#missed day 1 cause exams and most of day 2 but shh

[wovenmoonlight]

I like to rise when the sun she rises Early in the morning And I like to hear them small birds singing Merrily upon their laylums And hurrah for the life of a country boy And to ramble in the new mowed hay

Happy Thesmophoria

[yayeetsonny]

New Beginnings~Chapter 1

(Okay so if you haven’t read the imagine “Theatre Kid Problems” or the prologue I suggest you read those first so you aren’t confused)

1 month later...

Ryley PRO//

So here I am in the hospital because I fell off a ladder. Of course the whole story is more than that but I don’t want to have to relive the incident. The good thing about getting hurt now is that it’s after the Shebelives cup. Which we won by the way, the games against Spain and England were the most grueling. I really thought we would end the Spain game in a tie but JJ came through in the last minutes to give us the win. Anyways, I get to go home tomorrow, and by “home” I just mean back to Christen and Alex’s house in Utah. speaking of those two, they have been insanely protective since they got here. They hover more than usual and if they see even the slightest indication I’m in pain they bombard me with questions such as

“Is it your head?”

“Does your leg hurt?”

“Can you breath okay?”

“Do you want us to get a nurse or the doctor?”

I answer their questions as best I can and then they do everything in their power to make it hurt less. It’s very sweet, but sometimes a little much.

“Hey R.J., how you feeling kiddo?” Alex asks, entering the room with lunch for everyone.

“I feel a little tired, but I don’t have any pain.”

“Maybe you should take a little nap before you eat.” Chris says concerned.

“I don’t need to nap, I’m hungry” I say grumpily

“Well it sounds like you do, miss grumpy-pants” Alex says

“Nooo guys, I’m hungryyy.” I whine

“Okay, okay. Calm down, you can eat first and then you’re gonna nap okay love bug?” Christen says, running her finger across my eyebrow

“Do I have to?”

“Yes Ryley. You need to rest.”

“I’m really not that tired. I don’t need it.” I say hoping to get out of yet another nap

“Yes you do. Please just take a little nap.”

“No.”

“Ryley...”

“I don’t need to take a nap!” I snap

“Woah there, inside voice please.” Alex says, both her and Chris startled by my outburst.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have yelled. I’ll take a nap when I finish eating.”

“Thank you baby.”

After I’ve eaten and napped we decided to play uno, Alex becoming quite competitive. She was determined to win every round, even if it meant cheating a little.

“Alex stop looking at my cards!” Chris says exasperated

“I’m doing no such thing.” Alex says indignantly

“Alex...”

“Okay, okay. I took a little peek. I’m sorry babe.” She then gives Chris her best pout and puppy dog eyes, Chris of course giving in and forgiving her immediately. I roll my eyes playfully, she’s whipped. They share a gentle kiss that soon turns into a make out session.

“Okay, gross! Get a room.” I say, shielding my eyes. They’re cute but I didn’t need to see all that.

“Oh right, forgot about you for a second, sorry.” They pull apart, having the decency to at least pretend to be apologetic.

“Mhmm.”

After we finish playing uno we have dinner and then before I know it, it’s time for bed.

“Goodnight love bug. Sleep well. We’ll be right here when you wake up.” Christen says kissing me on the forehead and rubbing my eyebrow.

“Goodnight kiddo. We love you.” Alex says doing the same thing.

“Goodnight guys.”

The next day

I woke up this morning feeling really hot and then cold and it went on like that for much of the morning. I also had a cough but I did my best to hide it from Chris and Alex because I didn’t want them to freak out. But I could tell they knew something was off.

“Are you sure you’re okay Ry? You seem... off.” Alex says eying me suspiciously

“Yep! All good.” I say.

Right after I said that I shivered and went into a coughing fit. Chris looked up from her book, her and Alex share a worried glance and then they both looked at me giving me “the mom eyes”.

“I’m getting the doctor.” Chris says leaving no room for argument.

She leaves and not even 2 minutes later she returns, the doctor and a nurse in tow.

“Hi Ryley. I hear you may be experiencing a fever and that you have a cough. Do you mind if I check you out real quick?” Doctor Baker asks kindly

“Sure.”

He does a quick exam, taking my temperature, listening to my heart, taking my blood pressure and all that good stuff and then he comes to the conclusion that I do in fact have a fever and that it looks like I’m getting sick.

“Okay, so it looks like Ryley has a moderate fever and cough so I’d like to keep her an extra day just to monitor her vitals and make sure it’s not more serious than a cold.” He says reassuring Christen and Alex that there isn’t anything to be worried about. I know them, as soon as he leaves they’re going to start fussing over me. Oh man I just want to go home.

“I would suggest using a cool wet rag and placing it on her forehead to try to cool her down a little. I can get her one if you’d like?” The nurse says.

“Yes please that would be great.” Christen says, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

The doctor leaves, saying he’ll be back later to check in and just as I thought they begin asking me all their questions and fussing over me more than they were before.

“Here love, let’s lower your bed so you can lay down.” Alex says

The nurse returns with the cool rag and Christen puts it on my forehead and then takes a seat beside my bed, Alex doing the same on the other side. They each take one of my hands. We sit in comfortable silence until I break it.

“I want to go home.” I say, my voice shaking as I feel my eyes welling up with tears. What the hell why am I crying?

“We know R.J. and we will soon okay? You just have to stay an extra day and the we’ll be able to go home.”

For whatever reason, what Alex says causes me to become more upset. I start to cry loudly.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Shh baby, you’re okay. Just relax. I promise you- we promise you it’s okay.” Christen says, continually running her thumb across my eyebrow.

