(Yoongi POV)

8 years ago

I've never been amazing at academics. Not that sports are much of a strong point for me either. Actually, I prefer sleep to school. Maybe that's why everyone always gets mad that I never gain weight. It's not like I don't eat just as many cream pops and drown in popcorn like everyone else does at the movies. But I do tend to sleep a lot. I have a high metabolism, sue me.

Anyway, it was during one of those many trips to the movie theater that I make during the week when everything in my life changed.

"Hey, Jisoo." I greet the guy behind the snack bar.

"What's up, Yoongi?" He smiles at me. He always does. Jisoo is definitely the best with our customers. I'll admit, my mom did a good job hiring this guy, "You looking for your mom?"

"Yeah." I nod, "Is she in the back?"

Jisoo confirms that she's been in the back office all day and lets me pass by the "employees only" sign to go find her.

This movie theater has been in the family for years. My great-grandfather passed it down to my grandfather who passed it down to his one and only daughter who plans to pass it down to her one and only son. This theater is my future. I guess I'm okay with that. I don't really have motivation to do anything else with my life. I guess if I was going to pursue another career, it would be music. I like producing and writing lyrics. My mom says that is a dangerous profession, and I should stick with something to keep my head above water. Like running a movie theater (apparently).

My mom told me she was so proud of me for passing my freshman year of high school considering it was pretty rough. I'm proud of me too, if I'm honest. Three more years and then I am done! One thing is for sure, after this, I am never going back to high school. Ever!

I open the back door to a small room that has half of its space occupied by a red wood desk. A desk smothered in papers that lead a trail to the floor and walls, and one smaller lady sitting in front of it. A tiny women with her tiny face and delicate hands laying on the wood sound asleep.

I tip toe past the doorway and reach to readjust the teal blanket resting on her shoulders, "Tough day, huh, Mom?"

She sighs and shifts a little in her seat as I cover her. Her eyes are always like that. Dark circles. Purple bags. Tired eyelids. She mumbles something under her breath as if to answer me in her dreams.

I've been making a little extra cash on the side, but my mom doesn't know. She told me not to worry about our financial state because she could handle it. I suppose I received that same stubborn gene from her because within two weeks I was selling my own songs underground. For 10 cents a piece but hey, it was still something. I used that cash to help keep the theater running. I didn't know that all this was pointless at the time, but hey, a kid has got to do what a kid has got to do.

It was almost 2am when it happened. The theater was closed, and Jisoo had already gone home for the night, which meant I got free reign on the left-over Crunch bars and Coke bottles. Being raised in the theater isn't so bad if you think about it.

Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention. I live here.

"Yoongi?" My Mom yawns as she finally comes from the back office into the main lobby, her teal blanket still wrapped around her shoulders, "Did you eat?"

I nod and swallow another gulp of Coke.

"Did you eat real food, I mean. Not candy and soda."

"Yeah. I ate at school before I came back." I explain and throw away my candy wrappers and cup.

My Mom does her best. She really does. Even if her best is raising her son with a run-away dad in the back of an old, family movie theater.

She smiles sleepily, "Alright then. Come on, Baby. Time to sleep."

I nod and jump over the counter. My mom puts an arm around my shoulders, and we walk towards the back office.

In the wall, there is a full pull out bed. I pull it down and start dusting off the sheets while my Mom gets the blankets from the closet.

"So how was school today?" She asks me.

For all you guys out there who still live with your parent, it is law that whenever your parent gets the chance, they are required to ask you about your academic life. Get used to it.

I shrug, "It was okay." We catch each other's glances, and she sticks her tongue out at me, "What was that for?" I giggle.

She chuckles, "I know when you lie to me." She brings the blankets over the bed and gives me a corner to help spread them over the bed.

"Sorry." I admit.

"For what?"

I tuck one corner and then the other, buying myself time to get my thoughts together, "I don't know. Just... I'm tired I guess."

My Mom rolls her lips between her teeth before sighing, "Well, how about a good night's sleep, and we'll get up early for breakfast, okay?"

I nod. That's a good idea.

We climb into bed. I roll over so my back is towards her. She hates it when I do this, but it gets kinda cramped sleeping in a bed with my mom every night. Not that it weirds me out or anything, it's just-- my thoughts are all scrambled, and how can I organize them if I don't have space, you know?

