

"Babe, help Y/N with her headset. I'm trying to get the recent shipment sorted out before we close."

"Yeah, sure." The guy standing next to the waitress snatches a kiss before hopping over the counter. "What's the problem?"

"This latch, here. I can't get it undone."

"Here," the guy offers, lending a hand. As he takes the headset, he lowers his voice. "Y/N. Are you sure about this?"

We can still hear you, you know. My eyes naturally wander back to the mug in my hands.

Jungkook takes out his phone and starts mock texting. At least, that's what I thought he was doing, until my phone buzzed.

Eyes flickering between him and my pocket, I slip my phone onto the table.

Hyung, I don't think she's played Ambition before.

Me neither. She's clumsy with the headset.

Remember the first day we got our hands on Ambition? So nostalgic. 🥺

Jungkook... nostalgic? Who are you?

Shut up 😝

Dropping my phone back in my pocket, I return my attention to the corner of the shop. By this point, the girl has her headset on. She's tightening the gloves.

"Oppa. Want to get the game set up while I get comfortable?"

"Sure...but Y/N, are you really sure--"

"Oppa." She rolls her neck, getting used to the weight of the headset. "I love you, but turn on the TV."

"I got it!" The waitress pops up from behind the counter. The remote is within her arms' reach.

"Yoongi-hyung," Jungkook calls softly. He holds up his watch. "Curfew. I know we don't have any team meetings today, but..."

Letting loose all the air from my lungs, I sigh. "Do you think we can get away with one night out? Just one?"

"If you want to stay out, I'll stay with you."

"It's alright." Tapping my fingers against my mug, I wonder what the consequences could be. "I don't want to go back, yet. But you should go."

"I don't want to go back, either," Jungkook mumbles.

"Oh, really?" I smile. "Today is pay day, though."

The maknae gingerly purses his lips. "I don't need the money," he insists.

"Then what are those dying puppy eyes?"

"Your imagination. You wish you had these puppy eyes." Jungkook props his hands under his chin, batting his eyelashes.

I suppress my laughter. "Have it your way." Not budging from the chair, I stash my hands in my pockets. "I owe you your meals for the next week."

"Daebak, Jungkookie, thank you for spending the night out with me against the rules!" Jungkook teases. "Jungkookie, you're such a great friend. Oh, Jungkookie, I can't wait to--"

My leg promptly whacks him under the table. Even while attending to his new bruise, he's grinning wider than the Cheshire cat.

"Y/N, look at the profile tab. Yeah...okay stop, stop, good. Close your fist to confirm."

Jungkook and I look at the TV, which is lit up with the girl's view of the game. She's choosing her gamer tag.

"Wha-- I can't just choose my own name?"

"Someone else already registered that gamer tag. They must have the same name as you," the guy explains. His attention is fixated on the waitress behind the counter.

"Tsk." Tapping her finger against her lip, she brainstorms. "I guess..." Reaching her hands up, she starts making gestures onto the game's keyboard.

The guy turns back to the screen. His face pulls a blank, but it doesn't seem like the kind of blank one gets from forgetting something. "...you're using that name?"

Her fingers stop moving. Her right hand hovers over the ENTER key. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Because..." Her right hand curls away. "Well...because...I just..."

Suddenly reaching up to the headset, she quickly slides it off. The haptic gloves come off in the next heartbeat.

The guy next to her straightens in alarm. "Y/N, what's--"

"I'm not ready for this."

The waitress shoots up from behind the counter. "Y/N? Girl, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Yoona. I'll pay you for the coffee later, I promise. See you on Tuesday." She swiftly grabs her latte and rushes out of the shop.

Jungkook's head swivels to follow the girl as she leaves the shop. "Hyung, I think we should go."

Not hearing a response from me, he calls again. "Hyung?"

My eyes are trained on the TV. I read it over and over, double checking, triple checking as if her username would change. But the white pixels stay fixated on the screen.

Trying to breathe, I pull my mask off completely.

I know that name.