Leap of Faith: BTS Hyung Line FF

Holding Back

"I have tickets to their next concert. I wish you could come with me."
"I'm sorry, Hana."
"It's okay. I know you weren't really into them anyways."
"No, I... I like them. They're... my new favorites."
"Even more than Vixx?"
"Yeah. I like them the most. Even more than Vixx."

***

Winter laid on her stomach beside the pool, her legs bent back over her thighs, ankles crossed. She scrolled through pictures on her phone while she chewed on her bottom lip mindlessly.

The maknaes, Yoongi, and Jin had gone inside to eat, while Hoseok and Namjoon stayed outside with Winter. The sun was going down, and the only illumination came from the bright white lights on the sides of the pool.

Hoseok eventually wandered over to where she lay, kneeling down beside her. He glanced at her phone out of curiosity, spotting a picture of Winter with a girl who was definitely Korean.

"Who is she?" He asked, pointing towards the screen with his finger.

"Hana," Winter answered. "My friend from school." That was a simple enough answer, so he didn't pry anymore.

Namjoon sat nearby and did his best to pry his eyes away from her exposed porcelain skin. It was difficult while she was wearing that bikini. He regretted agreeing to go swimming. He thought he could handle it, but he was wrong.

"Hoseok oppa," Winter said after a minute, rolling onto her back. Hoseok had to scoot back a little to avoid unintentionally touching her bare skin as she moved so suddenly.

"Hm?" He swallowed, successfully keeping his eyes on hers instead of letting them roam the expanse of exposed skin trailing from her shoulders, to her stomach, then her legs, with only bits of black cloth to block the rest in between.

"What do you think of me?" Her question was loaded, and he wasn't sure if there was a good way to answer. If he told her she was a friend, a temporary guest, he might hurt her feelings. If he confessed that he thought of her often, that he thought she was beautiful, she might feel uncomfortable.

"What do you mean?" He decided to try and get more clarification from her so he wasn't answering such a broad question.

"I mean," she began, pushing herself upright onto her hands, "do you think..." Winter trailed off, an odd look crossing her expression, darkening her eyes a little. He always hated it when her eyes emptied of the light and happiness they fought to keep there.

"What is it, Winter?" He pushed, knowing there was something on her mind, something more specific than what he thought of her in general.

"Nevermind," she shook her head, damp black hair falling over her shoulder. She locked the screen of her phone, then lifted her body from the concrete.

It bothered Hoseok that he may never know what she was trying to ask him. He knew better than to pry too much with her. If there was ever someone he met that was almost too free-spirited, it was Winter. She would always do whatever she pleased, no matter what. It was both attractive and frustrating.

Hoseok got up to follow her back to where she decided to sit beside Namjoon. Once Hoseok took a seat beside her, she grabbed his hand in hers, lifting it to compare the two.

"You have big hands, too," she commented quietly, clearly deep in thought about something she didn't care to share.

She was such a mystery, all of the time. It drove him crazy with theories and questions he couldn't ask her. At the same time, it enticed him, drew him closer, made him desperate for answers. Winter had him on a string and she didn't even know it.