I feel her hand rubbing my arm softly as I lay on my side, "Goodnight, Yoongi. I love you." She rolls to her other side, trying to give me as much space as she can. She does her best at least.

I sigh, "Mom?"

"Hm?" She hums in reply.

"Nothing. Goodnight."

~~~~~~~~~~

My lungs feel like they're burning. Like there is something thick intruding into my ribcage and forcing all the air out of me. It's hard to breathe in, and what I do manage to breathe in is pure toxic.

I wake up with a cough, and the sound of cracking flames all around me. I can barely see what's around me through the black cloud in the room. Everything is still dark besides the faint glow coming from underneath the door.

A fire? A fire!

"Mom! Mom!" I quickly whip around and shake the shoulders of the still women beside me, "Wake up! There's a fire! Mom!" I cough some more.

I keep shaking and shaking... and shaking?

"Mom?" She doesn't move.

This is when I start to-- "No, Yoongi. Don't panic. Stay calm. Stay calm. You can get out of here."

I throw the blanket off the bed and gather up the sheet. Quickly, I wrap up my mother, making sure to block her mouth from the smoke and any exposed skin from the flames. I wrack my mind trying to remember what they taught us about fire safety in Elementary school.

Thank goodness my Mom is a considerably small women. I struggle a little but manage to lift her onto my back still wrapped in the sheets. Points for adrenaline.

Tears have fallen down my cheeks by now. There's no denying my lungs will probably never be the same, but that's not what is important right now.

I'm smart to use the blanket on my hand to open the door. What I'm not smart about is, well, opening the door--

As soon as I do, flames as high as the ceiling tower over me and the heat pushes me to stumble backwards. I can feel on my neck and hands where I'm burned now.

I fall back, dropping my mom onto the floor, and slamming onto the hot carpet myself.

"Ah!" I grunt and swallow what saliva is left in my throat, "Jisoo!" I try to scream, even though I know he's not there. I just need someone, anyone!

Carefully and with pure adrenaline as all I have left rushing through me, I stumble back to my feet, lifting my mother back onto my arms.

"Help! Help!!"

"How do we get out of here?"

~~~~~~~~~~

No one knows what the source of the fire was even to this day. I think that's what stings the most.

I still remember sitting in the back of the ambulance as they took my mother on a stretch bed and draped a blanket over my trembling shoulders. That night was the epitome of nightmares for me. I was fifteen.

The fireman was really nice and sympathetic, but I didn't need that. I needed my Mom. I needed her hug. I needed her to reassure me that everything was gonna be okay.

It was about twenty-four hours before I got told. I don't know how many tears I shed at her bedside before they pulled the sheet over her closed eyes.

I still sat there. Even after they turned all the lights off. At her bedside. Where else was I supposed to go?

Our theater closed down for good. The bank took over the construction plans and instead built a new drive-through ATM from the ground up. It was blue. It was nice. I guess.

My Mom was cremated. I was fifteen, did they really expect me to have enough money for a full funeral? Not like their gonna give a minor his inheritance, even if it is in his parent's will. The idiots. I think this was when I started to become... me. People said I was a loner. Lazy. Stupid. An outcast. I didn't care. I still don't.

It wasn't long until they tried to send me away. He was tall, dark with a black car to match his shades. He told me I would be happy at Granson's Home for Boys. I didn't believe a word he said. With a quiet sigh, I crawled into the back of his Chevrolet.

Of course, I still don't know if I completely hate myself for doing this, but a fifteen-year old's mind is different than a twenty-three-year old's. What was I thinking?

I opened the door on the other side of the car and ran. I ran and ran and ran until my legs gave way, and I tasted grass on my lips as I collided with the ground. The woods seemed to go on for miles. I think I did run for miles.

The last thing I remember seeing before falling asleep?

Red Converse.

2 years later

"Yo! Suga!" Namjoon calls to me from the top of the bridge.

I lift my head from the dirt and rub my temple, the sunlight burning my eyes, "What's up RM?" I say groggy. Gah! My head hurts...

Namjoon chuckles and jumps over the ledge, landing on his two huge feet right in front of me, "You look like crap." He comments looking over me.

I chuckle, "You would too if you just had my kind of a night."

Namjoon shoves me with his boot, "Come on, the gang is waiting for us, Suga."

I take his hand he offers me, and let him pull me to my feet, "How did you find me anyway?" I ask, wiping my eyes.

