Safe With You | Yoonmin

Chapter 15: It Takes a Village

| Yoongi |

WATER SLOSHED IN THE WOODEN PAIL as Yoongi dunked the dirty rag once more. He was on his hands and knees in the cold empty house -- well, now it was his house -- painstakingly scrubbing away at the wooden floors in the pale morning light.

His muscles ached from the work, especially his shoulder, but it felt good to muster up a sweat. After an entire winter pent up in the palace, after everything that had happened with Jimin, he could finally ease the restlessness in his limbs and vent some of his frustration, even if that just meant taking it out on these floorboards.

This small house had been a gift from Ryu Okgyun, given to Yoongi in the days following the Winter Festival. The previous owners had died several years ago, childless, and so the home had sat empty, accumulating dust, mildew, and a few leaks in the roof. But it had good bones, and that was all Yoongi cared about.

Yesterday he had visited one of the village carpenters and they had struck a deal. He would work for the carpenter for three months, and instead of payment he would be given his own tools. By mid-summer, Yoongi hoped to have everything he needed to begin working for himself and to finish restoring this home.

It would be weeks and weeks of grueling work, especially considering the other necessities he would need to come by such as food, firewood, spare clothing and furnishings. He would need to devote his mornings and evenings to whatever foraging and odd jobs he could come by just to make ends meet.

But thankfully, Yoongi had found help -- as well as friendship -- in both Hobi and Jungkook.

Hobi had promised Yoongi that if he came to the meal hall's kitchen, he would be given food, no questions asked. He had protested the charity at first, but the beta had insisted, saying it was the least he could do for a friend of Jimin's.

And Jungkook, despite being from a poor family, had also offered to help, albeit more tactfully. As an alpha, he understood Yoongi's sense of pride and so, rather than offering material gifts, he had offered knowledge. This week they planned to go together into the woods, so that Jungkook could show him the best places to lay traps for game. It would be a while before Yoongi was fit enough to hunt deer or boar -- he still walked with a considerable limp -- so he would need to survive off of wild herbs, roots and small animals until then.

A loud knocking sound startled Yoongi out of his musings. With a groan he rose to his feet and hobbled over to the door.

He was greeted by the sight of two alphas, standing hand in hand in his snowy front garden, one strikingly handsome male and a beautiful female. Mates, he realized in surprise as he took in their scents. It was rather uncommon for two alphas to mate.

And everything about them -- from the male's fine robes and leather shoes to the female's jeweled hairpin -- screamed of wealth and nobility. Yoongi suddenly found himself feeling self-conscious of his sweaty appearance and his dirt-streaked clothes.

"Good morning!" the tall alpha male greeted cheerily, and Yoongi noted that he looked familiar.

"Forgive me" Yoongi said politely, giving a slight bow, "But I can't recall if we've met. Can I help you?"

"My name is Kim Seokjin," said the alpha, "But everyone calls me Jin. And this heavenly beauty is my mate, Kim Yumi. We came to offer friendship and whatever else you might need."

Yoongi bowed again, more deeply, "It is an honor to finally meet you, Kim Seokjin. I owe you and your family a great--"

"Yah, yah! Enough of that," Jin exclaimed, somehow looking amused, annoyed, and uncaring all at once, "No formalities please."