Shouldn't Have Met You

LXX. EVER THE SAME

. . . ○ ○ ○ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ○ ○ ○ . . .

Yoongi glances left and right as he steps out of the elevator, vigilance etched into every movement. His head dips low, shoulders slightly hunched, as he trudges down the empty hallway toward a woman waiting at the desk—sweet smile fixed firmly in place.

'She must be Ms. Seo', he thinks.

She looks like she's barely containing herself—the kind of restrained excitement he's seen countless times from ARMYs he's encountered out in the wild.

An impish smile tugs at his lips as he lifts his head to greet her. But before he can speak, she's already circling her desk—a battlefield of stacked papers—with a bounce in her step and a bright, pitchy greeting.

"Good evening, Suga-nim!" she laughs, awkwardly—then freezes when she notices his expression... or rather, the lack of one. "I-I just wanted to try calling you that." A blush dusts her cheeks. "Anyway, Ms. Han is inside."

She shuffles back to her seat, leans forward, and lowers her voice conspiratorially.
"Just think I'm not here."

A bubble of laughter threatens to escape him, but Yoongi swallows it down and offers a small nod. He doesn't have the energy to socialize—not tonight. Still, something about her feels trustworthy. Maybe it's because Jin and Namjoon had both vouched for her.

"Thank you," he murmurs, heading toward the double doors.

Just thinking of the woman waiting beyond them loosens something in his chest. He exhales, quiet relief settling deep in his lungs. He can already imagine it—her warmth, her scent, the way her body fits against his. He aches to hold her again, to let her feel how much he's missed her all day.

Carefully and quietly, he pushes the door open.

And there she is.

Half-hidden behind a barricade of files and vases of flowers—glowing. Her head is bowed, eyes darting between documents and the laptop screen, completely consumed by whatever she's typing. She doesn't notice him at all.

He stays where he is, hand still resting on the knob, gaze softening as he studies her face.

His thoughts drift back to this morning...

"I thought you had the whole week free," he'd whined, watching her type on her phone while Jimin brushed her hair.

"Just today," she'd said with a grin. "Then later, I'm yours again."

That smile. That grin. Teasing—familiar—and something he hadn't seen in far too long.

Even after their union, there had always been a layer of restraint between them. But now... she looked carefree. Radiant.

"Well... we do have practice," Hoseok had chimed in.

Yoongi bit his lip. It wasn't that he was clingy—not exactly—but he'd imagined her watching them rehearse. Somehow, her presence would make the long hours feel lighter. Maybe he'd even dance better.

"Don't worry, hyung. It's just today—she said," Jimin added, unusually agreeable.

"But aren't you tired?" Yoongi had asked.

The blush that bloomed across her skin was immediate. He wasn't a mind reader, but the way she froze—biting her lip—told him enough.

The others chuckled.