The taller blonde just shakes his head and shrugs, "I'm the leader. It's my job to find you after your screw ups." He rubs a playful fist into my hair, and we start walking into the daylight.

I have to admit, Namjoon is a pretty great leader. Without him, I doubt our little family would have ever even happened. He brought us all together, I mean. All of us. I'm grateful he found me. Namjoon gave me a place to stay and call home when I didn't have any.

Namjoon and I walk until it's nearly dusk. The sun is setting on the other side of the city, people are closing their businesses, and now all the nighttime hustle and bustle has taken over the streets. This is the city.

Namjoon knocks twice on the abandoned train car before pulling open the slide door and jumping into the cabin. He turns around and helps me up too.

Immediately, I'm greeted by a bright smile and a camo green jacket throwing an arm around me, "Suga! Ew, what happened to you, bro? You look like a sewage hole threw up on you."

"Hobi, chill. Yoongi had a rough night." Jin buds in while throwing a towel over to me, "Besides, you looked even worse than Yoongi the night you came back from--"

"Okay! Okay!" The dark-haired boy interrupts, "No need to relive the past." He shakes his head, plopping down on the pile of old bean bag chairs in the corner.

I shake it off, "Don't worry about it, Hobi. Hey, by the way, have you seen Tae?"

Jin runs a hand through his hair and sighs, "Not since yesterday. Wasn't he with you?"

I shake my head.

Namjoon starts handing out Coke cans to us all, "He's with Chim. They went to raid that gas station on 4th street last night. Guess they got caught again." He shakes his head as if very frustrated with what he just said.

Fourth street is a ways down from our train yard. Namjoon told everyone not to go past that street corner for any reason. I didn't understand why he made rules like this one, but after that incident with Hobi and the policeman who actually took a shot at him, everything made more sense.

Namjoon gave his group rules for a reason. To protect us. To keep up from getting taken away.

Rules like...

"Don't go past 4th street."

And

"Never keep any dues you make to yourself. We share, and we thrive together."

And

"Always stay with a brother. Especially past dark."

I really respect Namjoon. He's done a lot for this family, if you can call us that. Jimin and Taehyung are still young. They're still learning.

Hobi throws his head back and groans, "Those kids."

"Yeah," Jin chuckles, "Can't you do something about your boyfriends?"

Even Namjoon smiles at Jin's comment.

Hobi blushes and leans forward to slap Jin's leg, "Shut up! They are not my boyfriends!"

I can't help but mumble, "Try telling Chim that." Everyone laughs... except Hobi.

This is my family. At the moment. I'm seventeen now. I would be graduating soon if I still went to school. I don't think about school very much anymore though, really. I still think about my Mom sometimes. If I ever need to talk, Namjoon is always there. He brought me into this little family. It was just him and Jin at first. And then Hobi. And then Jimin. And then Tae came in last. I like this family. They make a rundown train caboose feel like a home.

"What's for dinner?" Our leader asks before downing another stolen can of soda.

Jin sighs, sitting down next to Hobi, "Depends. How much did you get today?"

Namjoon starts digging in his pockets until he pulls out what he was looking for.

Jin holds out a hand and Namjoon places the few dollars in his palm, "Twelve bucks." Jin says after counting.

Namjoon shrugs, "That's all I got."

Jin turns to Hobi and holds out his hand.

Hobi sighs before reaching in his pockets and dumping the contents in Jin's hand. Jin raises an eyebrow, "Six bucks? You only got half of what RM got?"

"Today was rough! There were cops on every corner, give me a break!" Hobi insists.

Jin just shakes his head and laughs. He then looks at me and puts his hand out, "Alright, Suga. Give it to me."

I look at Namjoon, and he waves his hand at me like "hurry up".

Jin furrows his brow and tilts his head, "Yo, Suga, you alright?"

I look up at him and nod. Then I reach into my pocket and pull out my money, placing it in Jin's hand with the rest.

Everyone's breathing stops as they stare. Namjoon is the first one to speak, "F-Forty bucks?"

"We eatin' good tonight, boys!" Jin cheers.

Hobi almost falls over trying to get a better look, "Forty bucks? Where on earth did you get forty bucks?"

I blush and shrug, "There was this... chick and she--"

Jin quickly puts the money away and waves his hands in the air, "A chick? Say no more. I don't wanna know." He gets up and walks away from me.