They both whisper sweet nothings in my ear attempting to calm me down and eventually it works, although I’m still confused as to where all that emotion came from. It’s just an extra day. Chris and Alex then resume babying me.

“Let’s get you some water so you don’t become dehydrated.”

“I’m okay, I don’t- ” I’m cut off when a cup of water is set in front of me.

“Drink a little bit please”

“Okay, okay.”

Do you want an extra blanket?” Chris asks, moving to stand.

“No thank you.” I say

“Okay well let us know if that changes.”

“I will. Promise.”

The next day comes and goes and after getting checked over by the doctor the following morning I’m cleared to go home. Finally

“You ready kiddo?” Alex asks, finishing gathering our stuff while Christen retrieves the discharge papers while also getting final instructions from the nurse and doctor.

“Yeah I am.” I say excitedly

I wheel my wheelchair over to the door more than ready to leave.

“Woah, hold on. Make sure you put on your sweater It’s cold out.”

“It’s not that cold Alex I’m fine.” She gives me an unimpressed look and with a huff I give in and put on my sweater.

“Mhm. Let’s go” she says

She wheels me out while somehow also carrying all of our belonging, which is really just a backpack full of clothes, and water bottles, and her and Christen’s purses but still.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to hold anything? I’m like your own personal moving basket.” I say, laughing

“I’m good, thank you.” She chuckles

We meet Christen out in the hallway and before I know it we’re at the car and they’re helping me in, making sure I’m settled and then we’re off the the airport. The flight from Colorado to Utah was short but it was easier than driving because of all my injuries. Even so there were several times on the flight I found myself in pain or bumping a part of my body that hurt. But finally after what felt like forever (it wasn’t) we landed and we were able to get off the plane and go home. Once we got to their house they made sure I was as comfortable as possible before leaving to the kitchen to make dinner.

Alex PRO//

“Do you think she’s okay out there by herself?” Christen asks, worrying about Ryley being alone for too long.

“Yes babe. She’s okay.” I say while wrapping my arms around her to comfort her.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes my love.”

“Okay. I believe you.”

I kissed her gently before letting go of her to start dinner. We decided on a simple cheesy pasta. Certainly not the healthiest meal we’ve ever made but I thought we all deserved a bit of a break. Christen did her best to help me, although I’d never say this to her, she wasn’t a very good cook. But you didn’t hear it from me. After we finished making dinner I went to get Ryley from the living room. I walked in to find her fast alseep in her chair. Poor kid must be exhausted. I thought. I went over to try to wake her as gently as I could.

“Ryley?” I shook her gently but she didn’t wake.

“Baby love it’s time to wake up, dinner’s ready.” I said again trying to be gentle.This time she began to stir, she opened her eyes slowly and looked up, smiling at me sleepily.

“Hi”

“Hey there, you ready to eat?”

“Yeah”

I wheeled her to the kitchen table and Christen served up the food as we sat down to eat. After we ate we decided to just have a chill movie night. It took a while for us to decide on a movie but we eventually settled on the disney movie Up. After the movie, and many tears, that movie is so sad we decided it was time to go to sleep and that’s where things got a little tricky.

“R.J. do you... do you want us to carry you upstairs? Or do you want to stay down here? There’s a guest room just down the hall.” I say, slightly worried about leaving her by herself down here.

“Can you- I mean would you mind- Will you guys stay with me?” She asks timidly.

“Of course love bug. We’ll always stay.”

“Wow. That was deep Chris.”

“You know what I mean, goofball.”

Christen wheeled her to the guest room, I followed. We helped her change, giving her one of Christen’s Stanford hoodies, much to my dismay and a pair of my soccer shorts. We helped her into bed and after a lot of fussing, readjusting of pillows and lots of questions she finally convinced us to go change. We came back in record time and after triple checking that she was okay we climbed into bed cuddling her and smushing her in a chrislex sandwich.

“We love you Ry. You know that right?”

“We love you so much.”

“Of course I know that. Thank you for everything the last few days, and for always being there for me.” She said becoming emotional.

“Of course. We’ll always be there for you, always” I said lovingly. 

We did what we always do, alternating between running our fingers across her eyebrows, running our hands through her hair and rubbing her back, trying to lull her to sleep. We also started something new, singing her a lullaby each night. I thought for sure she’d be too embarrassed to let us, saying something like

“I’m too old for that.”

But she seems to love it, she even likes to pick a different one each night but her favorite is the ittsy bittsy spider. You may wonder “why are you singing her lullabies? she’s not 5.” And to be honest I’m not really sure, we started to sing to her to help her fall asleep and then one night when she was extra sleepy she requested a lullaby, it’s stuck ever since. We love seeing this softer side of her, most of the time she tries to put up walls and only on rare occasions does she slip up and let us truly see her being vulnerable. Earlier at the hospital is an example of that, or when she called Chris mommy when she was first hurt. She hasn’t called either of us anything other than our names since. We can tell she catches herself sometimes but we don’t bring it up, she’ll call us mommy and mama when she’s ready. If she’s ever ready. We worry about her staying in that group home. We have our suspicions about her being mistreated but she shows no signs of being physically abused so we try not to dwell on our worries. We haven’t told her yet but when we first learned of the extent of her injuries and her recovery time we got a temporary foster license so that we are able to have her stay with us while she recovers. We plan to talk to her about it tomorrow and make sure she knows we aren’t trying to pressure her into letting us adopt her.

“Chris?” I whisper so I don’t accidentally wake Ryley.

“Yeah babe?” She says back just as quiet.

