Lost & Found

13 Years Earlier

13 Years Earlier
Nine-Years-Old

"Shut up!"

Yoongi sat, wide-eyed, against the wall of the school as he watched Aera fighting with a boy named Junho.

"No! He's a loser!"

"You're a loser!"

Yoongi took in a sharp breath. Junho was his biggest bully, and he couldn't believe Aera was standing up to him.

"Hey, loser! You need a girl to stand up for you?! You're pathetic!"

"Fuck off!" Yoongi's eyes widened even further at Aera's words. "Leave him alone!" she cried, pushing gently on Junho's shoulder.

But that was all it took for Junho to strike back. He growled as he threw both hands onto Aera's shoulders and pushed her as hard as he could. She stumbled back, then fell to the ground. Her head hit the wall next to Yoongi with a sickening crack.

And Yoongi saw red.

He didn't even wait to see if Aera was okay. He jumped to his feet, rushed forward toward Junho, and punched him in the face.

Junho then stumbled back, but didn't fall. Blood poured from his nose as he looked at Yoongi in shock.

"Never touch her again," Yoongi hissed. "Do you understand me?"

Junho spat blood onto the ground as his eyes filled with tears.

"Do you understand me?!"

"Y-Yes," Junho stuttered.

"Get out of my face!" Yoongi yelled, and Junho quickly turned and ran off.

Yoongi then turned and ran toward Aera. He was horrified to see that she was unconscious.

"Help!" he yelled. "Somebody help!"

He fell to his knees, and pulled Aera into his arms. "Help!" he shouted again as he cradled her limp body.

A teacher appeared, having rushed over. "What's going on here?"

"She hit her head, and she won't wake up!" Yoongi cried, as tears began to fall.

"Okay, okay, I'll call 119," the teacher said, pulling out her phone.

Fifteen minutes later, Yoongi watched as Aera was loaded into an ambulance.

"I want to go with her," he cried as the doors began to shut.

"No," the teacher said firmly. "You're too young, and you need to stay here."

"No!" Yoongi shouted, rushing toward the ambulance, but the teacher held him back. Yoongi began sobbing. "She'll be all alone when she wakes up!"

"We've called her parents," the teacher assured him. "They'll be there with her."

Yoongi continued to cry. "Is she going to die?"

The teacher blinked in surprise. "Is that what you think? Oh no, honey, she's just hurt. She'll be okay."

Yoongi hiccupped a sob. "You're sure?"

The teacher smiled. "Positive."

Yoongi sniffled as he began to calm down. "Can I call my parents?" he asked.

"Sure," the teacher agreed. "But give me a few minutes to handle a situation with Junho. He somehow managed to break his nose." She wandered off, and Yoongi couldn't help but feel pride suddenly swell in his chest.

He'd finally stood up to his bully. 'Aera would be so proud of me,' he thought. "Will," he quickly corrected himself as tears filled his eyes again. "She will be proud of me."