Chapter Text
“I wish Taesoo-oppa wasn’t sick!” exclaimed Taeran, skipping along, holding loosely to her oldest brother’s hand.
“He wouldn’t be any fun to play with if he came with a cold.” replied Taehyung, using his mature voice. It came out only when he was around his much younger siblings. “Auntie understands.”
“You’re more fun than him, anyway, Oppa!”
“Don’t say that, Taeran-ie. Taesoo-ah just feels left out sometimes. He’ll be more fun to play with if you spend more time with him.”
Taehyung lifted Taeran into his arms as he approached the bridge leading to the plane entrance. A flight attendant stood there with a friendly look upon her pretty face. Taehyung showed her both his and Taeran’s tickets, and she nodded, looking mainly at the cute little girl who was clinging to Taehyung’s neck. She smiled widely at the flight attendant, showing her missing front teeth.
* * * * *
Seokjin pulled his suitcase out of the bus along with him, Hwayoung close behind. He chuckled at the trouble his friend seemed to be having with his suitcase. Hwayoung was not the most graceful of creatures.
“We’re going to be so late…” sighed Hwayoung once they were on the pavement in leading to the airport.
“We’ll make it.” Seokjin replied.
“You’re always too positive. I get it you’re a psych major and you want to be all calm and therapist-esq, but we’ve got a plane to catch!”
“Let’s hurry up, then, pabo!”
Seokjin started to run through the parking lot, dragging his suitcase behind.
“Hey! My suitcase doesn’t have wheels like yours!” Hwayoung shouted in playful indignation.
“Sucks for you, then!”
Hwayoung sighed and picked up his suitcase in one hand, beginning to run to catch up with his friend, who was already approaching the front doors.
* * * * *
Yoongi nodded to the bus driver, solemnly, as he exited the bus. He had saved just enough for a bus ticket.
“Hey,” said the bus driver. Yoongi turned around. “I forgot to ask where you’re heading to.”
“America.”
“Wow! Any friends or family there?”
“No, sir.”
“Just for fun, then? What part?”
“New York. Thank you, sir. I should catch my plane.”
Yoongi bowed and stepped onto the pavement in front of the airport, leaving the driver to wonder why the kid was so brusque and never smiled. He began to walk toward the front door, looking ahead with a deep coolness that turned the warm, April breeze blue.
* * * * *
“Do you have many friends at college, Hyung?” asked Jungkook, looking up at Jungho with wide, curious eyes that were etched with nervousness.
“Oh, plenty of them. You’ll make friends in college, too.” Jungho replied.
“Do I have to meet your friends?”
Jungkook looked down at his feet, uncomfortably. Jungho smacked his back, playfully.
“Hey, what did I tell you about being negative? You’ll get over your shyness. I promise. Besides, I told my friends all about you. They know your limits and I promise you that they’ll abide by them. They also know that your English is bad. Do you think I would make friends with any assholes?”
“Well… Now that you mention it--”
“Oh, you shut up! Do you want me to leave you here alone?”
Jungkook laughed and Jungho smiled, shaking his head at his silly little brother. He then grasped the handle of his suitcase and lifted it up into the compartment above their seats on the plane.
* * * * *
“So, you’ll be a tenth grader in a few months, Kyunghee-ah.” said Bora to the fifteen-year-old girl. Namjoon smiled at his sister’s shy reaction.
“Yes, Eonni.” she responded, looking down at her folded hands that were pressed up against her jeans.
“Aigo… She’s so cute, Namjoon-ah! She reminds me so much of my little sister! You’ll have to meet her, Kyunghee-ah! Oh, Namjoon-ie, I wish I’d met your family earlier.” Bora said, beaming.
“You’re a lovely girl, Bora-ie.” said Mrs. Kim with a warm, welcoming smile. Bora bowed.
“Thank you, ma’am.”
“I’m glad this has turned out so well.” Namjoon said, taking Bora’s hand in his as they exited the car and stepped into the airport parking lot.
“This will be the best trip ever, Namjoon-ah.” Bora said. “I’ve never been to America before, and I’ve always wanted to go.”
“I’ve heard great things about New York.”
“The price doesn’t seem very desirable, though…” said Mr. Kim, shaking his head. Namjoon could tell that all of the bills and price tags and lost dollars were swarming through his head. He supposed that was part of being a grown man with a family; worrying too much about money.
* * * * *
“I’m so excited to watch you win the competition, Jimin-ie!” exclaimed Hoseok. “I miss my days as a competitor in these high school competitions. You get to travel all over the world and win prizes and make new friends. How’s your English?”
“Not so good…” Jimin replied, looking down.
“Well, I’ll help you out, then. No big deal! I’ll be your substitute guardian like your mom asked of me.”
Jimin chuckled and shook his head.
“You don’t have to listen to her when she says stuff like that, Hyung. She’s just being overprotective. I don’t think I’ll win, either. There are a heck of a lot more people in America than in Korea.”
“Nonsense! You’re amazing, and you work harder than anyone else! You deserve to win!”
Hoseok was the best dancer Jimin had ever seen, yet he was not at all conceited. He always wished his friends and competitors good luck and invested himself in Jimin’s dancing as much as his own. Hoseok attended all of Jimin’s competitions, though he, himself, was in college, and he made sure to help him with advice and encouragement. Jimin knew he did not deserve a friend like Hoseok.
“You’re great, Hyung.” Jimin said, shoving Hoseok.
“Hey! How dare you call me ‘great’ and shove me! You don’t know who you’re messing with, punk!”
Hoseok shoved him back, then took him into a headlock, ruffling his hair. Jimin kicked and squirmed until Hoseok let him go and they both were laughing. Hoseok looked down at his watch.
“Oh, shit! We’ll miss our flight! Come on, kid!”