Yoongi's POV-

As soon as Kook walks away from the table I sit up straight in my seat and turn to Taehyung with a glare.

"You cannot talk to me like that in front of him. Say whatever you want when it's just the two of-"

"Think about whether or not you really mean what you're about to say, Hyung." He smirks as he places his elbow on the table and rests his chin on his hand, eyes not leaving me. "Because telling me I can say whatever I want when we're alone may be permission you regret giving later on." He says with a wink.

My eyes widen before I smack him on the arm, to which he just giggles loudly.

"You cannot bully me like this! I'm o-older than you, your Hyung, a-and you will treat me as such." I say, cursing myself for stuttering as I feel my face warm again. "Kook may get ang-"

"You saw Koo's reaction didn't you? He was amused, not angry." He interjects.

I roll my eyes with a huff before reaching for my coffee to take a sip.

"Listen, if it really bothers you I'll stop with the teasing. I think I owe you at least that for how much help you've been to me." He says with soft eyes in a more sympathetic tone.

I let out a deep breath. "It's not that it bothers me... it- fuck, I don't know. What has gotten into you anyway. You've never been like this or done this type of teasing or whatever you want to call it, with me before. Not even at the beginning before we were pissed off at each other all the time." I say, glancing over at him.

He has his head tilted to the side with his lips pouted out slightly. He then clicks his tongue before he says, "I'm going to chalk it up to the psychological trauma. It has my emotions all sorts of fucked."

My eyes soften at his words and the obviously forced casual tone in which he says them.

I want to assure him that he doesn't need to put on an act for me. That if he's upset he's allowed to be upset and he doesn't need to hide it but before I can, Kook comes back.

"I guess my Grandfather has some people in with him and it could be a while." He says as he walks up to the table. "Minho offered to show us to General Kang's office, but I'm certain my mother will be there so that's a no go. Do you want to just, hang out? We could go to one of the rec rooms."

"The laundry room is close to the south wing rec room, isn't it? We could hang out there to pass the time and then do laundry." Taehyung suggests with a shrug.

"Laundry first. You two talked me out of getting it started in the washer before breakfast, we're not putting it off any longer. We are out of towels and Kook is almost out of clothes." I speak up pointedly.

"Okay Hyung. Laundry first." Taehyung beams as he stands up from the table. "Do you know how to get there from here, Koo?"

"Not confidently. I know it's... south." He chuckles. "I'll go let Minho know where we'd like to go."

While he steps around the table I stand up from my seat. As I'm pushing in my chair Taehyung asks out if the blue, "Why hasn't Koo ever called you Hyung?"

I furrow my brows with a puzzled expression before looking over at him. "I don't- I don't really know." I say before pausing. "I'm not close with a lot of people, so I don't get called that very often in general.

"The people I am close with are Jin and Yeol, who are both older than me, Namjoon and Hobi but, although they are younger, they don't really call me that either." I say as we start walking towards the direction Kook went.

"I've heard Chim call you Suga-Hyung." He points out.

"Yeah, but it's Jimin. He also calls me Min Yooni knowing it makes me want to kick his ass. He does what he wants, flashes that innocent enough smile of his and gets away with whatever it is he's done... Actually, you two have that in common." I tease.

He giggles as we start to walk slowly in the direction Kook left in. "I don't think I take advantage of getting away with things like Chim does though."

"I beg to differ on that." I chuckle.

"Hey, I never wanted to use my looks for evil you know. It just happened to come in handy when it came to making the connections I needed to get into Irene's inner circle.

"Also when I was younger and people would try to take advantage of me. Then I would use my 'innocent eyes' or act naive to make them think I was weak or whatever so they'd leave me alone." He pouts before saying, "It's a shame sometimes how easily I can get away with things other people couldn't. I can bat my lashes and flash a smile, then ask for anything I wanted and have it given to me more often than not."

He goes quiet for a few seconds before he speaks again. "It sounds so stupid to say out loud but I used to, and still do occasionally, second guess everything good that happened to me because of my looks.

"I questioned if things were working out due to the hard work I'd put in or if it was just being given to me for superficial reasons. Especially when it came to school. Moving back to Daegu was when it was the worst.

"In Busan I had known most of the people in my grade since elementary school, so they had known me since before I got better looking. But after I moved and I was surrounded by strangers, it was all I was noticed for.

"All of my relationships became superficial and uncaring. People would flock to me to be seen talking to me but could care less to actually get to know me. And I became like them. Superficial.

"I didn't try to care about others because they didn't care about me. I was just nice to look at. A novelty item instead of a person with feelings and a personality." He says as he reaches up to quickly sweep away a fallen tear.

"You are so much more than a good looki- actually, let's be honest. You aren't just good looking you're basically a Greek statue come to life." I say and he scoffs as he turns to me with a frown.

