Into the Flames

CHAPTER FIVE

A/N: I would like to apologize. I know that I said I wouldn't be using Korean at all, but I ended up changing my mind. I just hope that the phrases mean what I thought they mean, and that I am not making an ass of myself. If I am incorrect I deeply apologize.

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I don't care who is watching, I wrap my arms around Yoongi engulfing him in a long awaited hug. He goes stiff as a board, and then I remember. In most Asian cultures people are not quite as freely affectionate as Americans. And certainly not as much as someone like myself, from Texas. I am about to pull back when he instead pulls me closer and places his chin on top of my head, hugging me in return.

"I'm so sorry! I forgot! I promise I'll try to be more mindful of your culture so that I don't make you uncomfortable!" I am pretty proud. I actually managed to grind it out without stuttering. That doesn't stop heat from flooding my cheeks and leaving my pale skin embarrassingly red. I am fairly certain that Min Yoongi can most likely hear my heart trying to hammer it's way straight out of my chest.

"Aish! Don't worry about it. Just be yourself." His ears turn red as he lets me go in favor of scratching the back of his neck. He mumbles quietly "Besides, I don't really mind." His thick Korean accent does nothing to hide the mesmerizing tone of his voice.

I am beaming as he leads me to the car, hand in hand. Once my tiny piece of luggage was in the trunk, and myself, comfortably seated in the passenger's side, we are off. Most of the ride is filled with comfortable silence, fingers intertwined at the arm-rest between us. Ever since the hug at the airport my blue-haired idol friend has been reluctant to go of my hand, not that I mind in the slightest.

It is a long ride. But a comfortable one. During the entire ride Yoongi continues to point out things for me, his lips curling into his signature gummy smile whenever my face lights up in wonder at the sight of something new. To me everything is new and exciting, and he loves it.

After a three-hour drive Yoongi parks the car in front of a dimly lit building nestled in amongst a long strip of buildings. It is clear that we are well off of the beaten path, as the road is cramped and quite run down. Gigantic metal signs of every color imaginable clutter the already small road, hanging from every building with bold Hangul lettering. The Korean letters hanging in the window of the particular building in front of us makes no sense to me. The street lamps cast a faint glow on the world around us as we exit the car. "I thought we were going home?" I ask him as I gaze upon his softly illuminated face. The lack of light does nothing to hide his beauty, the soft lines of his face only accentuated enticingly by the shadows.

"We're just stopping here for a little bit," He replies with one of those gummy smiles that I adore so much. I still can't believe that these smiles are directed at me, out of all the people in the world. He takes my hand and leads me onto the sidewalk and through the glass door. Bells jingle, signaling our arrival as I received one of the biggest starts of my life.

"SURPRISE!!!!" Six men jump out at me with this shout as the lights are slammed back on. There are streamers everywhere, and each of the boys are wearing a goofy party hat with the words welcome upon it. Well, except for Namjoon who stands with his broken hat in his hands staring at it with such an adorably confused face. God of Destruction indeed. With faces comically wide and goofy poses these boys immediately make me feel welcomed. Taehyung is the first to recover, rushing towards me like an overgrown puppy and pulling me into his arms, the force of his hug knocking the air out of my lungs.

"Welcome Emmy!!!"

"Can't....breathe...dying...." I choke out.

Yoongi roughly separates the golden-haired boy from my being, and proceeds to fix him with a grumpy glare. "Don't you think you might overwhelm her Tae?"