#guy opposite swearing under his breath every five mins

[octaviasdread]

the real academia is mutually agreed library etiquette. peer review who? peer ignorance. peer torment. peer synchronicity in the private-public breakdown facility

[adventuresinwonderlust]

Title: “Have you heard about that Min boy?”

Prequel to “Let this be a lesson to you.” And “Lesson learned.” This is basically their meeting. Its long, longer anyhow than I expected. Hope you all enjoy!

Pairing: dom! Yoongi x sub! brat! Reader ft. Namjoon

Warnings: smut, slight fluff (if you squint really hard), masturbation (m) (f), slight cum play, spanking, degradation, angst(eh?)

Rating: 18 and over

It was fourth of July weekend which meant it was time to pack up for the biggest party of the year. Namjoon’s July 4th Lake house bash. You had preemptively prepared by packing a few days ahead and only needed to convince your father to borrow his Audi Q3 SUV, you didn’t really need it, you could just use your BMW but you wanted the extra space and of course to show off. “Daddy, I need an answer today! I am leaving tonight, and I have to load my stuff.” You whined into the phone. “Y/n, do you expect me to leave work now and drive home so you can have my car?” Your father whispered into the phone. You knew he was probably in an important meeting, but you didn’t care so long as you got what you wanted in the end. “Have one of your assistants drive it home and take my car back to you. Please daddy, please!!” You whined and begged into the phone. You father sighed deeply into the phone, clearly frustrated. You created this monster, you thought to yourself. “Fine! I’ll have Julie bring it over to you and y/n, listen clearly, if it comes back damaged in any way you will not receive your monthly stipend for the next six months. Am I understood?” He warns. “Of course, Daddy.” You say sweetly, and with that you are loaded up by 2pm. You wave Julie off as she drives off in your car to head back to the office to deliver it to you father. You receive a text message from your best friend asking if she can ride with you to the party. “Sure thing.” You respond.

You are sure to hit the road by 4pm in order to grab your BFF and get to Namjoon’s by no later than 7pm. You need to ensure that you have the best room in the house, which is of course the east wing, it has its own balcony which gets the best sunlight and faces the Lake just in case you don’t feel like joining in on the festivities, but you want to be nosey. You have known Namjoon for the entire five years that he’s lived in the city. Your father had just recently hired his father into his company, and he wanted the two of you to mingle. It was clear that you would never be anything more than friends. Namjoon was too clean cut for you and you were way too bratty for Namjoon’s taste but still you were one of the first people he invited to the Lake house once his parents bought the place. “Get in girl! We are gonna be late!” You shout to your friend who hurls her bag in the bag seat and jumps up front with you. “I guess daddy let you borrow his ride huh?” She gives you a sly smile. “I needed the space.” You shrug and take off. “I hear this is going to be the biggest one yet! Fireworks, the whole nine.” Your friend comments. “Eh, I feel like it’s the same every year. What can you really do for the 4th that people don’t normally do?” You comment. “You’re so annoying. If you feel that way, then why do you go?” She questions. You laugh out loud. “If I don’t go then who would honestly be there?” Your friends mouth gapes open in shock. “You are too much! Well, I heard someone richer than you will be there.” She scoffs. You laugh again knowing she is just trying to push your buttons. “There is no one in this city that I don’t know, that doesn’t work for my father, who is richer than I am.” “Oh, really? Well, have you heard about that Min boy?” She asks. Your forehead crinkles at the name. “Sounds made up.” You snip. She laughs. “I don’t know but everyone who is anyone has been talking about him and I heard he is going to be at Namjoon’s party this weekend.” You shrug as if you don’t care but deep down your intrigued. It's been awhile since someone had piqued your interest. You couldn’t help but wonder what this Min boy had to offer or if he was worth listening to the rumor mill, he’d been tossed into.

When you arrive at the Lake house, all seems quiet as you approach the gate, and you are all too happy at the site. Namjoon hardly let’s people stay over, you really must be close with him to get a spot in the house, otherwise you’re stuck renting the cabins that surround the property. You pull up to the keypad just outside the gate and enter in this year's code. The gate hums open and you make your way up the driveway. “No car’s parked besides Joon’s, this is a good sign.” Your BFF notes, to which you nod in agreement. You both grab your things and head towards the house. Your BFF excitedly rings the bell and is greeted by Bear, the head of the lake house’s security. “I thought someone was in trouble with all that ringing you're doing.” He grumbles. “Sorry. Just excited.” She smiles, pushing past the giant of a man. “Is Joon here, Bear?” You ask. “Out back setting up some stuff.” He slams the door shut and shuffles off. Your BFF drops her things and decides she wants to head out back. “I am going to claim my room before anyone shows.” You state. She nods and heads out back while you make your way up the stairs. You make your way to your favorite room and shoot Joon a text to inform him that you will be staying there for the weekend. You drop your bag as soon as you enter the room and head out to the balcony to take in the sights. Namjoon and your BFF are deep in conversation as you take in the view. You release a deep sigh, feeling pleasantly at ease, until you turn back into the room and notice a black duffel bag by the bed. “What on earth?” You mutter under your breath. “You look beautiful in the sunlight.” A voice states from inside the room. You find an unexpectedly handsome blonde standing opposite the bed. He has his arms crossed as his head tilts to the side slightly, drinking you in. His dark jeans and hoodie call attention to his pale skin and defined jaw. “What are you doing in here?” You question, swallowing hard, trying not to show your sudden lust. He scoffs and you wonder if he sees right through you. “I’m staying in here this weekend.” He gives a sly smile. You immediately laugh. “Not happening, I always stay in this room when I’m here. So, you need to grab your stuff and go.” You snip. He drops his hands and crosses them behind his back now, standing straight up. His commanding presence sends a chill straight to your core. “Is that so,” He whispers, “Well, I would be more than happy to share it with you, on one condition of course.” His demeanor changes as he moves towards you. “I don’t do favors for nobodies.” You try your best to sound powerful, but it falls flat.

“That’s too bad baby. You look like a lot of fun. I’ll give you time to think on it, something tells me we are going to be seeing a lot more of each other.” He licks his lips at his last statement, and you are overcome with want as you feel your panties soak. He leans against the bedroom door and you snap out of it noticing that you are no longer in the bedroom but in the hall. “What the?” You say out loud. “Don't worry baby, there’s going to be a lot of things I impress you with.” He winks at you and slams the door shut. “Asshole!” You shout as you slam your fist against the door. You stomp downstairs and out back to meet Namjoon. “Joon! Joon!” You shout. He whips around as you approach fuming. “Who the fuck is in my room?” You cross your arms. He cringes. “Ah, yeah, I forgot to mention to you. My friend is here this weekend. He and his family just moved to the city and well I couldn’t not invite him. You can stay in my room, it's no big deal really.” He gives a comforting smile. “I want him out Joon. No exceptions!” You shout heading back inside to pour yourself a drink. “Ah, y/n, please, don’t make this difficult for me ok. He is my best friend and I want to show him a good time ok. It's just this one time and never again. Work with me and I'll make it worth your while.” He raises his eyebrows happily. “Uh no! I want that jack off out of my room or I swear I will cause a riot.” You warn. “I’ll take care of it y/n, for now let's just enjoy tonight.” Namjoon rubs your back but you are still fuming. “I better be happy by tonight Joon.” You whisper to him. He smiles and nods in response.

As night falls and guest show up you become wrapped up in conversation, drinks, and dancing. It seems everyone is abuzz with the news of this Min boy and needing to find out more information. “I heard he’s hot.” One person mentions. “I heard he’s loaded.” Another says. “I heard he’s a total jerk.” Someone else interjects. You shrug and decide to move onto the next group which consist of your BFF and Namjoon. “When do the fireworks start?” You ask. “About half hour, Bear and the team are setting everything up and making sure it's all clear.” Namjoon explains. “Joon was just telling me that you lost your room to that Min boy.” Your BFF drunkenly points out. You shoot a sharp look at Joon. “That is the Min boy everyone’s talking about?” You question. Namjoon nods. “Yeah, we’ve been friends a long time. I meant to introduce you two at the beginning of summer but he’s always busy doing something. I thought you guys would hit it off, but I guess I was wrong.” He laughs. “You think? He’s a total asshole.” You note. “Well that’s not a very nice thing to say about someone.” You hear from beside you as Namjoon’s friend greets you with a smile. “I suppose I wasn’t trying to be nice, now was I?” You snap. He chuckles in response and leans in close. “You know, if you keep talking to me this way, I'm going to have to take you over my knee. Would you like that you naughty little brat?” He whispers. He steps back and takes a drink offered up by Namjoon. You stand in shock feeling your face flush. He lifts the drink up in a salute like manner and gulps down looking at you while he does. Your heart begins to race. Be brave, he is a nobody, he wouldn’t dare touch you, you tell yourself. “I want you out of that room. Namjoon offered up his room, you can sleep in there.” You tell him. He licks the excess drink from his lips and nods. “Or, I can just stay where I am and watch you squirm.” He smiles wide. You move forward ready to thrash him, but he just stands tall, ready for you. “You know I could make your life a living hell if I wanted to.” You threaten. He moans softly. “God, I hope so.” He bites his lip causing you to step back. You swallow hard and turn away. “I knew you guys would hit it off.” Namjoon smiles wide at you both. You shake your head and stomp inside. “You want to fuck around.” You shout as you walk past the crowd and up the stairs.

You enter your favorite bedroom and grab his duffle bag from the floor. “What do you think you're doing?” You jump to find he’s followed you inside. “Watch and see.” You tease and unzip the bag. You wait to see if he’s going to make a move, but he doesn’t. You pull out a crisp white shirt from the bag as well as a pair of black slacks. “Careful baby, that’s Dior, I happen to really like that set.” He grumbles, brows tensing just a bit. You give a sly smile and rummage through his bag some more to find a John Varvatos cologne inside. You pop the top and smell it, humming in approval. He stares at you intensely, watching your every move. You give a huge grin as you pull off the nozzle. “Don't!” He protests way too late as you pour the cologne onto the items in his bag. “Oops, I’m such a klutz.” You say. He moves towards you and looks over the things you’ve ruined. “Guess you gotta get home and get this stuff cleaned up.” You say, dropping the empty bottle of cologne into the bag. He chuckles and nods, shoving the now destroyed items into the bag before throwing it all to the floor. “I warned you that I could make your life hell and I meant it.” You say plainly. He sniffs and rubs his nose, nodding to acknowledge you. “And I warned you that I would take you over my knee if needed but I think we are way past that don’t you?” Your body heats as he begins to loosen his belt. “Tell me brat, are you gonna be a good girl for me?” He asks. You moan softly as he takes you by your waist. He tightens his grip causing your nipples to harden and your pussy to moisten.

“Yes, sir.” He instructs. “Yes, sir.” You reply. He begins to trail soft kisses from your ear lobe down to your neck, suckling when he reaches your collar bone. You moan loudly at the feeling, having not had someone touch you in so long. “Fuck me.” You growl. He smiles into your neck. “Still don’t get it do you baby. That’s ok, I love a challenge. I’m in charge now. We do what I want and how I want it, got it?” He asks, pulling your hips into his massive erection. You nod quickly, anxious to feel him inside you. “Good. Now if you're a good girl, daddy will reward you. How does that sound?” He asks, nibbling on your jaw. “Good.” You pant. He yanks suddenly on your hair causing your head to snap back. “Good, what?” He whispers across your lips. “Good, sir.” You say breathlessly, pushing your hips further into his hardened length. He kisses your lips roughly and you gladly open your mouth for him, allowing him to slide his tongue against yours. He slowly swirls his tongue round yours, and you feel your cunt tense as you imagine what his assault would be on your sensitive bud. He releases you now and you softly whimper as he takes a full step back. “Ground rules now baby,” He pants, rubbing at his jailed member, “You don’t speak unless I give you permission to. You will always address me as Sir. If I go too far and I promise I will, you will say the word ‘yellow’ and I will stop completely. If you disobey me, whether that is here in the bedroom or in public, you will be punished. If you speak without permission, you will be punished. From here on out, you are mine and I am yours, if I find out another person has been with you...” He says. “I will be punished.” You cut him off. He nods to confirm. “I'll let this first one slide since we are just getting started. Now, take your clothes off.” He commands, lust filling his eyes.