"That does not help me feel any better."

"My point is, yes you're nice to look at, but your personality, your unique way of thinking and the way you carry yourself, that's what truly draws people to you. They may see your looks first, but quality people that are capable of seeing past that choose to stay because of who you are as a person."

I teasingly bump his shoulder with mine as I add. "You can only look at someone for so long. Once the novelty of them wears off and you discover that there's not much more to them than how they look, it's hard to want to be around them. But everyone wants to be around you."

"Even my grumpy, pretty Hyung?" He asks in a quieter voice.

"Even me." I smile.

As we take a few more steps in silence I can see his shoulders are still a little slumped. Hoping to make him feel a better, I step closer to him and hook my arm around his as we continue walking to where Kook is in comfortable silence.

Kook is talking to the soldier guy facing somewhat away from us but he must somehow catch a glimpse of us from the corner of his eyes because he turns in our direction when we are still a short ways away.

Prior to seeing us he seemed to be in the middle of speaking but when his eyes land on Taehyung and I, he stops all movement and speech as he stares.

I watch him gulp and I swear I see his eyes get a little teary but it's only for a moment before a large smile makes it's way to his lips.

He continues looking at us until the guy says something that draws his attention back to him.

We continue towards the two, stopping just about a meter away as Taehyung says, "Ready to go?" With a smile.

Kook turns fully towards us with the same happy expression. "Minho said he can show us to the laundry room, but then he said there's another part on the south wing that he didn't get to show me before. Some sort of," He then turns to the guy with a questioning look. "What was it again?"

"It's like, an upgraded game room. It's where the more up to date gaming systems are." He smiles at Kook then at Taehyung and I. "I didn't get to show it to him last time because it was closed, but it's open now until three. It's really cool and usually pretty empty this early in the day."

"Do you want to go?" Kook asks hopefully as he looks at Taehyung then me.

Taehyung turns to me as well with the same excited expression, both of them seemingly waiting for my permission.

"Let's go get the laundry started first and then we can go there." I answer.

I don't necessarily like video games, but how can I say no to them? Especially when they're both looking at me with big, round puppy eyes.

"Yay!" Taehyung giggles as he gives me a tight side hug and it doesn't take long for Kook to join in as well.

I scrunch up my nose in displeasure at the sudden ambush.

"Hey, release me!" I exclaim in a strained voice. "The faster we get to the laundry room the faster you can get to your games."

After hearing that they let me go, look at each other with excited smiles before turning to the soldier.

"Let's go, Minho!" Kook says with a giggle.

...

"No way!" Taehyung practically squeals as he runs over to the few arcade games in the corner of the large, open space.

"They have Mrs Pac-Man and Mortal Kombat, Koo!" He beams as he turns to Kook who is making his way to him quickly, eyes gleaming with childlike wonder.

Once we stopped at the room and got the items that Kook and I gathered that needed to be washed, the guy took us to the laundry room to get it all put in the washer before bringing us here.

I have to admit, these types of things aren't my favorite. I would rather watch a movie or nap or do anything else really. That being said, watching these two run around like excited children the way they are, there's no where else I'd rather be.

"You three look good together."

The voice startles me as I completely forgot the soldier guy was still here.

I turn to him with a frown, ready to yell at him for speaking so suddenly without clearing his throat at least so I knew he was there, but stop when I realize what he's said.

"What do you mean?" I furrow my brows at him.

"You're together, aren't you?"

I open and close my mouth a few times before finding my words. "No! No, we aren't- Why would y-you-" I stutter before nodding towards the two huddled around the games. "Jungkook is my boyfriend. The other guy, Taehyung, is his best friend."

"Ah, so you're the boyfriend Jungkook wants to practice basketball in order to beat 'at least once in his lifetime.'" He says with a chuckle.

I let out a laugh as I remember back to all the games of horse and one-on-one that he would lose. Picturing as well his pouts and fits about how it wasn't fair that the only thing he wasn't that good at I was.

"But hey, I'm sorry for just assuming you were together. I'm also sorry if I offended you." He says apologetically.

My amused smile fades and I tilt my head as I say, "It's interesting that you would see the three of us together and make that assumption. It's a very unorthodox relationship to assume anyone be in in the first place. What made you jump to that conclusion?"

"Well," He drawls out with a sigh. "I have a friend that is in a throuple. You look at each other and take care of one another like they do. I guess that's why that came to mind."

"A throuple?" I ask.

"Yeah. My friend and his boyfriend were dating first, then they decided they liked one of their other friends and he liked them too so they all just kind of got together. I know it sounds strange."