“Do you think tomorrow will go well? I ask referring to the conversation we need to have with her.

“I’m sure it will. She’ll be glad to not have to go back to the group home for a while and she’ll love getting to spend more time with us.”

“I just don’t want to scare her. I want her to ask us to adopt her if and when she’s ready, not because she thinks we’re trying to force it on her.”

“She won’t see it that way, I’m sure of it.”

What neither of us realized was that while we were talking Ryley woke up and heard everything that we said.

//

Hey guys! I’m not sure if this is longer than the prologue but it seems like it lmao. I’m starting a tag list so if you want to be tagged when I post new chapters let me know. Thank you for all the kind words about my writing! 💕 The rest of the team will appear soon, I promise! (This is mostly unedited. sorry for mistakes)

S/O to @takingthehighwayhome for the idea for this chapter!

-N

Tag list: @slow-dance-in-the-dark @messyheath

[this-book-has-been-loved]

Of Robots and Rocketships: Chapter 2

For @platonicvldweek​ day 2: Lion / Lamb

Chapter 1

Read it on Ao3 | Read it on FFN

It was Katie who texted first.

Two days after the competition (two days of Hunk not wanting to be the first one to say anything cuz would that be seen as too clingy??) his phone went off.

Katie: hey! how’ve you been? dad said he was sorry he missed you

A thousand thoughts were running through his head. He stared at the message for a long time, mentally dissecting it, trying to think of how best to respond.

The last part especially stuck out to him, since it implied two very important things: firstly, that Katie (and Matt?) had told their dad about him--and secondly, that Dr Holt actually wanted to meet him.

Hunk took a deep breath, quelling his thoughts, before starting to type out a response.

Hunk: Hi! I’ve been pretty good, you? And I’m sorry your dad couldn’t make it too; maybe next time?

Okay. That was good, right? Open, friendly, not too eager—

He was taking this too seriously.

He flopped over backwards onto his bed with a groan. Why was this so hard?

Katie: unfortunately ‘next time’ isnt until next year unless youre going to robocup

Hunk: I don’t think so :/

Katie: boo

They went on like that a little longer, making small talk about the little things, the things they already knew about each other. After about half an hour, the conversation dwindled to a stop. And it was days before it was picked up again.

It started that way at first: brief conversations, making general small talk, testing the waters. As the months went by, they got more and more comfortable with each other; by the time winter melted into spring came around, they were texting nearly every day, about the smallest things.

Katie: what about ur dad?

Hunk: Oh actually I don’t have one

Katie: oh shoot im sorry

Hunk: No that’s not what I meant XD I don’t have a dad cuz I have two moms

Katie: OH

“So who’s Katie?”

Hunk glanced up at his mom in surprise. “What?”

She gestured towards his phone, which was sitting on the table a foot away from him while he read. “You got a text message, sweetie.”

Hunk lunged for his phone, opening the message in a rush.

Katie: random question: star wars or star trek?

“It’s that girl he met at the competition back in Flagstaff,” Mama called from the next room.

“Phoenix,” Hunk corrected offhandedly. “Flagstaff is where her school was from.”

Hunk: Aw come on, you can’t make me choose!

Katie: help me win an argument against my brother

Katie: help me obi wan kenobi youre my only hope

“Oh, you made a friend?” Mom continued. “That’s great! What’s she like?”

“Um,” Hunk mumbled, still distracted. “Well, she likes peanut butter. And peanut butter cookies? But not peanuts, she says they’re too dry.”

Hunk: I’m sorry Katie, I’m going to have to go with Star Trek. The tribbles episode owns my soul

Katie: I CANT BELIEVE THIS

“Oh!” Hunk added with a smile, setting his phone down and giving his mom a starry-eyed look. “And you’ll never guess who her dad is!”

Hunk: So...what’s up?

Katie: i am eating peanut butter by the spoonful and i couldnt be happier

Hunk: Sounds like a day well spent :P

Mid-February, Katie was in class, her phone in her lap hidden under her desk. She and Hunk only had an hour difference in time zones, but that still lead to schedule conflicts. Hunk had texted her when he got out for lunch; Katie, and hour later, was already back in class after her own lunch break.

But that didn’t stop her from continuing the conversation.

(It’s not like Mr Hedrick was teaching anything new, anyways.)

Hunk: I’ve actually been looking into the garrison application process. I’ve been wanting to go there for ages and I’ll finally be old enough this fall

Katie: !!!!!!!!!

Katie: DUDE YOU TOTALLY SHOULD

Hunk: I want to!! But the application is pretty intensive

Katie: aw come on i know you can do it

Hunk: Thanks ^_^

Hunk: What about you, are you you applying?

Katie: still too young *eyeroll* its still a few more years till i turn 16

Hunk: What??

Katie: dude im like 12

Katie: i turn 13 in april

It was a couple minutes before he responded, and Katie bit her tongue to keep herself from laughing out loud in the middle of class.

Hunk: But you’re in high school?

Hunk: I’ll be honest here, I thought we were the same age O.O

Katie: yeah i skipped 7th and 8th grade

Hunk: :O

Hunk: You’re like a little child genius or something

She stifled another laugh with a cough. She glanced up to make sure that the teacher hadn’t looked over, then went right back to her phone.

Katie: yeah thats what they told me

Katie: probably explains why this class is so fucking boring

Hunk: LANGUAGE

Hunk: Wait are you in class right now??

Katie: ....quite possibly

Hunk: Get off your phone, young lady, and pay attention!!