You chuckle nervously, “What about you?” You question. His head tilts to the side. “Did I give you permission to speak?” He questions as your stomach drops, panic hitting you. “I’m sorry sir.” You attempt. He shakes his head at you. “Not yet you aren’t,” He smirks, tugging his belt from his jeans, “Pull down your shorts.” You bite your lip and comply, slowly unbuttoning and dropping your shorts to the ground. “What are you going to do to me?” You ask. He groans angrily and you realize your mistake. You cover your mouth with your hand quickly. He points to the bed. “On your belly brat, show me that gorgeous ass of yours.” You look over at the bed but don’t move. “You've already earned yourself two lashes, would you like to add two more?” He asks. You shake your head in response and he again points at the bed. “What do you say if it’s too much?” He pants as you rest on your belly, ass on full display. “Yellow, sir.” You say. “Good girl.” He responds as he licks his lips. You moan into the mattress, trying desperately to hold back the intense feelings of lust and need coursing through your body. “Do you understand why I am doing this?” He groans. “Yes, sir, because I disobeyed you and spoke without permission. I was a bad girl.” You explain seductively. His response is a heavy whack across your bare ass that echoes through the room and your needy body. You cry out in pure ecstasy. Your juices flowing past your folds and down to your thighs. The second whack is harder and causes you to grip the covers. He hums deep in chest as he watches you squirm. “So sexy.” He moans, rubbing your burning cheeks with his cool palm. You hitch your hips back into his hands trying desperately to get him to lower his touch to your aching bud.

“Stand up my greedy little brat.” He whispers. You do as your told. “Take off the rest of your clothes.” You quickly shed your shirt and bra, happily on display before him. He licks his lips as he looks over your exposed flesh. “So gorgeous,” He smirks and begins to unhook his pants, “Touch your cunt.” Your breathing quickens as you slide your hand down your torso and to your wanting sex. He watches you with lust in his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly. “Rub that sweet clit for me.” He groans, releasing his veiny cock from its confines, his sweet nectar glistening from his swollen tip. You moan loudly as you watch him stroke his thick length in quick succession with your own pace. His breath quickens as he rubs his arousal up and down his cock. “Show me how wet you are.” He grunts. You painfully remove your fingers from your needy cunt and raise them up to show off. He moans aloud and bites his bottom lip, still stroking. “Suck those sweet juices off your fingers.” He commands and you slowly clean each finger one by one causing his head to roll back and a deep dark moan to fall from his lips. “Now, fuck yourself, I want to see my little brat cum.” You return your salivated fingers to your slick folds and begin to swirl around your clit once more. You moan loudly for him to show just how much you’re enjoying yourself. “Tell me when you’re about to cum.” He demands. You nod as you use your free hand to slide two fingers into yourself, curling them upward to rub against your g -spot. You cry out as you begin to feel your core tighten.

You begin to hitch your hips back and forth in an attempt to cause more friction as you watch him stroke his thick cock faster and faster, pulling lightly on his balls. Your mouth falls open and you can barely contain yourself as you feel your juices flow down your hand. Your breath becomes more and more ragged as your climax threatens with every swirl around your sweet bud. “I’m going to cum sir.” You cry out as your coil snaps and your cunt throbs around your fingers, your orgasm washing over you intensely. “On your knees brat.” He pants desperately while you come down from your high. You drop down to your knees and watch as he makes his way towards you. “Head up.” He states. You lift your chin high and gasp as he unloads his hot seed onto your exposed breasts. He moans loudly, grabbing you by your shoulder and digging his fingertips in as he rubs out every last drop. He steps back once done and swallows hard taking in the sight of you covered in his semen. “You’re so fucking hot baby.” He says. You smile and slowly raise your hands up, rubbing his warm cum around your full tits and erect nipples. He hums in approval. “I need to have you, all of you.” He says reaching out to help you up. “Then have me sir.” You whisper, standing. He chuckles. “Soon, we should handle a few personal things first. Getting tested and what not. We can go together.” You nod in agreement.

Suddenly, you both hear hooting and hollering from the backyard as the fireworks begin to crack one by one. “Come with me.” He says, grabbing you from behind and slowly leading you towards the balcony. You push your back against him, not wanting to go out unclothed. “Don’t worry, no one can see us.” He says, kissing your cheek. You stand at the balcony door wrapped in his arms and begin to realize how much you want to be completely undone by this man. “I don’t even know your first name.” You say as you both watch the fireworks show. “Yoongi. Min Yoongi.” He whispers into your ear. “Y/n.” You say. He scoffs. “My naughty little brat.”

[jimlingss]

BOO-lieve in Me [1/2]

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 [Finale]

➜ Words: 15k

➜ Genres: 60% Fluff, 40% Angst, Spirit Marriage!AU

➜ Summary: A Spirit Marriage - in which two deceased people are wedded together. In your life, you wouldn’t have ever imagined yourself married. Much less to mommy’s boy, Min Yoongi.

➜ Warnings: ghosts, discussion of death, swearing.

➜ Notes: istg the titles for my fics are getting shittier and shittier. nonetheless, I hope you enjoy this small series! and happy birthday to the one and only Min Yoongi!!

You’d rather die than be here.