"It does sound, unusual." I say as I turn back to Kook and Taehyung, a smile immediately gracing my lips as I watch them bump into each other, trying to get the other to make a mistake while playing.

"If it works for them, who am I to judge."

After saying this I don't say anything further and neither does he.

Eventually the guy decides to take me back to the laundry room so I can check the clothes. Luckily they were ready to dry so I got them switched to the other machine before going back to the game room.

Just before we left, Kook and Taehyung had finished playing the arcade games and were on their way to the couch in front of a TV where a game console was set up.

We've only been gone about twenty minutes and I was thinking they'd be in the middle of a new game by now, but as we get closer to the room I hear a unique mix of yelling and singing.

When I'm back in the room, my face nearly splits with how widely I'm smiling.

Instead of playing video games, the two have found some sort of Karaoke machine as well as a stash of ridiculous looking costume pieces and accessories.

Taehyung has on a rainbow colored clown wig and blue rimmed glasses with cartoon eyes on the lenses, while Kook has a costume bowtie around his neck and a colorful clown wig on as well.

I reflexively sway to the trot song they are singing, captivated by the show until the soldier gains my attention to ask if we needed anything else before he leaves us to ourselves.

I told him we should be fine for a while, thanked him for showing us here as well as for taking me to the laundry room, then requested that he let us know when General Kim is available. After he leaves I head over to the TV area.

They have just finished their song as Taehyung quickly scrolls through the track list for their next musical number.

Taehyung grins madly as he seems to find what he's looking for, punching in the assigned numbers to select the song before turning towards the couch to set the control board down.

I am leaned against the back of the couch and once he sees me he gives me a wide smile, points at me and brings the mic to his lips.

"This one goes out to my pretty Hyung."

At his words, Kook turns around and looks at me with an equally blinding smile.

I'm surprised when the song starts blaring from the speakers and I recognize it. I admittedly don't know a lot of popular Karaoke songs, but this song I know. New Face by Psy.

When they hear the music they turn away from me to look back to the screen, reading off the words as they start to sing and dance.

I don't know what comes over me, maybe it's just seeing them so carefree, genuinely happy and having fun, but I decide I want to join them.

As I round the couch I see the costume box. Digging through it quickly, I find some sunglasses and decide that is about as dressed up as I'm willing to get. I slide the glasses on before dancing over to the two as they continue to sing and bounce around.

They both burst into laughter when they do finally notice me, discontinuing their singing for a measure or two as they come closer and start dancing with me.

As soon as the chorus begins, Taehyung takes over for most of the actual singing while Kook and I dance the choreography from the music video, which I happen to know, and sing along without mics.

"ALL I WANT IS SOME NEW FACE! NEW FACE, NEW FACE, NEW-NEW-NEW FACE!"

We sing out together and continue like that, Taehyung and Kook taking turns singing the verses, me being the ever enthusiastic hype man, until the song is over.

By this time I'm exhausted, panting and dripping with sweat. I feel as though my legs are going to give out, but it's the best feeling.

I feel elated and for a little while we are able to forget what awful things have happened, instead just enjoying the moment together.

But of course, all good things have to end.

As I hold my side and curse myself for not being in better shape, I catch two figures out of the corner of my eye. I turn to see that it is Yeol and Hyuk standing in the doorway of the room.

I can immediately tell by their expressions that something has happened, and it isn't good.

I exhale deeply before I take the glasses I'm still wearing off and toss them onto the couch as I make my way to them.

"Morning Hyuk." I say once I'm in front of them, meeting Hyuk's eyes before looking to my friend. "Morning Yeol."

Yeol gives me a tight lipped smile before he returns the greeting.

I stand before them without saying anything as I look them over. Hyuk has his eyes fixed ahead with no trace of emotion while Yeol looks at me with tired eyes.

"How bad is it?" I ask, biting the inside of my cheek as I wait for the answer.

"It's bad, but we aren't sure to what extent yet." Yeol answers as he shifts on his feet.

I nod before I look behind me quickly when I hear an exceptionally loud yell. I turn to see Kook doing some sort of dance solo while Taehyung howls with laughter.

With a smile I turn back towards Yeol, take a few steps to stand beside him so I'm facing the two balls of energy singing and dancing to another cheerful trot song.

They seem to be lost in their own little world and the sight is beyond endearing.

"Look at them, Yeol." I smile fondly. "Can we just let them be for a little while longer? Let them be happy like this for as long as they can before we have to face reality again?"

"Of course, Yoongs. I'm sure the General will be fine for a few more minutes."

I take a deep breath as I lean my head against his shoulder, keeping my eyes fixed on the two.

I wish things could stay like this. That we could remain happy, but that isn't our reality. Not yet at least, but I'm going to fight like hell to make sure they feel like this always. That they're happy, cared for and worry free.