Katie: but i already know all thiiissssss

Hunk: Respect your elders

Katie: booooooo

Hunk: (•̀o•́)ง

Katie: omg you nerd

Katie: fiiiiine

Hunk: I’ll talk to you once you get home from school ^_^ ♥

She smiled down at her phone screen before closing out of the messages app. Part of her was tempted to just pull up something else—a book, or the web browser—but she stopped herself with a sigh. She turned off the phone, stuffing it into her back pocket.

Later.

Hunk: I just thought you were really short, I didn’t realize you were a BABY

Katie: i hate u

The Garrison application process was even more daunting when he was actually filling it out. In the past, when he would look it up online to mentally prepare himself for the day when he’d finally get to fill it out, it all seemed so easy.

But now, he was starting to think he was biting off more than he could chew.

Between the GPA requirements, the essay, the mechanical skills project, the letters of recommendation, the other essay, the entrance exam, the preliminary engineering classes—

It was a lot.

And it was especially a lot when he had to juggle all that in addition to his regular schoolwork. Hunk glared at the pre-calc textbook open on his desk until the numbers all swam together.

He groaned, slamming the book shut and leaning back in his chair.

His phone vibrated, and he reached for it blindly.

Katie: maybe a rover-type probe? like what you guys did for the comp. that was pretty good

Hunk let out a long slow exhale. The physical project was causing him the most trouble at the moment, having to prove his engineering prowess by building something all on his own. It was arguably the most important part of the application, and Hunk had no clue what to do for it.

Hunk: Yeah but if I’m going to get into the garrison then my project needs to be more than just GOOD

Katie: how about a robotic turtle

Hunk: ...why?

Katie: why not

Hunk: I can probably think of a few reasons

Katie: turtles are cool bro

Hunk: Fair enough

A weary smile had managed to break through his look of frustration. Hunk glanced back at the pre-calc book, then sighed again as he slowly opened it back up.

One thing at a time.

Katie: bro u should go to bed its 1am

Hunk: Which means it’s 2am for you, right?

Katie: yeaahhh but i drank coffee mixed with redbull a couple hours ago im good

Hunk: KATIE NO

Matt and Sam made a point to come home on the weekends, and it was an occasion that Katie relished in.

She spent her days in Matt’s room, lying on his bed and keeping him company while he worked at his desk. She had her phone open to the messages app, idly relaying her conversation with Hunk to her brother.

“Yeah, Hunk has been working on his application for the Garrison.”

“Really?” Matt asked, spinning in his office chair. “That’s awesome!”

“Yeah, he’s going in for engineering,” she continued. “I’m really excited for him.”

“Does he need a letter of rec?”

“Um, lemme ask,” she replied, already typing.

Katie: matt wants to know if u need a letter of rec

It was a bit before he responded, and she watched the typing bubble appear, then disappear, then appear again. She smirked.

Hunk: Oh my god

Hunk: We only met once, does he know me well enough?

Katie rolled her eyes, reading the message out loud to Matt.

“Psh, ‘course I do,” Matt said flippantly. “I got to see his work back at the competition, and that’s the most important part, if I’m being honest.”

Katie: dude. you guys talked for ages about engineering crap

Hunk: Oh gosh. I don’t want to inconvenience him at all.

“He says he doesn’t want to inconvenience you.”

Matt let out a long groan. “Oh come on, I’m already writing them for Alec and Luca, what’s one more? I like Hunk.” He paused, thinking. “Here, ya know what, give me the phone.” He grabbed the phone from Katie’s hands without waiting for her response.

“Hey,” she protested, but Matt merely shushed her and continued to type away.

“There,” Matt said with a smirk as he hit send. A minute later, the phone vibrated, and Matt cackled, already typing a response.

“What did you say?!” Katie demanded, lunging for the phone.

Matt easily evaded her reach. “You’ll see,” he said cryptically. “But I think I’ve gotten through to him.”

When the phone went off again, Matt let out a cheer. “Alright,” he said triumphantly, tossing the phone back to Katie. “We are a go!”

Hunk: Happy birthday!!! (＾▽＾)

Katie: im officially a teenager bitch!!

Hunk: LANGUAGE!

Hunk: Jeez Katie you’re a little baby, you shouldn’t be saying stuff like that, you’re practically an infant!!

Katie: fuck

Hunk: /_(0{}0)_\

It was the middle of dinner when her phone went off.

“Katie,” her mom scolded as the girl grabbed at her phone and opened the message.

Katie ignored her, waving her hand impatiently. “Shh, it’s important!”

“Katherine, what could possibly—”

Colleen was interrupted by Katie’s sudden squeak of excitement. “He got in!!!” she squealed.

“Hunk?” Matt asked, beaming. “That’s great!”

Across the table, Sam’s eyes had lit up. “Fantastic!” he proclaimed. “Tell him congratulations for me,” he said. “I look forward to working with him.”

“Careful,” Katie warned, already typing. “You’re gonna break him.”

Katie: dad says hes looking forward to working with you. he and matt wish you congratulations

Hunk: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hunk: Thank you!!!!!!!! ＼(≧▽≦)／

Katie: hunk.exe has stopped working

It was summer when the Galaxy Garrison officially announced the Kerberos mission, naming the daring crew of astronauts who’d be going on the shuttle, and setting a predicted launch date in September.

The announcement made every headline imaginable, national and international news, NASA, a blurb in Katie’s high school’s newsletter, and just about every online publication in existence.

Katie was doing her homework at time, her phone stashed at the bottom of her backpack. With her headphones in, she didn’t hear it vibrating, too engrossed in her chemistry work.