“During the late eighteenth century, there were many trade issues with tea as European control over trade with China was very limited. On page two-hundred sixty of your textbook, it says that the merchants were under the direction of local officials who made all decisions of the selling process, leaving little for negotiation….”   The teacher drones and on and on. Sitting here at the very back of the class with your legs comfortably popped up on the desk, you feel like slamming your head against the wall. But even if you did that — no one would notice. Luckily enough, you’re not the only one bored out of your mind. There are students passing each other notes, giggling and spewing spitballs at one another. It’s terribly childish and juvenile, so with a roll of your eyes, you keep your vision trained forward to the person you’re sitting behind, burning holes into the back of Jungkook’s head.   Jungkook’s a little shit. He’s fairly popular amongst his peers for his good looks and personality, and he knows it too. He likes to talk back. He’s a brat. He’s competitive and rambunctious too. But you beneath it all, he’s a good kid — getting good grades, friendly to those he meets, athletic and talented in drawing. But lately, he’s been quieter. Reclusive even. Jungkook has become timid and he’s been distant to his friends. It’s obvious that he’s having a hard time.   “Do you want to go to the movies after school? They’re playing a new movie!”   “The one with Won Bin?”   “Yeah! It starts at five. It got good reviews too and apparently he has a shower scene.”   The two girls are giggling together, snickering underneath their breaths. And when a spitball flies past from a guy sitting across from you, your brain nearly blows a gasket. You glare into the back of their heads, mouth drawing open to say something, but you don’t need to.   The teacher at the front of the room turns on his toes. “Who’s talking?!”   Silence ripples throughout the room. The girls turn right back around and the boys hide their straws in the laps, all looking down at their open textbooks simultaneously. Only those who have their head rested on their desks, drooling on the wooden surface as they sleep, are caught for not paying attention. Fortunately for all of them before the teacher can yell again, the bell rings.   It chimes throughout the entire building and the students get up, dismissed from the day much to the teacher’s dismay. “Make sure to finish all of your assigned homework!” he screams and gives up, packing his own things to leave.   Unlike the others, you’re in no rush, instead turning to look out the window. There are students already running out the school gate, laughing with their friends, racing home, or strolling to their after-school activities.   Jungkook is slow, languidly packing up his belongings, picking up his bag, putting on his jacket.   As you redirect your gaze towards him, he ignores you. The boy is a ghost, caught in a trance and only brought back to the ground when someone pops their head through the door and shouts his name. “Jungkook! Are you coming with us? We’re heading down to the—”   “No, I’m fine.” He throws his bags over his shoulder and walks out the door while Jaehyun is left helpless, unable to persuade him. “I have some things to do at home. Maybe another time.”   What an idiot.   You finally get up from your own seat, hands dug in your pockets, following him out.   Jungkook walks alone, each of his steps dragged down by a weight on his shoulders that you cannot see. His head is downcasted, arms by his side and as you shadow his strides at a distance, he doesn’t notice the girl who comes from the opposite direction. Her shoulder collides with his as she speed walks and at the exact same time as she spews out an apology, he mumbles his own.   “Oh.” The female stops and turns herself back, nearly whipping him in the face with her high ponytail. “You’re Jungkook, aren’t you?”   “Umm...do I know you?”   “At the beginning of the semester, I gave you a pack of ramen.”   “You….did?”   “Yeah. I was promoting the gardening club. The ramen had an advertisement stapled to it,” she reminds him in exasperation and you approach close enough to read the nametag on her uniform — Yeeun. She’s definitely an interesting character, you muse. Very loud and bubbly, having no sense of boundaries as she invades in his personal space. This is the most you’ve seen Jungkook talk recently and it’s quite funny to watch him so taken back. “You even signed up to receive information. I remember because you gave me a FAKE email!”   “Oh…” Jungkook ducks his head, finding her overwhelming. “Sorry. I must’ve made a mistake…”   “Yeah, sure. Listen, I’ll forgive you if you join the gardening club. We actually need more help—”   “I’m good.”   “If you weren’t interested in it in the first place, then you shouldn't have taken the ramen and given me a fake email! I could’ve given that to someone else instead. I know gardening seems lame but it’s actually a lot of fun and it doesn’t take that long to learn—…..are you walking away from me?!”   “I have some place to be.” Jungkook is backing away with his palms up. “Sorry, not interested.”   Yeeun’s mouth draws open, baffled. You laugh, snickering openly and when you brush past her, you catch her muttering about his rudeness and how she feels like a salesman going door to door.   You continue following Jungkook, but not without musing that the girl seemed cute. Jungkook could’ve totally made a move or at least got a new friend, but he blew it like a total dork that he is. Though the image of him kneeling in dirt as he tends to tomatoes is all too humorous.   Your feet trail after him at a distance, steps matching his. Your eyes watch his backside, too curious for your own good. He goes down three blocks, deeper into the suburban area, turning a left then a right. But as you tail him, you’re suddenly disrupted by an urgent bark.   Head drooping to the ground, you find a brown poodle dog yapping at you, having leaped out from the alleyway. “Go away.”   You walk over the stray, but it follows, throwing itself in front of you once more.   “I said go away!”   At your shout, the dog remains undeterred. His tail is still wagging, tongue out as he pants. The more you pay attention to him, the more he reacts. You look up quickly, finding that you’ve lost sight of Jungkook. Damn. With no other choice and a sigh of frustration, you pick up the damn dog into your arms.   “What do you want from me? Where’s your owner, huh?” You look at the dog’s small blue collar, catching the name tag. “You’re Holly?”   The poodle barks and a tiny smile sneaks on your lips before you repress it and set him down. “Go away. Leave me alone,” you tell the stray. “I’m not in any condition to take care of you, alright? And I don’t want to!”   He follows you, stubby legs teetering from side to side to match up with your wide strides. A discontented inhale is stolen through the seams of your lips and you swivel around on your toes. “Stay!”   Holly yelps at your command, but ultimately obeys. He stays in one spot, watching you march off.   Your speed picks up and you follow Jungkook’s direction. That is until the road splits off into four and you don’t know where he’s gone. There are people coming from all directions, kids walking home from school, mothers pushing their strollers, elders holding their groceries from the store nearby. You’re lost.   After a moment of watching, you sigh and give up.   The sun begins to fall as the evening hour arrives. It becomes dark out within minutes, black rippling through the city slowly and engulfing the sky into nightfall. You wait at a bus station, sitting underneath the glass shelter on a bench, examining the way the wheels roll on the road. You watch the way the buses stop, how steam puffs out of their engine, how the creaking doors open and people get on and off, students and workers alike.   Sitting in a single spot, you listen to the sounds of the city, the white noise, the distant cars in the back, the bustle of synchronized steps and conversations. You observe the people out and about, catching taxis and cabs or entering the cozy restaurant from across the street, those that shuffle away from the coldness, arguing with loved ones on the phone. You watch how alive they are.   But finally, after hours of waiting, the bus you were expecting stops in front of you. You stand up and after three or so people hop off, you find the older lady bumbling onto the road again. She doesn’t look at you.   The aged woman has wrinkles around her eyes, her steps slow, fatigue permanently etched in her muscles. She exhales every so often and you follow after her as she drags her feet from the exhausted day. Your eyes trace her slumped shoulders and thin legs, watching her backside and chasing her shadow. You stroll behind her like some sort of child lost on her way or much like Holly, a stray dog desperate for attention.   The woman turns down the dark street, opening the gate to her house and you catch up behind her as her keys rattle and she opens the door. You slip inside behind her before it shuts.   The entire house is consumed in darkness, but the television is on, screen casting a blinding glow around the room, walls bathed in the static. The woman turns on the lights and the boy laying on the couch, watching mindlessly, doesn’t even blink.   “Have you eaten yet?”   He ignores her. She moves to the kitchen, sighing again and you follow.   “Mom,” you call out, but she ignores you. “Mom…..”   Your mom scoops up a bowl of rice from the cooker. But she doesn’t eat it even if her stomach is growling. Instead, she sets it on the table by the front door, right beside your picture frame.   “You must’ve been hungry, huh?” A sad smile graces her lips as she speaks to you. “I’m sorry for working all day. I hope you weren’t lonely. Things haven’t been too bad around here—”   The boy on the couch gets up, sitting straight. His hair is a mess, eyes weary, and he turns his head. “Can you not talk to her like that? It’s creepy. And stop giving her food. I have to throw it away after. It’s annoying.”   “Jungkook….”   He gets onto his feet, footsteps padding down the hall before the door slams shut. The walls rattle on impact, hinges squeaking and she winces.   You scoff. “What a brat.”   But your mom is less angry. She merely sighs, returning to the kitchen to get her food, only to end up sitting alone at the dinner table without knowing that you’re right beside her. And she barely eats, putting less than a spoonful in her mouth before he cries into her bowl. The woman sobs quietly to not disturb her son.   It’s heart wrenching and you can’t bear it for a full minute. You peel yourself off the chair, going down the hall into Jungkook’s room. Passing through the door, you find him laying in bed, facing the wall. “You’re a brat, you know that?! Mom’s crying because of you! You’re such an ass!”   “You think just cause I’m not here anymore means you get to disrespect mom?! Yeah right. Not on my watch, punk!”   Jungkook doesn’t hear you of course, but it still feels good to get it off your chest….until something catches in your ear. It’s the quietest of whimpers, muffled and only when you see Jungkook’s shoulders begin to tremble do you realize he’s crying too.   He digs his face into his pillow, pulling his covers up over his head and you fall to the floor, leaning back at the foot of his bed.   It really sucks to be dead.   //   Yoongi would agree with your sentiment — if he knew you.   It sucked to be a wandering ghost, but even then it’s an understatement. He doesn’t get to haunt people and scare them or go around like Casper the Ghost. There was nothing exciting about being invisible to the people alive or having limited objects he could touch and interact with. But he doesn’t dwell on it too much.   What’s more pressing on his mind is that he knows he’s going to hell.   “Can you stop hovering over me?!” His mother shrieks and dusts off her shoulder furiously like there’s a pet cockroach perched on it.   “No.” Yoongi continues to hover beside her. “You can’t make me.”   “Go away!” She grieves, throwing down the tarot cards from her hands onto the clothed table. She appears absolutely psychotic as she screams and scolds to an empty space. But she knows he’s there. “Stop bothering me! Don’t you have something better to do?”   “Actually, I don’t,” he bites back, refusing to go elsewhere. The woman can’t exactly hear him, but feel his presence and read his aura. Even so, she is annoyed.   She gets up, moving past the beaded curtains and moving through the narrow halls. Her steps are heavy, body tired from constantly feeling him over her shoulder. It’s the pressure of an anchor.   “I have a client coming over soon. For the love of all things good, please stop haunting me, Yoongi. This is my last request to you.” She is begging and ranting to the empty air. “Didn’t you always want to move out? Why are you sticking next to me like gum? You’re not four-years old anymore. Let me work in peace!”   Yoongi is childish. Stubborn. He refuses, especially now that he hears a client is coming. It only provokes him, making his eyes narrow and he comes even closer. She mutters curses, a hand pressing on her forehead and decides it’s better to just ignore him. The woman grabs a binder off the shelf and marches into the main living space, right as the doorbell rings.   She opens it. Yoongi’s mom has erratic hair and although she has a sophisticated demeanor, she is very much witch-like. It makes the woman on the other side startled despite having met her before.   Still, that doesn’t stop her from giving the woman a warm hug. “Welcome! Welcome, come in, come in!”   “O-oh, thank you.”   “Don’t be shy!” she laughs. “What kind of tea would you like? Do you want any refreshments?”   “I-I’m fine, thank you.”   Yoongi leans back against the wall with his arms crossed. He watches the arrangement and how both get settled down across the table from each other. The black binder is opened and his crazy mother flips through the pages. The woman across from her is the first to pipe up.   “I want to apologize about how I acted last time.”   “Nonsense. I completely understand why someone might hesitate to do this.” She looks up at her with a sincere gaze and reaches over to put her hand over her’s. “You’re still in grief.”   The woman nods. “I thought it over like you said and I really…..just want her to have peace. I’m scared that she’s lonely.”   “I’m glad that you called me then. It’s my mission to make sure that everyone is matched up with someone suitable and that will give them happiness in the other word.”   Yoongi scoffs. It’s a bunch of bogus and bullshit. He despises her and her scamming career — a matchmaker for ghosts? What a joke. She’s hurting these people suffering in grief and it’s unforgivable.   “Thank you.”   “Don’t thank me yet.” She smiles and looks through her binder before slipping a paper out. Yoongi strolls over, dipping down to look over his mother’s shoulder. Her muscles seem to stiffen as if she can feel him right there, but he remains focused on the profile he sees.   Middle class family. Tragedy struck halfway through university years. Bus crash. It’s unfortunate, especially considering how young you were. Yoongi’s eyes skim over to the picture of just you, a headshot from high school, and he finds you fairly pretty when you have a smile on. It’s a shame you died so early on in your life.   “So I’ve taken a long look over your daughter’s profile...and I assessed other profiles in all my binders and I believe I’ve found a match.”   “Really?”   The exuberant woman throws the entire binder backwards onto the last page. She fiddles with the sheet protector and takes out the page, sliding it over the wooden table like a secret contract or Satan persuading a clueless human to sign their soul away.   “My own son!”   “Pardon?”   “WHAT?!” Yoongi goes pale. His jaw is slack, eyes bulging out from his sockets, mortified.   His mother laughs, feeling his aura turn into a furious red. “I’ve met many souls and I haven’t found a better match than now. They were around the same age when they passed away and you said your daughter was feisty, right?”   She stares at Yoongi’s picture — at how soft his features are and kind his smile is. He looks like a cute boy and a good son-in-law. “Yes.”   “Well, I know my son very well and he’s….lively too. They would be a couple who would challenge each other, but ultimately rise above. At least that’s what my intuition tells me.”   “No, no, no!” Yoongi is in hysterics and he’s shouting to no one. “Is this your ploy to try to get rid of me?! You’re marrying me off?! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You’re fucking sick!”   “He seems very hardworking,” your mom says after reading over his profile, noticing how many jobs he’s had, how he’s traveled around the world despite being at such a young age.   “Yes. He’s very particular and meticulous too. A very well-mannered boy…” when he wants to be, but she doesn’t add that on.   “Do you really think they’d go well together?”   “Well, I only really know once they meet.”   “Once they meet?”   “I can summon her into the room. Luckily, my son is already here.” She smiles, unbeknownst at how that very same son is ready to jump out the window and hope he can die a second time. “Would you like me to bring your daughter here?”   “S-sure.”   Yoongi is losing his mind. He can’t pay attention, slumped to the wall, sliding down to collapse on the floor. His hands are in his hair, shaking his head and in denial. In the meanwhile, his mother lights six candles and places out six cards, beginning a ritual. She murmurs bullshit underneath her breath and burns a picture of you to the candle beside her.   It goes up into flames, photo turning to ash.   Then, there’s a gust of wind.   Your mom is startled when the candles are blown out and Yoongi’s mother shuts her eyes tight, fingers rubbing against her temple. In the dimension they cannot see, there’s a mist and then a shrill scream. You’re pulled away from Jungkook’s classroom, surroundings warped and soul stolen away from your control.   You fall from the ceiling, landing on the carpet in a splat.   “What the fuck?!” You get up and Yoongi watches you in distaste as if observing spiders hatching from their eggs. You look around before your eyes meet.   He’s a random ass dude, rounded cheeks, brown eyes, reminding you of a cat with plush cheeks, but a stern stare. There’s also a woman in red robes, necklaces draped on her head on top of her untamed curly hair. Across from her and the tall candles is…..“Mom?!”   “She is here.”   “She is?” Your mom looks around into every corner. “Y/N?”   The woman hums. “She’s here. Standing right there.” She points right at you and you’re startled, barely managing to get to your feet.   “What the fuck. What’s going on?” you ask to no one in particular before turning towards Yoongi, noticing that he’s in the same state as you are. “Who are you?”   “Yoongi.” His deep voice rumbles against the walls and he wears an unimpressed expression as he scans you from head to toe.   “Can she see me?” You don’t look away from him, simply pointing to the woman.   “No. But she can feel you.”   “What?” You’re still flabbergasted, mind reeling and Yoongi feels just as numb. “What in the fucking hell….How?”   “She’s psychic.”   You’re befuddled, confused out of your mind. But the woman continues to speak. “I can feel her. She is….sad.”   “Sad?” Your mom’s eyes are rounded, brows knitting together, looking hurt and concerned.   Yoongi scoffs as his mother nods. “Deep sadness. You’re not taking care of yourself, are you? Neither is your younger son. She’s been following the both of you for some time now, watching over you.”   You’re surprised, taken back by her accuracy. Your mother also comes to cover her mouth with her hand, broken sobs tearing through her throat. “C-can I talk to her?” Once she’s gotten the signal to go ahead, she turns to the empty space, missing you, but still in the general vicinity of where you are. “Y/N, honey, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that you’re still worrying about me and Jungkook. But you don’t have to be worried about us anymore. We’ll be fine. Go on in peace, okay?”   A lump forms in your throat, keeping your words from spilling out.   “She won’t be alone anymore. They’ll be a good match.”   “What...is she talking about?” You look at Yoongi again, whispering, but the stranger doesn’t respond.   He appears defeated, knees propped up and arms openly rested on them.   “Y/N, you and my son are going to be wedded together,” the woman explains openly, answering your questions, “so neither of you have to be alone in the other world. You don’t have to be afraid anymore.”   “Wait….what?!” Your reaction is similar to Yoongi, mouth dropping to the ground, eyes doubling. But you don’t fully understand the extent of what’s occurring — not as well as Yoongi does. He’s the one who’s truly devastated at this news. “I’m marrying you?!”   “Nice meeting you too,” he chuckles lifelessly.   You don’t appreciate his joke whatsoever.   “What in the ever living fuck?!”   “Hmm….I see it.” Yoongi’s mother bobs her head up and down, stuck in a trance as she stares at her ceiling. “They’re upset and angry.”   Your mom is immediately worried. “A-angry?”   “Damn fucking straight I’m angry!” You’re screaming and no one hears except Yoongi who covers his ears and scowls at your shrieking volume. “Since when am I getting married?!”   //   It’s unbelievable.   Even when you were alive, you questioned if you ever wanted to be married to someone. The thought of forever being tied down to another human being for the entirety of your life somehow brought a bitter taste in your mouth. You found everything and everyone annoying with enough time — surely, marriage didn’t suit you. But being married to a total stranger after you’re dead for eternity?!   This was some kind of living hell….and you couldn’t even escape via death by running into traffic.   “We have to find some way to stop this.”   “How?” Yoongi questions with a raised brow before scoffing. “We’re dead. It’s not like we can say anything.”   “You said she could sense us, right?” You chase after him in exasperation. “Can’t she tell that we’re against this?”   “She’s already made up her mind.” His gaze is firm, eyes cold and pinpointed on yours. “She won’t change it.”   “How do you know?”   “She’s my mom.” Yoongi turns on his heel one last time, challenging you to keep trying to test his patience, just so you’ll see what will happen. “The living has always been selfish, don’t you realize that? People will always be selfish. It doesn't matter that we’re dead. It doesn’t matter what we think. They don’t want us to rest in peace — they want their own comfort.”   You scoff, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. “So you’re just going to let this happen?”   “There’s nothing else we can do,” Yoongi repeats himself. “And we’re dead, right? We’ll pass onto the other side eventually. Marriage is a human construct. It doesn’t matter anyways.”   “Yes, it does,” you persist. “It matters to me. I don’t want to marry you. I don’t even know who you are!”   “I don’t want to marry you either.” With that said, he makes his move, strolling off.   “W-where the hell are you going?!”   “Away. Fuck off.”   You scoff, not bothering to chase after him anymore. “What an asshole.”   “I heard that!”   “Good!” You shriek after him childishly, repeating yourself and making it loud and clear. “You’re an asshole, you know that?!”   His voice becomes fainter, but you still hear his spiteful insults. “You’re an annoying bitch.”   “What the fuck did you just say? Get back here! You coward! Yoongi!”   You’re left breathless and defeated, fists crumpled together and face twisted in anger. A scream of his name comes out of you one more time before you’re left in silence with no choice but to collect yourself and pick up the remains of your diminishing sanity. You don’t know who he is or who he thinks he is — but you’ll never marry a bastard like him.   Before you can stomp off, the psychic lady who brought you into this mess enters through the doorway. She pushes the beaded curtains away and stops several meters away from where you’re standing, staring at the space you occupy as if she can feel your presence. It’s astounding how similar she looks to her son, rounded cheeks and cat-like eyes, only older and with untamed hair.   “Hello. I’m Min Chaerin. It’s nice to meet you.” There’s a pause. “I know you’re upset.”   “That’s an understatement,” you spit out, even if she can’t hear you.   “I promise you I’m not scamming your mother. I don’t know what Yoongi might’ve told you, but this is my job. I’m a matchmaker for the dead and I help the living with their grief. He never respected my profession when he was alive and I’m sure he still doesn’t respect it while he’s dead. He’s always hanging around on my shoulder to tell me that...But rest assured, I don’t have harmful intentions….”   She walks off slightly as if trying to get closer, but she misses you by a few inches, staring off towards the painting of sunflowers. “I know you might not want this, but I believe it can help you too. You’re scared of passing, aren’t you? I can sense it.”   You have no idea what this lady is going on about.   “You’re wrong.”   And within seconds, you vanish into thin air. Your aura disappears and Yoongi’s mother sighs, finally left alone in her own peace.   //   It doesn’t take long for Jungkook to find out what happens. On his way home from school, he looks through the mailbox and when he finds it empty, he goes through his mom’s bag to see if she picked up anything important. Instead, he finds a manila envelope and upon turning it the wrong way, the thin sheets of paperwork slide out onto the table, along with your profile and Yoongi’s.   It’s enough for him to go berserk.   “What is this?”   “What are you talking about?”   “This.” The high-schooler whips the papers around in his hands, his boyish features scrunched into wrath and giving him premature wrinkles. “You’re marrying Y/N off to some dead guy?!”   “Jungkook…” your mom approaches with an outstretched, gentle hand. “....sit down.”   “Don’t touch me!” He shoves her back, causing the older woman to stumble, gasping. “This...this is disgusting!”   He screams like it physically pains him, like he’s appalled by his own mother; like he is grossed out by himself and how he’s laid hands on his mom, how he’s losing control of his emotions completely. He feels disgusted by everyone and his own hands. “Why don’t you just let her rest in peace?! Why do you have to do this?! Why is this necessary?!”   “Jungkook.” Her eyes plead with his. “I don’t want your sister to be alone—”   “Do you think she would want this?!” he cries out, tears streaming down his face without him even realizing. Seldom has he been so openly upset. “Do you really think Y/N would want to get married?!”   “I can’t bear the thought that she’s alone!” she finally shouts back at him, breaking down and slumping on the floor as if begging for repentance. “I can’t sleep at night. I can’t eat. I keep thinking about it...how I...I should’ve been the one to die instead.”   The fatigued woman beats her chest as she sobs. The last thing she ever wanted in this world was to bury her own child. “She never got the chance to love, to live, to be happy…..I am her mom and I couldn't even protect her. I...I don’t want her to be lonely!”   “She’s dead. So let her die.” Jungkook’s fists shake and he throws the papers to the ground, coating the cold floorboards in white. “You talk to her picture when you get home, you put food out for her like she’s still alive. I was the one who had to clean out her stuff! I was the one who had to do all the funeral arrangements. And you think doing something like this will make you feel better?!”   The woman calls out to him, repeating her son’s name on his clips, crying for the old child she has left. But Jungkook is cold and his gaze is full of disdain. “Why don’t you just let her die already?!”   He stomps hard enough to bruise his own feet. The door slams, hinges trembling. The two of them cry in different rooms, tears that dissolve the bindings that held this home together. This time, you stay with your mom on the floor. Knees gathered and leaning against the wall, you watch as she weeps into her hands. From the corner of the room, someone passes through the furniture, another ghost that wanders in. It’s not Yoongi or a stranger, but Holly.   He doesn’t bark or yelp for your attention, merely approaching, sensing your sorrows. He curls up in your lap and you accept his affections, holding him close. You cry with your mom and she never knows that you’re right beside her.   //   “Marry me.”   “No.”   “Please, Yoongi?” You never thought you’d resort to begging and it’s beginning to take a hit to your pride. “I promise I’ll make you the happiest man ever.”   If looks could kill, you’d be lowered into your grave for a second time. His glare is cold, eyes cat-like and made of ice. But it doesn’t deter you for a second. “Over my dead body.”   “You said it didn't matter! We’re dead, marriage is a human construct, sound familiar?”   “Doesn’t mean I’d agree.” Yoongi isn’t even a bit curious as to why you’ve changed your mind so quickly. He truly doesn’t give a shit about you.   “Your mom’s going to delay the marriage if she knows we’re still upset over it. I don’t want it to be delayed. If you accept now, we can get it done and over with. Then we can be out of each other’s way.”   “I don’t think you understand something, kid.” Yoongi sits up from the bed, craning his neck to lock his eyes with yours. “Marriage is a human construct, yes. But a spirit marriage is different. We’ll be bounded together. Tied.”   “So?”   “I don’t want to be connected to you in any way.”   “Oh, fuck you too then.” Your fist balls up. He has the most punchable face in existence. “Listen here, Min. I don’t know who you think you fucking are, but let me make this clear to you. I don’t want to marry you, alright? Not in any way. Shape. Or form. I’m doing this for my mom, alright? The quicker our marriage happens, the quicker she can move on with her life.”   You want peace for your mom and for her to have an eased mind, even if it means you have to go through with this stupid thing. This….this marriage means nothing in the grand scheme of things. When it comes to your family — Jungkook and your mom — you’ll do anything that you have to.   But to your dismay, Yoongi scoffs and lays back down. “Yeah, no thanks. Go ask some other ghost to help you out.”   “Fuck you!” you shout at an ear-splitting volume and he grimaces, covering his ears. “I didn’t want to marry you anyway!”   With the last word in, you trample out. Rather than vanishing, you make sure to physically trample out as loud as you can so he can hear. Half of you expects Yoongi to run out of his room and accept your proposal and you would whip around with a curt ‘damn straight’. But of course not.   Instead, you end up marching into the main living area, right as there’s some meeting going on.   There’s a boy sitting at the round table next to a girl, in the middle of a union being discussed. The two of them look up at you and even Yoongi’s mother becomes startled at your presence, stopping mid-sentence to look around the space you’re in. The only person who is clueless is the affluent woman with pearls around her wrinkled neck.   “A-are you alright?” The old woman’s vision strays to where the shamaness is staring. “Is...is there something there?”   “N-no. It’s alright. It’s nothing.”   “Sorry for interrupting,” you mumble and duck your head. The two ghosts don’t respond and you go out quieter, exiting the house in embarrassment. Before you can take a sigh of relief though, one glance to your left and you're nearly scared to death.   “Holy fuck! You scared me!”   There’s a young female ghost staring into the window. She’s startled when she sees you, inhaling a sharp breath. “I’m so sorry!”   And before you can ask any questions, she disappears, body dissipating in front of your very eyes.   “What in the ever living hell.” You’ve never met so many ghosts before. This house was definitely haunted….   With a sigh, you’re on your way, walking across the lawn before you realize what you’re even doing and you spin around. “Is he really not coming out?!”   Goddammit.   With zero shame, you march back in, interrupting the meeting for a second time. The two ghosts watch with wide eyes, and even Yoongi’s mom hitches her breath for a moment, stopping mid-sentence yet again. But there’s no time for any more apologies.   You pass through the walls until you’re in Yoongi’s bedroom again. He’s still in the same palace where you left him two minutes ago — laying in the single bed on top of the train-printed blue bed sheets, staring up at his ceiling.   You never got a good look the first time around. His childhood bedroom is quite cute and cozy. There are knick-knacks on top of the wardrobe and on the shelves, toy cars and superhero figurines with pictures of his younger self that are cuter than you’d like to admit. The music posters on his walls and the stack discs are traces of his teenage years. But his room is fairly neat and organized, empty even, as if he had cleaned up before moving out and didn’t have plans of coming back.   “Fuck off, will you?” Yoongi drags a hand over his face, ignoring the way you’re standing with your hands on your hips, glaring down at him like you’re a disapproving mother.   “No, you.”   “Real mature,” he chides, less angry and with a speck of amusement in his low voice.   “Why are you fighting against me? I thought you already accepted this?”   “I thought you didn’t want to marry me,” he throws right back at you, using his words like a boomerang.   “I changed my mind.”   “Then I changed my mind too.” There’s a ghost of a smirk on his mouth and you release a frustrated exhale, holding back on throttling Min Yoongi to the ground like your instincts are telling you to do.   “Just agree, goddammit! You’re lazing around anyway!” Your arms shoot up, motioning to how he’s lounging on his bed with his arms folded underneath his head like he’s sunbathing on some beach. “We have no choice either way. Like you said, your mom’s going to go through with it — so better now than later!”   “Hmmm….” Yoongi pretends to consider it. You want to strangle him so bad and it’s not like there’s a ghost police to arrest you either. The only thing is...he can’t die a second time and you really can’t afford pissing someone off bad enough that they’ll enact revenge on you. “Let me think about it…...okay…..”   “Okay?!” Your eyes widen in excitement, lips beginning to draw upwards.   “Okay, I’m thinking about it,” he corrects with a shit-eating grin. Your own mouth falls into a straight line and he turns his head to stare at you. “No.”   “Fuck you, mommy’s boy!”   “What did you just call me?” Instead of being offended, Yoongi is even more amused. Your insults keep having a reversed effect on him and it’s driving you crazy.   “A mommy’s boy!” you scream at him indignantly. “You still live with your mom! And she told me you’re always perched on her shoulder like some kind of bird! You obviously got mommy attachment issues!”   He scoffs, finding it utterly ridiculous to the point that it’s humorous. “Are you done?”   “Yes!” you exclaim and his grin widens, having not expected an actual answer.   You’re absolutely humiliated from having your proposal rejected. You’ve been slapped across the face by his apathy too. There’s nothing you can do, but stomp out for the hundredth time. Yoongi yells something that you better not come back to bother him, though the pair of you are perfectly aware you’ll come back sooner or later.   But luckily for you, you’re not interrupting the meeting for the third time. The wealthy lady as well as Yoongi’s mom are outside, ending their long conversation together. The female ghost seems to have gone too. There’s only the male left, standing at the window and staring out at the front lawn.   Your steps slow, tired from being angry.   The tall male turns slightly from his spot. “Umm….hi.”   “Hi.” It’s awkward. You didn’t expect to be stopped by the ghost and you’re especially taken back by how handsome he is, even with the sickly colour of his skin that every dead being seems to have. There’s something mischievous about the way he looks and carries himself as if his youth hasn’t quite passed on yet despite his body being gone.   “Are you getting married too?”   It’s complicated — but with a clenched jaw, you answer in determination, “Yes.”   “Cool.” His smile is sweet. “I’m Taehyung. You are?”   “A ghost.”   Taehyung bursts out laughing, mouth moving in a slightly boxy shape as his eyes crinkle. “Same.”   You haven’t talked to a lot of others since you’re passing. Aside from Yoongi, this has been the only interaction you’ve had. You act like you don’t care and most of the time you don’t, but you didn’t realize how much you missed interacting with someone else, having them see you as you see them.   “My mom’s marrying me off,” Taehyung tells you, looking out the window towards the lady in the driveway. A wistful sigh leaves the seams of his parted lips. “She says it’s for me, but I think it’s really more for her….so she can get a sense of peace.”   You feel him on a spiritual level and you’re a few centimeters away from giving him a pat on the back.   Dead laughter streams out his chest, never reaching his eyes. He murmurs his thoughts like he’s speaking to himself, “She’s controlling even after death. Can’t escape an arranged marriage, huh? Till death do us part, my ass.”   You snort. “Tell me about it.”   Before anymore can be said, something catches the corner of your eyes again; but you’re more prepared and not so startled. Your head turns and you find the ghost once more. This time she’s standing in some bushes on the side of the lawn and you wonder if she’s some sort of stalker.   Your forehead nearly passes through the glass of the window and a muscle in your cheek twitches as your eyes narrow. Her vision is pinpointed on the male beside you, but once she finds you looking right at her, her sad expression becomes surprised and she vanishes again.   “Huh.”   “What is it?”   “There.” You point off and Taehyung shifts. “But she’s gone again.”   His brows furrow. “Who?”   “I don’t know.” You shrug. “Some girl who was looking through the window earlier. She scared the living daylights out of me…..” You smile at your own joke.   Taehyung doesn’t laugh. “W-what did she look like?”   “Short hair. Almond eyes. About...this tall.” Your hand juts out, matching the height you remember and suddenly, there’s a ripple of recognition that comes across Taehyung’s beautiful features.   “Yeonmi?”   “You know her?” Your eyes move to look at him, but Taehyung is preoccupied, staring into the distance with a slack jaw, a frown marring his visage. “Hey! Where are you going?”   The ghost jogs straight through the wall, away to the garden and out of sight.   You sigh. Goddammit. You were just about to ask him to marry you too. But they always run, don’t they?   In life or death, you’ll never be popular.   //   She is heavy, weighed down. It’s an inch on her back that she can’t reach, a tickle at the nape of her neck. Goosebumps erupt and the hair on her arms raise all over her flesh. No matter where she saunters off to, she constantly feels like she’s being watched. “Min Yoongi, if you do not leave me alone, I will exorcise you from this house.”   He scoffs. “No, you wouldn’t.”   Yoongi’s mom washes her dishes at the sink, scrubbing her plates with passion as if trying to release her annoyance on the porcelain. “You can hate me all you want, boy. But at the end of the day, you’re hurting yourself more than anyone.”   He watches her in silence and he can’t find it in himself to disagree. Yoongi does hate his mother. He hates what she believes in and stands for, resents how he never felt her love while growing up, despises how she plays with others’ grief. But he can’t argue or throw tantrums. So he’s made a resolve to never stop plaguing the woman and making her life miserable.   The middle-aged woman’s hands halt on scrubbing. The sponge falls to the bottom of the sink and she turns to her right where he’s hovering, feeling the pressure of his aura that’s increasing in intensity. Yet, instead of being bothered, a long exhale is released from her lungs.   “Yoongi,” she calls him gently with sad eyes. “You’re lonely….aren’t you? That girl that I matched you with, she can help you. You can help her. The both of you are similar in more ways than one, I feel it.”   Yoongi doesn’t want to hear any of it. It’s the first time he admits defeat and walks off. But his mother has his persistence and wipes her hands quickly on a tea towel to follow him as he drifts away. “If you trust me this once. If you believe in me and my work this one time, then you’ll see I’m not wrong. She will help you to peace and you will help her, I am certain of it.”   “I don’t want peace,” he responds calmly, but she can’t hear him.   “You didn’t believe me when I said I could sense ghosts.” She stops and his own feet halt. An extended inhale is taken through her lips. “And now you’re on the other side, you know I wasn’t lying. Why do you think I’d be lying about this? Stop being so cynical and skeptical for once and trust me.”   “I won’t marry her.”   Yoongi disappears, dissipating from his spot. His mother sighs, losing sight of his soul and she returns to the kitchen to finish her chores, mumbling incessantly about her good for nothing son.   In the meanwhile, half across the city in a tiny home, you’re bored out of your mind.   “Hey…..” You’re curled up on the armchair, leaning over to the wooden desk. “Are you going to do anything exciting any time soon?”   “Go, go, go,” Jungkook mutters excitedly with his pupils wide, fingers tapping on the keyboard like his life depends on it. This is the most lively you’ve seen him in the past few months.   “Don’t you have any homework to do, brat?” you nag him even if he can’t hear you. “What about your history assignment? If your grade drops even more, the school’s gonna call mom and you’re gonna be in a world of trouble. Since when did you become so irresponsible? I’ll throw your computer away!”   Jungkook continues to game in the dark. He has no life. No friends.   But at least he’s not watching porn. You wouldn’t be able to stick around for that — you’d probably have to poke your eyeballs out and jump on to oncoming traffic. Still, you didn’t know your dork of a younger brother could get any lamer. He’s been playing all day, eating chips instead of having a real dinner, hasn’t showered at all….god, if only you could give him a noogie.   Suddenly, there’s a whisper in your ear, hot breath skimming on your skin— “Boo.”   “AHHHHHHHH!” You’re scared to death, chilled to the bone, nearly falling out of the plush armchair. Your hand is over your chest, an absence of any heartbeat underneath your palm. “Wh-what the fuck is wrong with you?!”   Yoongi is laughing like the little shit that he has. There’s a gummy grin plastered on his face, the biggest goddamn smile you’ve ever seen on him. “Are you scared of ghosts?”   “Shut up! How the fuck did you find me?!”   His hands are digging into his pants pockets, lips pouted. The only light is from Jungkook’s computer screen, the white hue casting a soft glow on your skin. Yoongi leans against the wall and stares at you. “It wasn’t hard looking for your address when my mom’s written a thousand details about you from your mom. I thought you’d be here….turns out I was right.”   You get up, blocking his view from Jungkook. “Get out. Go away.”   But he doesn’t move, merely tilting himself and jutting his chin at the boy seated in the chair that you’re being protective of. “That your boyfriend?”   “Ew. That’s my brother, you idiot.”   “And you’re calling me a mommy’s boy for following my mom around?”   “Shut the hell up.” You walk through the wall into the kitchen where your brother left on several dim lights. Yoongi follows you out where you can both talk without the noise of guns firing and bullets spraying. “What are you doing here? Did you change your mind?”   “Not particularly.” He shrugs. “I was bored?”   “You were….bored?”   “Yup. My mom was annoying me with her nagging and I have no one else to bother except you.”   “Wow. I’m so honoured,” you deadpan with an unimpressed expression. Yoongi smiles softly, the corners of his mouth curving and his skin bathes in the warm light of the standing lamp. It brings a lump to your throat, but you ignore it. “Did you at least think about it?”   “My answer hasn’t changed.”   “So if I got down onto one knee right now and proposed, you wouldn’t accept?”   “I’d be amused,” he says as if it’ll make you feel any better. It doesn’t.   Yoongi takes a long moment to look around your house. Your home is small and sad, falling apart, though he never makes any comments on it. It makes you uncomfortable that he’s prying into your private family life, looking at the pictures and how you lived when you were still alive. But you guess it’s fair he takes a look around considering you’ve been to his house and bedroom a number of times now.   “Listen—”   “Hello?”   He’s interrupted by another voice, deeper and growly.   A ghoul emerges from the white wall, floating and pale.   Yoongi yells. You scream. The two of you stumble back, scared at wit’s end.   The ghost’s eyes are big and he spits out apologies for not making any noise beforehand. At the presence of a new guest, you blink thrice. “T-Taehyung?! What are you doing here?!”   “I was looking for you and I followed him here.” He points to Yoongi and the latter man recognizes him as one of the clients. They’ve seen each other briefly before, though never exchanging more than a slight nod of acknowledgment.   You turn towards Yoongi, glaring at him for leading ghosts into your house. You’re the only one who should be haunting this place. He doesn’t say anything, solely putting his hands up like it wasn’t his fault and you sigh, turning to the taller ghost. “What do you want from me?”   “I need your help. That girl you saw before. Yeonmi.”   “What about her?”   “I want to marry her.”   You exchange a look with Yoongi. What the hell?   //   Apparently he’s been searching for this girl desperately, going to every place that he could think of only to come up short each and every time. But you’ve seen her….twice.   “How am I supposed to find her, Taehyung?” You don’t know anything about this girl. It was all a coincidence. You only saw her because she was following him. For all he knows, she could be right under his nose.   You decide to shun him, but his desperate beginning continues. Yoongi bids farewell, making it clear that this isn’t his problem. He’s an idiot if he thinks you’re about to let Taehyung pester your family, so you follow him while Taehyung follows you. It’s a conga line — not of dancing, but of haunting each other.   “Please, please, please, Y/N. Help me.”   “I can’t.”   “Can you two be quiet? I’m trying to rest.”   “You’re dead.” You hover over Yoongi’s body that’s laid on his bed again, flat on his back with his arms to his side like he’s a vampire in a coffin. “You don’t need rest.”   “Haven’t you heard the saying ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead?’ I’m following through with it.”   “I love her.” Taehyung drops down to his knees. It’s difficult to ignore him and you shift on your feet uncomfortably. “We knew each other since we were kids and we dated for a while, but then we broke up and I….I still love her. I still think about her. I didn’t know she was still here.”   “What would it take for me to marry you?” you ask Yoongi. “Do you want a dowry?”   “I can’t take anything with me when I go to hell.”   “You’re already in hell.”   The corner of his lip lifts into a smirk. “If you’re here, I’m definitely in hell.”   “Wow, bitch. Be like that.”   Taehyung swallows hard and his rumbling voice drops down into a whisper, “She’s the one I want. No one else.”   You stop, lips falling into a straight line, turning to look down at Taehyung. You take a seat, leaning against the wall with your knees propped up. Yoongi’s eyes flutter open, staring up at his ceiling and Taehyung continues to weep with his head downcasted. Aside from the ghost’s soft sobs, the three of you linger in the silence.   “I don’t know how I can help you. I...really don’t.”   “Y-You’ve seen her before.”   “That was by coincidence.”   “She won’t let me talk to her. She’s running away….but if I could just...if I could just tell her I’m still in love with her….”   You turn your head towards your supposed fiancé. “You should make yourself useful, Yoongi.”   “Die.”   “I’m already dead,” you spit at him, serious and no longer joking around. “I get if you don’t want to marry me. But shouldn’t we at least help someone out who wants to get married? I can’t do this by myself….please?”   There’s an extended moment of silence.   It draws on and on.   You continue to stare at Yoongi.   He sighs.   “......you’re so goddamn annoying.” He gets up and you smile. Taehyung is relieved, looking at both you and Yoongi with a grateful gaze, but your fiancé tells him not to be thankful yet.   //   Yoongi searches through his mother’s profiles. He can’t pick things up from the shelf, but luckily no one in his family has ever been particularly neat. There are things sprawled out in organized messes and he uses the wind to flutter the pages back and forth, searching for the girl’s picture.   You’re on lookout duty, keeping an eye out and following Taehyung closely. She could be anywhere, but you caught her following Taehyung, so there must be something she has to say to him or at least there’s something she wants to do. You suspect her last wish is what’s holding her back.   “Is she in the binders?”   “I’m still looking.” Yoongi flips through and Taehyung tries to help, looking over his shoulder. Yoongi becomes a little uncomfortable and finally understands what his mom feels constantly when he’s hovering over her. Nonetheless, hours pass until—…“found her.”   Yoongi’s mother is humming a song underneath her breath. After a long day, she’s finally able to wind down and relax. The older woman is stretching her shoulders, patting the skincare cream into her cheeks as she prepares for bed. She’s walking over, ready to slip into her toasty covers, but then freezes mid-step, chills sweeping up her spine. She cranes her neck over and souls emerge from the walls.   “Y/N? And...Yoongi.” A grin pulls onto her face. “What a lovely surprise. It’s nice to see you two together. Have you changed your minds—?”   She’s cut off when you’re accompanied by a third.. “Who is this?” The woman squints as the tips of her fingertips tingle. She feels the air around her and stands straight. “I recognize you….you’re that young man from a week ago...Kim….Taehyung….I’m right, aren’t I?”   “Yes, I am!” he chirps, confirming her belief, but she can’t hear.   Yoongi apathetically waves his hand into the air and the slip of paper comes out from beneath the door. Her eyes stray off and when she walks over, she bends down to pick it up. “Park Yeon….mi? This is a girl from a while ago…..”   Yoongi’s mother is confused, but Taehyung approaches confident and firm. “I want to marry her.”   “What do you want me to do with this?” she asks and looks towards the spaces you occupy. Her intuition sings to her and she is quick-witted, catching on fast. “Perhaps...you want to marry this girl, Taehyung?”   His aura morphs into a bright yellow, confirming her suspicion. She sighs. “I don’t know if your mother will accept this. We’ve already agreed to have you with another girl….” Taehyung begins to pour out his protests. Yoongi scowls, turning away. But you stay in your spot, trusting in the woman. She inhales and nods. “But….I’ll see what I can do.”   You smile, full of relief. Even Yoongi appears surprised, shifting slightly with a lifted brow.   But even with things going smoothly, you’re on alert. If possible, you want to get to the girl before she’s summoned.   “I don’t know what my mom will say,” Taehyung admits nervously. “She wasn’t ever approving of our relationship…”   “Well, there’s nothing we can do. They’ll take it from here,” Yoongi brushes off. “You can only hope for the best.”   “I guess….” The three of you walk down the hall, making your way across the manor and back to Yoongi’s bedroom. You wonder if he died in his bed since he has such a damn attachment to being in that same spot. It’s practically his coffin.   “Do you have nowhere else to be? Are you going to keep bothering me the entire day?”   Taehyung pouts. “It’s not like I have anything else to do.”   You trail after the pair of them until something passes through the wall. A small animal with stubby legs causes you to stop. “Holly?”   The puppy yelps in response and the two males are too caught up in their banter to notice that you’re left behind. They walk through the doorways, disappearing from sight and you lower yourself to the poodle. The ball of fluff has his tail wagging, happy to see you and a smile itches up your lips. “What is it?”   Your arms extend, about to pick Holly up, but he jumps back and totters the way he came. You frown and he spins back to look at you as if asking for you to come along. You follow the puppy, passing through the walls until you’re outside and you hear tinkling giggles.   “You’re back, puppy?” a light voice sing-songs and you step into the sunlight.   The girl you’re looking for is sitting meters away in the garden. “Yeonmi?”   She gasps, eyes wide and looking up at you. “Um...is this your dog?”   You glance down at Holly. “Yeah…I guess...”   “I’m sorry.” She stands, smoothing out the floral print of her dress and nervously tucking a strand of her hair behind her ears. “I didn’t know. I-uh…”   “Wait. Don’t go.” Your hand is extended and you force yourself to remain calm. “Please, listen to what I have to say.” Her teeth sink into her trembling bottom lip and she takes a glimpse over your shoulder. You reassure the girl, “He doesn’t know you’re here. Don’t worry.”   After a beat, she nods, deciding to trust you. The both of you take a seat on the bench, watching Holly wandering around the gardens, teetering from side to side as he circles butterflies and the tulip flowers growing with weeds and untamed grass in between.   “I’ll cut to the chase.” You’ve never been good at sugar coating things or easing in. It’s better to lay it on flat. “Taehyung wants to marry you.”   “W-what?” She is astounded and blinks hard. You’re endeared by how sweet her personality seems and how pretty she is. She’s soft-spoken, but her eyes are bright and despite being dead, they have life within them. “I-I thought he was marrying someone else!”   You shake your head. “He went looking for me to try to search for you. He still loves you...a lot...enough to bother me even after I told him to get lost.”   “I…” Yeonmi toys with the hem of her dress, wrinkling the chiffon fabric in her hands as she bunches it up. “I was the one who broke up with him all those years ago. I broke his heart. I didn’t mean to….I just want him to be happy….and I thought this time, he’d finally be with someone who deserves him.”   You watch her, the way regret has etched itself through her thoughts, words and actions. “I don’t deserve him.”   “That’s bullshit and you know it.” You turn fully to her, almost angry at her reasoning. “Look. You’re dead, alright? There’s no changing that. You’re dead. I’m dead. There’s no point of having regrets now. Don’t make up excuses, okay? If you don’t want to marry him, then say so because there’s nothing stopping you now except for yourself and your insecurities.”   She blinks hard, taken back by your bluntness. “I….”   “Do you love him?”   Yeonmi looks into her lap and she confesses, “I do.”   “He loves you.”   You don’t get it. It’s so simple. Why can’t love and romance be straightforward?   “But I just can’t do that to him,” she whispers. “To throw him away and then take him back again. Taehyung doesn’t deserve that.”   “That doesn’t matter to me.” A voice interrupts out of the blue and the ghost materializes from the wall.   “Jesus, motherfucker! Oh my god! You almost killed me!” For the millionth time, you’re nearly scared to death at his appearance, a hand put over your chest out of reflex. Yoongi follows after the taller male, strolling into the scene with a smirk. You really wish these ghosts would stop sneaking up on you. “How did you find me? I thought you didn’t notice.”   “You were gone.” Yoongi shrugs with pouty lips. “Of course, I would notice.”   Unlike you, Yeonmi isn’t startled or fazed. Both her and Taehyung ignore you and Yoongi, stuck in a small bubble of only them, locked gazes that make the moment all too intimate. She stands and begins to back away. “T-Taehyung….”   “Please don’t run from me,” he begs her with saddened eyes. “Not again.”   “I...I’m sorry.”   “I love you!” He shouts before she can vanish in front of him. Taehyung’s fists crumple and he doesn’t back down to what he’s been thinking about for the past several years, the thoughts that have been plaguing him day and night, regrets that he lived and died with. “I still love you, even after all this time….I haven’t stopped thinking about you, even after you died.”   A ripple of sadness strikes across her features until she’s shattered, breaking down into sobs and rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. “I...I broke your heart.”   “You did. But that never once changed how I felt about you.”   It’s sappy and you’re eating it all up. While you’re standing back and next to Yoongi, you watch the beautiful moment like it’s part of The Notebook. “Y-You don’t care that I hurt you?”   Taehyung shakes his head. “You’re my best friend — you’ll always be. And I can’t imagine marrying anyone other than my best friend.”   “Taehyung…”   “I don’t want to marry anyone else. I want you. I will always choose you.”   Yeonmi is the one who steps forward, taking three strides to close the distance between their forms. His arms are stretched and they wrap around her waist. They embrace each other, holding one another close and she cries into his chest and he digs his nose into her hair.   “I never thought I’d get to see you again.” He laughs tearfully, staring up at the white clouds in the sky that’s oblivious to them. “When you died….when you died…”   “I never left.”   “We didn’t get to spend our lives together, but we can spend eternity together,” he murmurs to her and when the words melt your own heart, you realize what a sucker you are for this kind of thing.   You lean over to Yoongi. “What he said.”   His chuckles are muffled and there’s a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, making Yoongi look younger than he usually does. “Your attempts at proposing are getting worse and worse.”   “Would it ruin the mood if I dropped down to one knee right now?”   “I’d walk away without looking back.”   You scoff, the two of you whispering back and forth to each other. “You already do that.”   Usually watching a couple blissfully in love would make you feel somewhat bitter and you’d become cynical, knowing that it wouldn’t last and imagining them breaking up and being better off alone. But knowing Taehyung and speaking to Yeonmi, you have a sense that this is meant to be.   And you don’t feel so lonely when Yoongi is right beside you.   //   There’s only one thing left. Everything on the side of death has been reconciled. Now you wait for the side of the living.   “W-what do you mean?” Taehyung’s mother is confused, baffled, and her brows are furrowed deep.   “He came to me and he told me who he really wanted to be with.” She slides the paper over the table. “Do you know her?”   The woman gasps, hand lifting to cover her mouth. Sobs choke out of her throat and she glances up at the shamaness. “Ye-Yeonmi…? But...I...I…” She never once approved when they were both living.   “It’s what he wants,” she conveys the message. “He’s always loved her.”   The words are spoken with truthful sincerity and even Taehyung’s mother knows it.   For minutes, it is silent. Both Yeonmi and Taehyung are seated across from each other, nervous and patient for her response. Would she still disapprove after his death? Even after his last request?   You observe the way a multitude of emotions washes over her face and after an extended moment, she puts the paper down, peeling her eyes off of the deceased female. If Taehyung’s mother even had a trace of skepticism towards Yoongi’s mother, she doesn’t have any anymore.   “If that’s what he wants…” A wistful smile graces her visage. “Who am I to say no?”   It takes one single sentence to hurl the two of them from worry to happiness. They grin at each other, reaching over the table to hold one another’s hands. You’re standing beside Yoongi, leaning against the wall and watching with a smile.   It doesn’t take long. Their pictures are brought together and Taehyung’s mom brings a photograph from home as well, an image of them when they were still children. The ritual begins and you help Yeonmi doll up, twisting her hair, albeit awkwardly, but she still appreciates it.   They sit together in front of Yoongi’s mother, candles lit all around. Taehyung’s mother sits back with you and Yoongi. The shamaness murmurs incantations, letting a warm breeze sweep over the room as the pages in her books begin to flip. Yoongi seems bored, full of distaste, but you make him stay to watch. Deep down, you’re a sucker for sappy things and you can’t help but clap when it’s all done.   The pair of them are overjoyed, content smiles pressed against each other when they kiss one another, trying their best not to giggle when they seal their bonds. They hold hands, fingers interlaced as he teases her for the way her kisses have gotten sloppy.   Yoongi’s mother senses their bliss and tells Taehyung’s mom — the latter woman which has her own content smile, satisfied when the weight of her regrets and part of her grief are off her shoulders. The old woman nods and tears spring from her eyes, crying from happiness.   Taehyung holds his mother without her knowing.   Peace is brought and when it’s all over, you swear Yoongi’s mom turns around to look at you, gratitude present in her smile.   “What are your plans now?” you ask the newlywed pair, trying your best to not let your jealousy show. While marriage never appealed to you, you’ve always wanted to be as happy as they appear. “Going on any honeymoon?”   “Actually…..” she glances at Taehyung. “We...we talked about it…”   He squeezes her hand comfortingly. “And we think we’re going to cross.”   “Cross?” Your brows shoot to your hairline. “Y-you don’t want to stay here at least a bit longer? You can’t come back if you cross over. It’s a one-way ticket!”   “We know. But there’s nothing for us here anymore.” The corners of his mouth lifts, doting gaze redirected to his wife.   “We already have what we want,” she reassures and exchanges loving grins with her husband.   “Well…” Yoongi rolls his shoulders, getting rid of the tension that appeared while he was watching the ceremony. He lazily nods and waves them off. “If that’s what you’ve decided…”   You flash a frown in his direction, unable to understand why he’s telling them to go for it.   But it’s ultimately their choice and you know you can’t stop them if they’ve already made up their minds. If they finished all the things they want to do on this Earth, then there’s really no point in being here. “We really can’t thank you enough.”   “If it weren’t for you, this idiot would still be standing in the bushes and stalking me.” He laughs, flicking her forehead and causing giggles to bubble from her chest.   “Stop, don’t remind me! It’s embarrassing.”   Taehyung grins, ginormous smile plastered on his face, and looks off at you two. “I hope I wasn’t too annoying. Thank you, Y/N. Thank you, Yoongi. And tell your mother I said thank you too.”   “I’m sure she knows,” he grumbles.   “We’ll see you on the other side?” Taehyung asks, knowing that it’s not goodbye forever, or at least that’s what he hopes.   You’re a bit uncomfortable, unable to give a definitive answer, but Yoongi nods again. “Maybe. Have a safe trip, you two.”   “We will.” They laugh, walking off together down the street, hand-in-hand. It’s their last stroll together before crossing. You stare at their backsides, how their shoulders are weightless, having fewer regrets than before.   You wonder if that’ll ever be you someday. It scares you to think about it.   //   The strip of paper flutters in the air back and forth, rolling around in the air like it’s a piece of confetti that was just popped in the midst of a celebration. You’re sitting on the ground, slumped against the wall, playing with the feather-light piece of white paper and watching it twirl back and forth. You wish you could touch and maneuver heavier things or fiddle around with other objects. You already have invisibility down — if you had other powers, there would be no limits to what you could do.   But at the end of the day, you’re not a superhero.   You’re just a ghost wandering the planet.   There’s shuffling across the small room. Yoongi rolls onto his side, arm dropping over the edge of his mattress, his lethargic gaze pinpointed on you. The strip of paper floats to the carpet, your attention preoccupied on him. You look at him. He looks at you. The two of you stare into each other’s eyes and you wonder if he’s sleeping with his eyes open.   “Why are you so quiet?”   “‘M not.” You’ve been hanging out with Yoongi more frequently. When you’re not, you’re following Jungkook and your mom as usual. But nothing’s changed with them — they still haven’t been talking to each other, your mom still grieving, your brother down in the dumps. It makes you feel bad and guilty watching them all the time. It’s a nice change to stop haunting them for a while. If guarding them is your main job, then Yoongi is your break.   And while it’s hard to admit, you enjoy his company. Sometimes nothing needs to be said and you bask in the comfortable silence, lingering in one another’s presence. Nothing feels too awkward anymore.   “You are.” He blinks tiredly, sounding almost concerned. “You’re always yapping off into one of my ears.”   “Fuck off, Yoongi.” You twirl your finger and the tiny paper begins to drift again.   “No, seriously. What’s up?” he asks again, persisting. “You’re weirding me out and I can’t rest properly when I’m thinking about you.”   