SOPE | Memory

The New Kid

"Yoongi hyung!" Jimin yelled from downstairs. Yoongi sighed at his little brother but got up and went down to where Jimin was standing by the window.

"Yeah, Jiminie?" Yoongi said, playfully ruffling Jimin's blonde-dyed hair.

"Look, it's a new kid," the younger one said, pointing to the house across the street. Before they'd come back home from their one month trip to Europe with their parents, the house had been unoccupied. But when Yoongi looked out the window, he saw that there was a car parked in the driveway. "Ooh, I wonder how old he is," Jimin mused.

"Jiminie, you don't know for sure if they have a boy, or even a kid," Yoongi reminded him. Jimin shrugged.

"PARK YOONGI!" their mom called from the kitchen. Yoongi laughed. He and Jimin were adopted, and they kept their names, but it was an inside joke to reverse their surnames. Jimin giggled. Yoongi smiled at his brother. He was five years younger than 17 year old Yoongi, and Jimin seemed like an adorable little baby to his hyung. "Yoongi, come here!" Yoongi rushed to the kitchen at his mom's repeat.

"Sorry, yes eomma?" he said.

"Can you watch the pan for me? I need to go get something, I'll be right back. Just turn the fire off if it starts smoking," his mom said, rushing upstairs.

Yoongi nodded at his mom, who was already upstairs, then gulped. He had a history with fire. One he tried to forget every day. One that haunted him down to his bones, bringing pain with every thought. But he didn't want to remember, he didn't want to think about it, so he never told anyone, not even his parents, not even his dear Jiminie.

Jimin wandered into the kitchen, noticing Yoongi staring at the fire.

"Hyung, are you okay? I'll watch it," Jimin said, pulling Yoongi away from the fire. He didn't know exactly what was with Yoongi and fire, but he could guess well enough that it bothered his hyung. Yoongi nodded gratefully, embarrassed that a 17 year old needed a 12 year old to take care of him. Yoongi sat down at the kitchen island and kept his eye on Jimin, making sure the 12 year old boy didn't get too close to the flames. 

I'm sorry I'm too weak to take that danger, Jiminie. You're stronger than me. One day, I'll get past it and I'll do it... it's just a fire... 

When their mom came downstairs again, she quickly finished cooking the dish and told the two boys that she was going to go meet their new neighbor.

"I'll come along!" Jimin said, grabbing a hoodie.

"I'll stay inside," Yoongi said, not wanting to meet a new person at the moment. Jimin shrugged and sprinted outside, whooping at the thought of meeting a new person. Their mom hugged Yoongi and left too.

About ten minutes later, Yoongi was on the floor, playing a game on his phone when Jimin bursted through the door, panting.

"Hyung! There's a girl, she's nineteen." he said, running excitedly over to Yoongi. Yoongi laughed.

"No boy, huh?" he asked, pausing the game.

"Nuh uh, they also have a boy!" Jimin said, bouncing around. "He's only a year younger than you. And apparently he can dance really well, too! He's a great street dancer. I saw him, he looks super nice and cool, I want to be friends with him!"

Yoongi frowned. Something was nagging at him. Jimin poked him.

"Aren't you excited, hyung?" he asked.

"Of course I'm excited!" Yoongi said, shaking off the weird feeling. "What's his name?" he asked.

"His name's H-- APPA!" Jimin broke off mid-sentence to scream that their dad had came home. He flew down the hall to the door, wrapping himself around his dad's leg. Yoongi chuckled.