She had ten new messages by the time she closed her textbook and fished out her phone.

Hunk: DUDE!!!!!

Hunk: I JUST SAW THE NEWS

Hunk: KERBEROS??? THAT’S SO COOL!!!

Hunk: THIS IS SO COOL

Hunk: That’s literally BILLIONS OF MILES AWAY

Hunk: And IT’S A MANNED MISSION

Hunk: THE FARTHEST MANNED MISSION FROM EARTH

Hunk: THIS IS HISTORY IN THE MAKING OH MY GOD

Hunk: I CAN’T BELIEVE YOUR DAD AND YOUR BROTHER ARE GOING TO PLUTO THIS IS SO COOL

Hunk: Sorry for spamming I’m just REALLY EXCITED

She laughed, carrying her phone and her laptop onto her bed where she could stretch out more comfortably. She flopped over onto her back, holding the phone above her face.

Katie: oh did that get announced today???

Katie: theyve been planning for months im so jealous

Hunk: Aaaaaaa this is all so exciting!

Hunk: I’m just

Hunk: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Katie: same

Katie: kerberos must be so cool

Katie: hunk lets go to outer space

Hunk: Let’s do it

Garrison cadet move-in day was in mid-August.

She got his room assignment from her dad. He’d been more than happy to check the student records for her and send her a quick message with the hall name, floor, and room number.

Katie, not even 13-and-a-half, much too young to be one of the students moving in today, walked confidently down the halls, weaving in and out of parents and students.

Presently, she heard his voice up ahead, coming out of one of the many open door. An excited grin spreading across her face, she ran the last few yards to his room. Bracing her hands on the doorframe, she stuck her head into the room, shouting, “Surprise!”

Inside the room, Hunk yelped as he whirled around in shock. As soon as he caught sight of her, his guard dropped and he broke into a smile. “Katie!” He tackled her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground.

Katie laughed. “It’s so good to see you again!”

“What are you doing here? Wait, no, stupid question.”

She giggled. “I came in with Dad and Matt. They went to do professional officey things, like boring adult paperwork or whatever.”

“Ah, the worst part of adulthood,” Hunk said, nodding sagely. “Don’t worry, Katie, you’ll understand when you’re older.”

She elbowed him. “Shut up.”

He laughed for a moment, and Katie realized that he wasn’t the only one in the room. Standing bemusedly by the closet was a woman who looked so much like Hunk she could only be his mother. She had a gentle smile on her face as she watched the two of them.

Hunk followed Katie’s gaze, and his eyes widened. “Oh, this is my mom,” he said, gesturing to the woman. “Or, well, you know. One of them.”

“Hi,” Katie said, holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs Garrett.”

“Please, call me Lani,” the woman said, shaking Katie’s hand. “It’s lovely to finally meet you, Katie. Hunk has told me so much about you.”

“Good things, I hope,” Katie said, casting a dry glance at Hunk. He stuck his tongue out at her, and she stuck out hers at him.

“Only the best,” Lani reassured her with a wink.

“So how have you been?” Hunk asked. “It’s so good to see you! We should, like, hang out at some point and catch up.”

“Oh!” Katie interjected. “Mom told me to invite you guys over for dinner,” she added.

Hunk gasped, and Katie could have sworn she saw stars in his eyes. “Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously,” she echoed. “Please?”

“Yes! Absolutely!” Hunk cried. He looked over to his mom. “Right? That’s okay?”

Lani smiled at her son widely. “Of course, sweetie. I’ll go find Kiana.” She squeezed Katie on the shoulder as she walked past her to head out of the room.

“Dinner,” Hunk breathed. “With Doctor Samuel Holt.”

She snorted. “I promise you, he’s a normal person. Just kind of a nerd. But hey, I mean, so are you.”

He rolled his eyes. “Thanks, Katie.”

Hunk: The Kerberos launch is only a couple weeks away, omg

Katie: i knowww im so jealous

Katie: i might just stowaway on the shuttle tbh

Hunk: That sounds potentially life-threatening, please do not

Hunk watched the Kerberos launch live on TV.

They’d only allowed family to watch from the ground, and though Katie had offered to try to sneak him in, he’d declined. Instead, he watched it on the massive projection screen that the Garrison had set up for students.

In some of the camera shots, he could make out the tiny purple-clad figure of Katie on the observation deck, standing beside her mother.

“This truly is a momentous day in human history,” the newscaster was saying. “If successful, the Kerberos Mission will mark the farthest that anyone has traveled from Earth. We’re making history here, folks.”

The launch was glorious. With a blast of fire and a cloud of smoke, the shuttle took off, the cameras trained on it all the way out of the atmosphere, until it was just a tiny speck against the blue of the sky. The crowd gathered in the Garrison commons room let out a cheer. Hunk’s roommate, an aspiring pilot named Lance, propped his elbow on Hunk’s shoulder.

“That’s gonna be us someday,” Lance told him with surprising conviction. “Seeing the stars, traveling to worlds never before seen.”

Hunk smiled. “I can’t wait.”

Hunk: Oh my god

Hunk: Katie I’m so sorry oh my god

Hunk: Are you okay?

Hunk: Sorry, stupid question

Hunk: Can I do anything to help?

Hunk: Katie?

✓ Read 11:17 PM

[happy-meo]

Save Me. (Yoongi x Reader) PROLOGUE.