You’re not sure what to tell him. “How did you die, Yoongi?”   His brow lifts, caught off guard. “That’s a personal question.”   “I think we’re past the point of personal.” You offer a meek smile, locking your stare with his again and the paper lies beside you. “You’re my fiancé.”   “That’s debatable,” he banters back with a soft smile and then there’s a pause before he tells you without any reservation. “It was a plane crash.”   “Oh. Did it hurt?”   His arm folds underneath his head and even if your question is stupid, he answers truthfully, “Not too much. I just remember...people and a lot of….”   “Screaming.”   “Yeah….lots of screaming.”   You were in a bus crash yourself. The vehicle skimmed across the road, tires screeching aloud. While the memories are vague, going by too fast that it felt surreal, you remember looking into children’s eyes, how scared they were as their mothers and fathers held them. The bus teetered from side to side before flipping several times and you recall having no control of your body, hitting against other people, against the walls and floor, against glass windows until it stopped.   Then your eyes saw fire and you felt warm.   But most of all, you remember the screaming. The terrified, agonizing screaming of people dying and calling out to their loved ones for help.   It’s terrifying to think about it, but somehow it comforts you to know that your experience with death is not so different from Yoongi’s own experience.   “You know…” He breaks the silence, swallowing hard. “You don’t have to marry me.”   You lift your head, locking your gaze with his once more. “Screw family and what they feel. You can be selfish. It’s okay. Your mom and brother will recover whether you marry me or not. Time heals wounds. You can leave all of this behind, not worry about them, and cross…”   There’s a thick lump in your throat and you divert your vision away from his. “Why don’t you cross then? You’re sticking around because of your mom, right?”   “I’m not here because I want to be,” he tells you. “I made a promise to myself to haunt her.”   “Haunt her?”   “To make her life miserable,” Yoongi says simply, yet you still don’t understand. She’s an odd and an undoubtedly eccentric woman, but you’ve never questioned her kindheartedness. He seems to read your expression and rolls on his back, eyes shutting. You suspect it's the end of the conversation and he doesn’t want to reveal anymore, but the corner of Yoongi’s mouth moves. “My relationship with her was never good. She told me she could see ghosts and I never believed her. As I grew older, I thought what she was doing was gross — scamming people, the helpless, the grieving…”   “But when I died, I found out she wasn’t lying.” His eyes flutter open again, looking up at the ceiling and the way the paint has chipped in the corner. “But it doesn’t matter. She’s still forcing these ghosts to get married and it’s wrong.”   “Taehyung and Yeonmi…”   He cranes his neck over to you, irises darkening. “We had to intervene to get them married. Can you imagine the amount of souls that were married to each other when they didn’t want to be?”   “.......She wouldn’t marry them if they didn’t want to be….”   Yoongi scoffs. “I’ve been around way longer than you. I’ve seen the things she’s done. I won’t rest until she stops so...you shouldn’t try to marry me. I’ll be here for a really long time.”   He almost laughs as he tells you, words bitter, and you twiddle with your fingers in your lap, head downcasted and unsure how to respond. “I...I’m not leaving either.”   “Don’t wait for me.”   “I’m not,” you murmur.   “You don’t have any reason for sticking around,” he says easily like he knows you. But he doesn’t. “If you’re worried about your family, then don’t be. There’s not a good reason why you or anyone dead should be here. You’re the one who’s suffering at the end of the day. And doesn’t your mom want you to find peace? I’m sure she’d be happy if you crossed over.”   “I don’t know what’s on the other side,” you confess in a quiet voice, slightly annoyed that he keeps pushing you.   His brow lifts and he questions— “Does anyone?”   “I just don’t want to leave all of this behind.” You gather your knees together, hugging them to your chest, protecting yourself against your own vulnerabilities. “Look, I never got to experience life. I never got to travel and see the world or fall in love or any of that. I never had any fun while I was still alive, so sorry I’m not eager to cross over to the dead any time soon.”   “My life sucked. I didn’t get to do anything. I didn’t get to enjoy what I worked so hard for.” You hate how overly emotional you’re becoming, how your deepest thoughts are spilling out for him to hear. You’re an over pressurized capsule with the lid blown off, fists clenched, looking down onto the floor. “At least as a ghost, I can be around my family and go to school and go home and do all the things I’ve wanted to do.”   “I get it.” Yoongi finally understands — you’re regretful and full of self-pity. He empathizes and sympathizes more than you’d think. But what comes out his mouth is condescending, “You feel sorry for yourself.”   You glare. “Fuck off, Yoongi.”   “You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself.” His lips are pouty and he rolls onto his side again to face you. “I think we’ve both earned that right. But at some point, we just have to ask if it’s doing anything anymore. You feel wronged, but so what? No one cares.”   “Gee, thanks.” You scoff, rolling your eyes. “That makes me feel a lot better.”   He shrugs. “If you stopped caring, it’s a lot more...free.”   “It’s hard not to care.” Years of your youth were wasted. You never accomplished anything and you can’t help but feel you lived an empty, unfulfilled and useless life. Everything was taken from you before you could do anything. It’s unfair. “And that’s easy for you to say. Why don’t you just not care about what your mom is doing?”   “Because that’s something I know I can change. But how I lived my life….what I did or didn’t do...what’s done is done. We can’t change that no matter how much we want. We just have to keep looking forward.”   “But we’re dead, Yoongi.” You meet his gaze for the hundredth time, wondering how he can be so wise and his presence so calming. “What’s forward? What’s next?”   “I don’t know,” he answers honestly. “We don’t know until we cross.”   “Aren’t you scared?” You look up at him, hiding your trembling hands. “What if there’s….nothing?”   “Then I guess that’s okay,” he hums, strangely gentle. “I’m going to stay here as long as it takes, but not forever. I just don’t think I can be here eternally, tied down by my past, wandering aimlessly. Sometimes...I just want to rest. Peacefully.”   His words shake you to your core and he asks— “Are you scared?”   Yoongi never lies or tries to hide himself. His candidness causes the walls around you to crumble and it makes you answer him with as much honesty as he has shown you. “Very.”   “Don’t be.” He softly smiles, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. “No matter where we end up, I’ll be with you, right?”   You scoff lightly, a bit tearful, but you downcast your head into your lap to not let him see how much he’s moved you. Still, you can’t cover the stupid smile that’s plastered on your face. “Are you proposing to me?”   He hums a low note. “Sure.”   “Wait...what?” You raise your chin, nearly getting whiplash with how quickly you move. Yoongi’s on his back, staring at the ceiling with his arm stretched out like he’s trying to touch it. He’s completely casual and nonchalant. “You’ll marry me?”   There’s a pause.   Yoongi is quiet. “I think my mom’s going to marry me off eventually. If not to you then to someone else. She’s been trying to get rid of me for some time now and she thinks marrying me off will placate me or something. I don’t know what that psychotic lady is thinking.” He sighs, but there’s a sparkle of mischief in his irises when he slyly steals a glance at you. “Don’t get me wrong, I still think you’re annoying as hell and obviously after this conversation, I find out you’re a hopeless case too……”   “You have a real roundabout way of saying this,” you complain with an unimpressed expression.   He ignores you. “But if I have to marry someone…….if it’s you...I don’t think I’d mind.”   A scoff spills from your lips and you don’t even realize that you’re grinning. “At least ask me properly, asshole. Do you know how many times I’ve asked you?”   Yoongi rolls away, facing the wall this time. He shuts his eyes and you suspect he’s ignoring you again, but then you hear his mumbles, “Will you marry me?”   It’s barely coherent, but more than you can ask for. A grin spreads across your face, a victorious emotion rippling through your chest and making you feel warm and fuzzy. “Damn straight I will.”   Yes, yes, and yes.   You never envisioned yourself married. But if it’s Yoongi, you could go through with it.   //   The bristles of the broom sweep against the concrete, brushing against the autumn leaves as the flutter from the trees. Colours rich in hue, red and gold and tangerine, coat the driveway like oil paints on a canvas. She hums a soft song, sounds taking flight in the breeze and traveling distances far and wide.   Two souls pierce through the walls, pulling through the physical matter and passing with ease.   You approach her while pondering how she doesn’t get startled. Maybe because she’s used to it by now; she has had the ability since she was born. You also wonder how Yoongi’s relationship with his mother would’ve been different if he saw ghosts too. It is both a blessing and a curse that this gift skips four generations in the Min family. Though you can’t really imagine him as a shaman….it’s a funny thought nonetheless.   “There you two are. Spending a lot of time together, are we?” She smiles, continuing to sweep the driveway. “I hope you’ve been getting close, but at this rate, you both might run me out of business. You seem to be better at matchmaking than I am—” she refers to Taehyung and Yeonmi with a grin.   “You should worry about your own marriage before looking at others.” The older woman works hard to clear her driveway and makes a mental note to invest in a rake instead. It is silent for a few beats too long and she looks up to find you both there. Oddly enough, her son’s aura isn’t red or black. His soul is almost tinged with pastel yellow. “You two…..you want to get married?”   “How many times do I have to tell you?” He drags a hand over his face. “I said yes.”   “She can’t hear you,” you chide with a smile until you feel something brush your leg behind you. One look down and you pick up Holly happily into your arms. “Hello there….”   “Great.” He lolls his head to the side, having too much fun teasing you, “You got a dog to tie me down, didn’t you?”   “I don’t need to use dirty tactics to ‘tie you down’.” You pout, hugging Holly to your chest. “You’re the one begging me to marry you.”   Yoongi scoffs. “I didn’t once beg you. You’re the one who’s been following me and proposing hundreds of times.”   “I can’t hear you,” you sing-song, ignoring him to coo at your puppy instead. Holly’s tail wags back and forth, ears perking upwards. He’s a part of your family now and you’re about to gain one more member into this small unit that you’re quickly calling your home.   You — Yoongi — Holly.   His mother can’t hear your banter, but can feel both of your warm auras. Her instincts sing to her and the broomstick slips from her grasps, clattering to the ground. A grin spreads across her face, elated that you’ve both accepted the marriage and she nearly trips as she runs inside the house to give your mom a call.   It happens so quickly. Maybe because she’s scared Yoongi’s going to change his mind or get cold feet. It’s miraculous that he agreed in the first place. And when your mom comes by, she’s also happy to hear that the pair of you are willing and excited to go through with it.   You’ll do whatever it takes to give her a peace of mind.   The ceremony is a simplistic ritual, candles lit all around and the two of you merely sitting side by side with Holly in front of Yoongi’s mom and your mom. There’s no fancy dresses, no extravagant feast, no hundreds of guests that you don’t know the name of filtering through a massive venue. It’s intimate and small, nothing else necessary.   His mother’s head is bowed and she reads off the pages of her red book. “—through this union and spirit marriage, their souls shall connect, never to leave the other behind—”   “I’m only doing this because it’s convenient,” Yoongi leans in to whisper, but it’s not like they can hear anyway.   “Uh-huh.” You tip your head to one side, pretty smile on your face as you bat your lashes back and forth. “You mean you’re not deeply in love with me? You haven’t fallen head over heels for this?”   “Psh. Not in this lifetime, sweetheart.”   “You’re a blind man, Min Yoongi.”   “No.” He corrects, “I’m a dead one.”   Infectious giggles spill from your throat and as he gazes at you, the corners of his mouth lift until he’s laughing with you.   It doesn’t take too long, just half-an-hour of listening to her words of wisdom and advice, reading off what ministers typically read as they officiate marriages. In hindsight, it’s silly to do such a human thing when you’re both dead. You’re doing this only for the living, but at the same time it’s much deeper than that. Yoongi will become your partner, romantically or platonically depending on you. It’s comforting to know that you won’t be alone. If you ever go to the other side...he’ll be with you every step of the way.   “—and with this, let their two souls entwined together evermore….” Her voice fades off and when you look down, you find your skin aglow. Your stomach feels tingly, but you aren’t sure if that’s the result of the ritual or butterflies bursting from glancing at Yoongi.   “We’re not going to kiss, right?”   “I mean, do you want to?” He licks his lips, half-lidded eyes pinpointed onto your own mouth and he smirks. “It’s not like they would know. We could technically consummate our marriage right here on the floor in front of them and they’d be clueless.”   “Yeah, I don’t think so. You’re five lifetimes too early for that, Min.”   “What? You’ve never kissed someone before?” He wiggles his brows up and down. “What are you waiting for? If not your dearest husband then who? Unless you’re planning to cheat on me with another ghost….”   You’re slightly amused from his scenario. “Would you kill the person I’d have an affair with?”   “I can’t. But I could strangle them.”   “With those limp arms, you can’t.”   “I know something else that isn’t limp….” he comments slyly and your face scrunches impulsively.   “Gross. Ugh, I’m so over you right now. When can I get a divorce?”   “Never.” He leans in, planting a soft kiss on your cheek. There’s no pressure to it whatsoever, a mere graze of his lips on your skin, but it still catches you off guard. Your pointed glare melts into a pout and he grins. You recognize how giddy Yoongi actually is, unusually hyper and it makes you all the more endeared.   Ironically, at the exact same time, your mention of divorce is overridden by the sound of the book slamming shut. “Yoongi and Y/N, I may now pronounce you as husband and wife, soul partners until the end of time itself.”   The candles are blown out, flames smothered with the warm breeze that suddenly sweeps through the wind. It caresses against the woman’s cheeks, curling through the strands of her hair and even when you can’t feel anything, warmth spreads from your chest to your toes, making you fuzzy and soft.   Your souls are now connected — whether that means. You’re sure it’s more metaphorical than anything. Nonetheless, a sense of bliss ripples throughout your being at your mom’s gentle smile.   “Is she saying anything?”   Yoongi’s mom looks over and sees the colour of soft pink. “They’re arguing.”   “Arguing?” Your mom is both concerned and curious.   “In a good kind of way.” She laughs. “They’re happy. Your daughter is happy to have someone with her.”   The other woman laughs quietly as well and nods in understanding. After a beat, she lifts her hand to wipe at her eyes before tears can start pouring out. She cries in relief.   You wish you could tell her that she was wrong — that someone ended up wanting you anyways. She always entered your bedroom with a pinched nose, saying how no one would want you if you didn’t clean yourself up. But she’s wrong. You found someone. Someone who doesn’t give a shit about anything trivial like that. And it’s not just anyone….   You found Yoongi.