"I do!" RM and Hobi say in unison. The three of us laugh while Jin rolls his eyes.

Hobi is about to convince me to tell the story about the "chick" who was actually a fifty-five-year-old women who thought I looked cold and gave me sixty dollars to go buy a coat. I spent part of it buying cheap beer and got a little wasted before passing out under the bridge Namjoon found me at this morning. Forty is what was still left in my pocket.

But I don't get the chance to tell them the story because--

knock knock~~

The train door slides open, and in walk two very rowdy, very trashed up boys.

"RM!" Jimin cheers as he steps into the train, helping Taehyung behind him as well, "You will not believe what we got today!" He proudly holds out a plastic bag filled with snacks and glass bottles.

Namjoon stands still and crosses his arms, "Oh, I won't? Is it perhaps from the gas station on 4th street?"

Jimin's smile fades a little, "How did you know?"

Namjoon sighs and sits down next to Hobi on the bean bag chair, "Dude, you know we don't go down that far. That's not our territory, no matter how desperate we are. You know how many cops hang out around there! This is the third time, and this time you dragged Tae with you, really?"

"I know, but I just thought--"

"No." Namjoon says, standing and taking the plastic bag from Jimin, "Just turn your dues in to Jin and wash up. You've caused enough trouble."

Jimin goes speechless. He just silently walks past Namjoon and gives Jin the eight dollars in his pocket before running to Hobi and cuddling into his side. Hobi puts an arm around the smaller boy and combs his hair with his fingers. They start whispering as usual while Namjoon looks to Tae.

"And you? What did you do today?"

Taehyung looks over to me and blushes deeply, "I was... with Chim. I got this." He shows Namjoon his own plastic bag filled with stolen goods.

Namjoon sighs and takes his bag too. He steps towards Tae and whispers, "Tae, you're better than this. You know that. You can be better. Huh? Right?"

Tae nods, "Right. You're right."

Namjoon ruffles his hair and pushes him towards Jin, "Turn in your dues."

Tae quickly pulls out his money and gives it to Jin, "Thirteen bucks." He tells the elder.

Jin smiles and nods, "Thanks, Tae." He gives him a little smile, "You did well today."

Tae just turns and runs to my side. I've already moved over to make room for him, so he can collapse next to me. This is where Tae stays. Next to me. For some reason, as soon as Taehyung joined our little family, he latched onto me. He told me he finds my aura refreshing, whatever that means.

Either way, Tae is mine. Basically.

"Suga?" He whispers to me after lifting my arm so he can get comfy.

"Hm?" I hum in reply.

"Is RM really mad that we went to 4th street?"

I shrug, "I don't know. Rules are rules, and you know how strict RM is."

Taehyung looks down, "Yeah." He shifts a little, so I wrap my arms around him and let him rest his head on my chest, "Hey, Suga?"

"Hm?"

"Chim told me RM would be proud of us if we got in and out without getting caught. Do you think Chim is gonna get in trouble?"

I look down at the young boy. He really is such an innocent soul. I don't know how his story makes me cry every time. Probably because someone as pure as Taehyung doesn't deserve to be living in a rundown train caboose with five other homeless guys after being abused and abandoned by his father. No one does. He's very timid, but he manages to keep his sense of humor, which I admire.

I sigh, "I don't know. Did you guys get caught?"

Tae hesitates... and nods.

I shoot up to sitting and push him over, "You what?! Tae, why didn't you say something?!" I point to Jimin still at Hobi's side, "Why didn't YOU say anything, you traitor?!"

Jimin jumps and clings onto Hobi's shirt, "W-What?"

Namjoon turns around and puts his hands up, "Whoa, whoa, what's going on? Why are you yelling, Suga?"

I scoff and push Tae off from where he's trying to hide behind me, "These idiots got caught. I bet they lead the cops right to us."

Jimin jumps to his feet and goes to Namjoon, "No, we didn't! I swear, I lost them on the tracks."

Namjoon shakes his head in disappointment and runs a hand through his hair, "You sure? Because, I swear, Chim, if you risked our entire lives on snacks and stolen beers--"

Jimin interrupts with a stuttered, "N-No! I promise everything is fine. No cops followed us here."

BANG BANG BANG~

"This is the police! Open up and come out with your hands in the air!"