"It swallowed me, this lunatic. Please save me tonight. Within this childish madness, you will save me tonight." - ["Save Me" - BTS]

Summary: It was an unprecedented love that bloomed within the halls of your high school, until secret words were overheard, and shattered the budding romance. It changed your life forever, leading you down a path you had never thought you would be on-- training to become a secret agent. You chose it to escape Yoongi and the results of how things ended between you two, but as fate would have it, that very same choice ended up leading you right back to him. Will you be able to save your clients and solve mysteries together despite your history? Will you be able to save each other? Will you able to save yourself...from yourself?    

Yoongi x Reader (ft. Jin & all the other BTS members)

Secret Agent AU

Mystery, Action, Angst, & Fluff (contains some violence, mentions of murder, death, and bullying)

PARTS: Prologue | 1  | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 (Finale) | Bonus: The Letter

A/N: Hi everyone ~ Sorry it’s been a little while since I’ve updated! But I’m happy to present to you my new story ^_^ & CONGRATS TO BTS FOR WINNING TOP SOCIAL ARTIST AT THE BBMAS WOOOO! Let me know if the “Keep Reading” link doesn’t work!

           It was a cliché high school love story, without the happily-ever-after.

           You were one of the quietest and most diligent students in your high school, a shadow to most students, but preferred and known by all the teachers. On the other hand, Min Yoongi was extremely popular and beloved. You two were different ends of the spectrum; your orbits were never meant to interact. Gravity shouldn't have pulled you in stronger than it did.

           And it wasn't love at first sight. Definitely not.

           In fact, you were hardly concerned about the people around you, merely pleased with a good book under your nose. Until one day...

           "Good morning Y/N!"

           You glanced up from your dictionary to give one of the only people that you considered a friend, a warm smile.

           "Good morning Jin." You greeted.

           He had a bright aura, not too overwhelmingly positive, but friendly and comforting. Ever since the first day of your freshman year, you noticed he consistently made an effort to remember everyone's names and wish everyone a good morning. He was known and loved for his friendly personality, despite not being the most attractive or physically skilled. Jin was average by all means. He wore round glasses and an unfailingly bright smile, and never missing a haircut, a new hairstyle, or any changes from his fellow students. He was easy to get along with, and easy to like.

           Even though you didn't really respond as enthusiastically as he did in conversation, the boy still continued talking to you, about everything and anything. It seemed he had a knack for reading people because every day, he gave you jokes and puns as a challenge. It really broke the ice, because you loved thought provoking questions so you found yourself really looking forward to them. You never got any right, which irritated you at first, but down the line, you ended up enjoying the way Jin would rush to the punch line then crack up at his own joke, slapping his knee or his leg in hysterics. You tried to shake your head in disapproval, but you couldn't help the smile or the giggle that surfaced, because his laugh was contagious and often times, his shamelessness at telling such lame jokes was so incredulous that all you could do was laugh along. And soon, it became a normal part of your day. So much so that almost every year after, you two chose to sit next to each other.

           And nothing was any different, even now in your third year of high school. You were still close friends, still in the same class, still seated beside each other. You did open up a little more to a few other classmates, thanks to Jin's infectious personality, but you still preferred your books, your quiet life away from attention and dramatics.

             "I need you to do me a big favor." Jin grabbed your hands, his face and tone serious.

           You glanced up at him worriedly. "What?"

           "Hear me out first okay?"

           "Jin, you're scaring me. Just tell me." You raised an eyebrow.

           "Okay, so they're choosing the Class Officers today, and I really, REALLY want to be Class President for our Junior class." Jin whispered, looking around cautiously just in case someone was listening in.

           "Do you want me to nominate you?" You blinked.

           "No..." Jin stared at you intently. "I want you to run for VP."

           "What??" You bellowed, causing everyone to turn their attention to you two. Immediately, you pried your hands from Jin's so as to not be part of any dating rumors. You knew how vicious gossip could be.

           "Shh!" Jin hissed and opened a book to make it look like he was checking answers or reading something with you.

           "Why do you want me to be your VP?"

           Jin shrugged. "You're like the only person I find reliable and trustworthy enough to keep me levelheaded. I tend to get carried away at times and fool around a little too much, and you always reel me back."

           You exhaled, "Jin, no one even knows who I am. I won't stand a chance even if I run."

           "Oh please." Jin waved his hand. "Y/N, people know who you are and they know how studious, intelligent, and responsible you are. We'd make an awesome pair! Pleassseee!"

           You stared at your friend, in contemplation. Your teachers had recommended you to join a club or activity to become well-rounded for college applications, and sports weren't too appealing to you. Maybe being part of the Class Council wouldn't be so bad, especially if you had a say in things, and Jin was leading it.

           Jin grinned widely, already seeing your hesitation dwindle away with each new thought. "You're totally going to do it, and I love you so much."

           You rolled your eyes. "Alright. I'll do it...only cause I need a club to join anyway. I need more than academic achievements on my college applications, and time's running out."

           Jin embraced you tightly. "You're the best, Y/N! You won't regret it, I promise you!"

           You chuckled and let him hug you.

           And unsurprisingly, with Jin's support for your instatement as VP beside him, no one else dared to oppose you. So just like that, you made it on the Class Council, locked in to lead a class of students you hardly had spoken to, but always observed.

           With one request, one choice, one step forward, you were thrown into the world of people. Standing in front of the entire class without a book to hide behind or a problem to quickly solve on the board, you meekly and nervously positioned yourself beside Jin. You weren't used to standing before a crowd, so bare, so vulnerable.

           As Jin spoke, you took the time to look around and get accustomed to where you would be standing throughout the rest of the year. For the first time you truly looked up to scan the faces of your classmates. You had only really heard their voices, disregarding them out of shyness, out of fear. And in your innocent observation, your eyes coincidentally connected with one particularly quiet, mysterious, and handsome boy in your class.

