What May Change [Min Yoongi FF]

Chapter 28

Yoongi showed me to the bathroom and set their jerry-rigged system for getting water in motion. Couldn't exactly get someone out to install anything even if they wanted to pay the bills, when the building was listed as abandoned and was clearly filled with what appeared to be teenage squatters. 

"How'd you guys figure out something like this?" I asked quietly.

"I'm good with this kind of stuff. Between my handy-skill and Namjoon's knowledge from reading books on engineering and general smartness," He gestured around. 

"Guess you're good to keep around," I whispered. My aptitude for socialization was fading fast into one word answers. I could feel myself shutting down. Maybe a nice long bath alone would reset me could be a less ungrateful and self-absorbed guest. When it was all said and done I was an introvert; I needed time alone. 

"Take as long as you need," Yoongi assured me. He squeezed my arms gently and pecked me on the forehead quickly before leaving. 

I stepped out of my clothes and into the warm water, sinking low into its embrace, finally alone to cry where there'd be no evidence. 

The cold inside swept over me in an overwhelming wave that was seemingly resistant to the steaming substance surrounding my skin. All at once it felt like everything had crumbled and so did I. I'd lost faith in having a relationship with my dad altogether, burned bridges with my mother, become technically homeless, and moved into my boyfriend's abandoned hovel, putting him and all his friends in the hot seat of a ruthless mob lord. Just to recap.

I couldn't imagine the pain that Eunji was in either. After all the years of defending her mother, she must be thinking that her mom turned out to be exactly what everyone has always assumed she was- or maybe it was just a case of being called it enough times you become convinced it's true. Regardless, she'd broken girl code, sure as hell. All of us were gonna have a hard time learning to forgive her. 

Time passed and I was all cried out- there comes that time after a complete breakdown when there's no tears left, just an insurmountable numbness leaving you empty and glassy-eyed. I had no idea how long I'd been there, but apparently it was too long, because the doorknob suddenly turned and someone stepped inside.

Unable to gain the strength to move my seemingly weighted limbs even for the sake of chastity and embarrassment, I merely tilted my head to see the onlooker and maybe scare them away with my look of utter destitution or something, feeling utterly defeated. It was Yoongi.

"Whimsy-ah, you're still here?" He rushed over. "It's been hours that water must be freezing!" Dipping one hand in he made a shocked face and swiftly pulled the plug. 

Starting to feel the discomfort, I summoned the will to pull my knees up and shield myself somewhat as the water drained away.

"Don't worry, you're not the first girl I've seen in a bathtub," He rambled thoughtlessly as he wandered off to pull down a towel. I was mildly shaken from my stupor.

"What?"

"Oh- oh no, I didn't mean it like that- aish that came out a lot differently that it was meant to...just forget I said that," Yoongi backpedaled. He shuffled back over to me and wrapped the towel around my shoulders gently, his hands staying there for a moment. 

"How are you feeling?" He asked. I took hold of the towel and let its warmth surround me. 

"Like a hollowed-out rotting pumpkin after Halloween."

"That's dark," He replied, reaching for a smaller towel and using to squeeze the remaining water from my hair. 

"What other girls have been in your bathtub?"

I heard him stifle a laugh. 

"Girl, singular. She wasn't in my tub but was similarly depressed. It wasn't for kicks." 

"What happened? Ex-girlfriend?"

"It's a sad story, and I don't think you need any more of those today." He reached over from behind and wrapped his arms around me. "Stick around for me. I know it's rough right now." He moved around to face me, using the small towel to wipe some water drops from my face. "Come on, let's get up now." I did as I was bid. 

"Do you always seek out the troubled girls?" He sighed mock-seriously and smiled. 

"Somehow it seems they always find me. I don't know what it is about me that seems to attract that. Maybe it makes me feel less guilty saddling a girl with all this baggage when I know she's already used to lugging her own around."

I giggled a little despite myself, finally starting to emerge from the haze somewhat. "That's fucked up. You need a therapist."

"We all need therapists. We're a messy bunch. Welcome to the club." 

The glint in his eyes said everything. I knew he meant it, that he was going to fight for me. Whatever his past was didn't matter anymore- I knew the man he was trying to become,  and I decided I was going to do everything possible to make that happen, including- if necessary- crossing a mob lord to gain their freedom, because these boys deserved it.