[bangtangurlarmy]

No Privacy || Taehyung

Requested

Pairing - Kim Taehyung x Reader

Genre - Suggestive, Crack

Summary - While you and Taehyung are trying to attend to each other’s needs, his group members do anything but let you have some privacy.

Taehyung giggled loudly, like he was deeply intoxicated. And he won’t lie - he was. He was very, very deeply intoxicated, thanks to your perfume. You’d been smelling so good the entire time, at one point he couldn’t keep his hands off you, which brings the two of you in the current situation of tangled bodies, giggling voices, breaths mixed up in sloppy, meaningful lip locks.

You pulled him out of the elevator, thankful for the secluded hallway on the way into his dorm. “Are you sure they’re not home?” You whispered, tugging at his collar, bringing his mouth closer to yours for a kiss. He nodded into the kiss, “Very.”

His hand fumbled with the key, but got it in, unlocked it with your hands barely staying off of him and the moment you both entered you were curved into his body, his big hands holding your face in place as he kicked the door close.

“I need to bleach my eyes and get rid of my ears, what the fuck do you guys think you’re doing?” Yoongi’s stern voice was heard over the sound of your and Taehyung’s wet kisses.

Your hands instantly pulled back from under his shirt and his hand got off of your ass, both of you taking a wide step in opposite directions in sync.

“Well...that was a sight to be greeted with. Hello, Y/N, good to see you again...I guess.” Seokjin smiled warmly at you but you make out he was grimacing behind that smile. Then his eyes went over to your boyfriend and with a cold, steel look he blandly conveyed, “When you’re done, we need to talk, young man.”

You bowed respectfully. Although you were dating one of them, they were still your seniors. “Hello, everyone.” You almost flinched when you noticed the youngest’s eyes rested on you. As though taking notice of your discomfort, Yoongi threw a glance at him, “Jungkook, we’ve had enough indecency for a day. Leave the oggling for another.”

“S-sorry Hyung...Noona, you look...you look pretty today.” Jungkook bared his teeth at you in an attempt to seem polite and you saluted the kid for his efforts.

“We’ll just take this to my room, Yoongi Hyung.” Taehyung gave the older his signature goofy smile before grabbing your hand, getting ready to lead you into his room.

“Oh, not so fast!” Yoongi stopped the two of you, and right then you felt Taehyung’s boner press against your thigh. You had to bite your lip to prevent yourself from laughing. Taehyung turned around with a frown, his eyes darting down for a brief second, hoping as a fellow male species, if not brother, Yoongi would understand his level of discomfort. But Yoongi only held true to his deadpanned face, “I don’t give a damn about that. You will sit in the living room, so Namjoon doesn’t have to come home to what we did.”

You groaned inwardly while Taehyung did right the opposite.

“Hyuuuuuuung, Namjoon Hyung isn’t gonna be home anytime soon! We’ll be done in-” Taehyung glanced at the clock, smirked a little and said,”-in 10 minutes.”

“Ew, you guys time your quickies?” Jimin’s face was contorted in that of disgust.

“Shut up, Short Pepper. Like you don’t.” Taehyung retorted, ready to pull you towards his room again.

You could hear Hoseok snorting, trying to hold in his laugh, when a slipper hit him right on the head.

“HEY!” Hoseok yelled, glaring at Jimin with the slipper in his hand. Jimin yelled back, “IT’S NOT FUNNY!”

“Shut it! And no, you’re staying here.” Yoongi pointed his finger to the floor to emphasize it further. “I’m putting my foot down, Taehyung. This is the third time this month!’

Taehyung sighed loudly, you feeling slightly embarrassed by this entire situation. And not to mention, awkward, too.

“Are both of them-”

“They’re both down!” Yoongi snapped before Taehyung could finish his sentence. So, Taehyung said nothing and lead you into the living room, making your cheeks blush brighter, as you found a seat on the recliner.

Barely five minutes had passed and Taehyung had already caught your attention, his eyes watching you suggestively, purposefully running over your body as you sat on the recliner. You adjusted yourself, mirroring him, not realizing sooner you were still among his friends.

“EW THEY’RE THROWING EACH OTHER BEDROOM EYES!” Jimin yelled like a kid, grabbing Yoongi’s attention. Seokjin’s head snapped towards you and you were visibly gulping, and if it weren’t for the show going on in the TV, they’d have heard the gulp.

“I’m just gonna- yeah, I’ll be in my bedroom, gotta work...bye!” Jungkook practically dashed in between the two of you and ran towards his room.

Yoongi was eyeing Taehyung, basically skinning him alive with his death glare when Seokjin simply sighed and said, “You know what, Yoongi, Tae’s right. Joonie’s not gonna be back anytime soon, so let them just...” Then he proceeded to waved his hands, gesturing to the bedroom.

Taehyung instantly got to his feet and grabbed your hand, and before Yoongi could stop the two of you, you were on the way to his and Namjoon’s room.

Right before you were pulled into the room you heard Yoongi scold Seokjin, “Hyung, you’re the reason they’re spoiled!”

“Shut up, Min Yoongi, you’re never responsible of your own hormones and I’ve seen that - firsthand!”

“Well, now that’s out of the way-” Taehyung started, finishing his sentence by pressing his body into yours, your mouth opening with a silent gasp when you felt his boner press onto your sex. You grabbed his locks, pulling him closer and kissed him ferociously, his hands trying to unbutton your blouse.

You had practically his shirt falling apart when a throat cleared loudly, making both of you pull away in alarm.

“Jungkook?!” You exclaimed, pulling a stuffed Koya head and holding it against your breasts. You could tell the image of you and his band member making out wildly had been scarred into Jungkook’s brain.

“Yeah, I-”

“Bro, I thought you were in your room?” Taehyung sighed heavily, his hand resting on his hip while the other pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“I had...something to get from in here- you’d borrowed my Bluetooth speaker and I- yeah I’ll just leave.” He mumbled the last part very quickly before darting out of the door, the Koya stuffed head falling on the floor the same time.

“Can’t believe you took Koya - I’m hurt.” Taehyung looked at you with a mocked sad face, his lips pulled into a pout. You rolled your eyes, “Not now, Tae. Do you just want to go to my place? The members aren’t home.”

“I think I’ve heard that somewhere,” Taehyung laughed, shaking his head. You began laughing too, trying to button your blouse back on.

“No, for real though, they’re not home. Let’s go.” You said, getting out of the room with an almost-defeated sigh. Right as you walked into the living room, Jimin exclaimed, “Well, that took less than ten minutes.”

“Ew, you time our quickies?” Taehyung’s voice was heard from behind you and you had to pucker your lips to pretend you were not actually trying to not laugh.

“Your acting skills surprise me, all the time, Y/N.” Hoseok piped in, taking notice of your face. You stuck your tongue out at him when Jimin’s snickering made you look at him. You pulled your tongue back in, wondering if it was something you did.

“Is...?” You frowned when Hoseok joined in too, screaming while he wheezed, “You lose! I win the bet! Gimme the money, now!” Hoseok began slapping Jimin’s back before collapsing on top of him, Jimin practically trapped underneath Hoseok’s body.

“What in all hell is wrong with everybody today?” Seokjin voiced your thoughts, watching the younger boys scramble with each other on the floor.

“Well, we were trying to figure out who would not laugh the longest.” Hoseok explained, as he drove his hands in Jimin’s pockets to possibly search for his wallet.

Yoongi had given up by this point already, but he was curious. “Why?”

“Did you guys even notice Taehyung’s face?! He's like a walking joker!” Hoseok screamed towards the end of the sentence before beginning to slap his thigh, laughing so hard with Jimin, you were worried his stomach would cramp.

“Why...what’s-” You turned around with a frown to be met with an equally puzzled Taehyung, when you actually noticed the smeared lipstick - your lipstick - all over his mouth. Yes, he did look like a walking joker. “-oh.”

Taehyung stared at you for a moment longer before letting his shoulders slump, like he knew what it was. In fact, he did.

“It’s your damned lipstick, isn’t it?” Taehyung said in a small voice, looking ready to bang his head on the wall. You nodded with pursed lips, diverting your gaze elsewhere. “Yeah, I...I must’ve forgotten to use the smudge-proof lipstick.”

Hoseok’s and Jimin’s laughter only grew louder every time they took a glance at Taehyung while Yoongi and Seokjin continued watching TV, indifferent to the hooligans rolling on their asses.

“Yeah...you must’ve. Let’s just go.” Taehyung sighed, his hand at the small of your back as he pushed you gently towards the door.

“I swear to God, Short Pepper, I’ll get back at you!” Taehyung yelled and right before the door closed shut, Hoseok’s animalistic howl of a laughter was heard.

The two of you walked to the elevator, pretty much not into the mood anymore and you wondered if he should come at all to your place. You were just about to ask him that when the elevator door opened and Namjoon walked out, stopping speechless in front of you.

“Yeah, I get it, walking joker, let it go-” Taehyung waved his hand but Namjoon shook his head.

“Taehyung, where the hell is your shirt?”