           Min Yoongi.

           He always sat in the back corner of the classroom. You had never seen it yourself, but he would always get in trouble for staring out the window or for sleeping during class. Every word he spoke was either witty or blunt, and he was very nonchalant and relaxed, almost to the point where he looked like he didn't care about anything. However, he still maintained fantastic grades, and was one of the star players of the school basketball team. You two had been in the same class along with Jin for the past 3 years, so you knew him by name and from the very brief times you had spoken to him. But it was the first time you had truly taken the time to look at him closely.

           Yoongi had always been alluring to you, not because of how he looked, though he was handsome no doubt, but because of how he acted. He never cut corners with his words, and he did whatever he wanted. It wasn't out of rebellion or out of an attempt to create a chic image, but it was just who he was. He stayed true to whatever he felt was right to do at the time. He was well-known, but wasn't boisterous. He had a confident air about him, without the inflated ego. And you would always find yourself the only one giggling or snorting at a witty comeback he would mumble in the middle of class. Not many people understood his wit, but you surely did. For someone who seemed to only have a max of two emotions - sleeping or sleepy, it was intriguing that he had a sense of humor.

           You had had insignificant encounters with him before. Gazes locking as you passed through the hallways, fingers grazing as you passed papers back to him, lazy good mornings when he was half asleep walking into the classroom. You hated to admit it, but you had developed a very tiny crush on this popular boy. And you intended to keep it a secret. He was merely someone who intrigued you and caused your heart to flutter temporarily with any mere sign of his attention--nothing less, nothing more.

           He hadn't been on your radar at all freshman year. You dismissed him as someone you would probably never get along with, given how students flocked towards him, and the occasional bullshit responses you heard him tell students and teachers. It made you laugh, no doubt, but it was also embarrassing to hear someone be so shameless. He was talented at sports, and didn't have a bad brain, but that was all you really cared to know about him at the time.

           But then he captured you out of the blue during sophomore year.

           You had stayed up until sunrise to cram for a big exam, and you had vowed to yourself to pull an all-nighter and not sleep. However, you betrayed your promise and opted on taking a quick nap to rest your mind and body. But napping caused you to wake up later than usual, so you had rushed to get ready and ran carelessly out of the house to make it to school before the bell rang. In your haste, you had forgotten your jacket. In your hurry, you didn't feel the frosty weather nipping at you as you ran. But you surely regretted your forgetfulness after school.

           Dreading walking home in the freezing cold, you stared at the doors leading to the outside, trying to figure out alternate solutions. As you were contemplating grabbing your gym clothes and layering up regardless of how peculiar you would look, you felt something warm fall on top of your head and wrap around your shoulders. Surprised, you glanced beside you to find Min Yoongi, at the time, the young ace of the basketball team. To say you were stunned speechless would be an understatement. Your mind went blank at being in his presence and at the realization that he had just placed his sweater on you. Before you could say anything though, he inhaled and sprinted out of the school, into the cold, in a light jog. Gratefully, you pulled it over your body, finding the fleece incredibly soft and warm; large enough to shield more than half of your body from the frosty weather.

           You had waited until after school the next day to return it to him, washed thoroughly and folded neatly into a nice gift bag.

           "Um here." You mumbled. "It's washed and dried already. I never got to thank you for lending it to me."

           He smiled a little, grabbing the bag from you. "No problem, Y/N."

           And the way your heart raced at the mention of your name signaled you that this boy had already gotten to you.

           "Y-you know my name?" You stammered uncoolly.

           Yoongi glanced at you, slightly amused. "Well yes, we've been in the same class the past 2 years."

           You blushed. "Right..."

           "Ayo Yoongi!" One of his teammates bellowed.

           "Yeah, yeah I'm coming." he grumbled then turned back to you. "Thanks again, Y/N. Get home alright."

           You smiled and nodded. "Have a good practice."

           And since then, you'd occasionally steal glances down the hallway or around the classroom. You attended some of his games and watched the way he lit up and burst with energy on the court, unlike his usually relaxed, seemingly lethargic self in the classroom. A year later, and here you are gawking at him from in front of the classroom this time.

           Your eyes darted away from his stare to the decorated bulletin board in the back of the classroom, praying you hadn't been caught. You tuned into Jin's first speech as Class President, where he discussed future trips and class activities he had in mind. Everyone murmured enthusiastically at the mentions of doing something fun. You smiled proudly. Jin really had good ideas for the year, and it exhilarated you, the idea that you would be part of something big for once. But in the pit of your stomach, you also had butterflies fluttering around with the thought that being a class rep would mean getting more opportunities to talk and work with people in the class. It was exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time.

           It wasn't until a few weeks later that you finally had your second full-blown encounter with Yoongi ever. You were on your way to your teacher's office with the entire class's homework notebooks in your arms. Wanting to go home as soon as possible, you had lifted all of them at once instead of breaking them up into smaller, manageable piles. They weren't heavy but the height of the stack blocked off your vision, meaning you relied on your hearing and everyone's sense to make it through the hallways unscathed. But you didn't account for the possibility of someone turning the corner at the same time you were crossing it, without notice. You were knocked slightly backwards, wobbling to keep the stack steady, and yourself upright.

           "Whoa." You heard a deep voice, and immediately recognized it. The hairs on your skin stood on edge at the coincidence. Out of all the people in the entire school you could bump into, it had to be Yoongi.

           You ducked your head into the stack and attempted to walk around where you saw his feet, embarrassed. But suddenly, half the notebooks were pulled away from you, clearing your line of sight. Your breath got caught in your throat at his close proximity.

           He grinned, staring straight at you without no hints of nervousness. Of course, why would he be nervous; it was just little, old you after all. "I thought it was you, Miss VP."

           You bowed, "Sorry."

           He turned to his friends beside him. "You guys go ahead. I'll help her out or else our homework may not get to the office in one piece."

           The guys chuckled and waved, before obliging.

           You huffed at the underhanded attack. "I was doing fine until you bumped into me."

           He glanced at you, amused. "Um I think a 'thank you' would suffice."

           You blushed and averted your eyes as you two started walking side by side in silence. It was awkward. There was a torrential storm brewing inside you, swirling with possibilities of topics and things to say and the embarrassing ending results. You didn't know what to say or what to do. And you hesitated so long that you two had made it to the teacher's office without saying a word to him. Sullenly, you entered and handed the homework to your homeroom teacher.

           "Oh, what a rare pairing we have here." She smiled at you and Yoongi, causing you to blush profusely at the mention of being a "pair" with the popular guy beside you.

           "She was a danger to the students." Yoongi snorted. "She nearly killed me, Teacher!"

           You gasped, not wanting to look bad in front of your favorite teacher. "I did not! You bumped into me!"

           She giggled. "It's nice to see you two interact is all I meant. It'll be a good friendship to develop."

           You raised an eyebrow at your teacher. "It would?"

           "Why? You don't want to be friends with me?" Yoongi chuckled.

           You blushed and waved your hands apologetically, "No, I didn't mean it--"

           "Relax. I got you." he patted your head warmly.

           "I just think you two would learn a lot from each other is all." Your teacher smiled and pinched Yoongi's cheek. "Like how to be a good student and use your brain instead of that smart ass mouth."

           Yoongi whined and you giggled.

           "And for you to come out of your shell and be yourself a little more, Y/N." she glanced at you. "This boy right here doesn't care much."

           You blinked, and spoke before you realized what you were saying. "But I think he acts this way because he does care a lot."

           Silence.

           You gasped and covered your mouth frantically. "Well, I have to go! See you tomorrow!"

           You hurriedly bowed and sprinted out of the office; your face was entirely red with shame and embarrassment. He must've thought you were insane and having delusions about who he was. How could you have spouted your assumption like that?

           "Aigoo, aigoo." You stood in front of your locker, smacking your lips, angry at them for acting on their own. Hearing oncoming footsteps, you switched into your outside shoes and attempted to book it outside, but you were stopped by someone's fingers wrapping around your wrist. You tensed and gulped.

           "I believe I never got my thank you, Y/N." his taunting voice and the feeling of his hand around your skin had your heart fluttering.

           "Um thank you." You mumbled, still facing the door, not daring to look at him.

           He chuckled at your apparent embarrassment so he walked in front of you, your eyes instinctively casting down to avoid staring at how handsome he was.

           "I've come for an explanation." he stated, still not letting go of your arm, so all you could do was stare at way his fingers were making contact with your skin.

           "On what?" You muttered.

           "Your opinion of me."

           You looked around awkwardly. "I don't have an opinion of you."

           He chuckled. "Want me to go call our teacher over to repeat what you said?"

           "No." You grumbled. "I said it by mistake, don't worry about it."

           You tried to step around him, but his grip tightened around your arm. "And what if I said you were right?"

           You froze. "What?"

           "What if I said that you were right that I act like this because I do care a lot?" he repeated. "But I want to know how you found me out."

           You glanced over at him, hoping to see that he was joking, but he was in fact, very serious and curious.

           "Um..." you looked behind you at the incoming flock of students coming out of their clubs.

           "Come with me." he grinned.

           "What?"

           "Come with me." he gestured. "Get those school shoes back on. I won't let go of you until I get what I came for."

           His words had your cheeks warm.

           "Well, you holding on to me will make putting my shoes on quiet a venture."

           He shrugged. "You'll never know until you try."

           "People will be looking at us weird."

           "I don't care." he whispered. "Now, let's go."

           You blushed.

           Obviously, you had already internally agreed to go since he first asked, but you didn't want to be too eager for fear of being found out. He brought you to the school rooftop, which you knew for sure was against the rules, but he chastised you for being too uptight for a kid.

           "Look." he brought you closer to the wire fence that prevented anyone from falling off the roof, and pointed at the horizon.

           You breathed as you saw the picturesque sky donned like a canvas splattered with orange, pink, and purple hues. The sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

           "Aren't you glad you broke the rules a little?" he teased.

           You glared at him. "Only if we don't get caught."

           He laughed as he grabbed the fence, "Can't argue with you there."

           You two stood in silence, taking in the vast expanse of the sky and the untainted beauty of nature.

           "So?" Yoongi urged.

           "Hm?" You hummed.

           Yoongi turned and leaned against the fence, his hands stuffed into his pockets suavely. Your heart was racing immensely. You were in a romantic spot on a rooftop with your crush. It was overwhelming, and fantasies flooded into your mind, disabling you from any coherent thought or word in his presence.

           "What gave it away?" he mumbled as he glanced straightly at you.

           You blinked. "Gave what away?"

           "My true personality." he grinned.

           Your eyes flitted towards him then back to the ground shyly. "Well...I just think you act like you don't care or don't expect anything, because you actually care too much about not being disappointed. It's scarier hoping people will like you for you, than hoping people will like you as someone else."

           "So you don't think I've been acting like myself?" he stepped in front of you, causing your back to hit the fence.

           You were flustered at his proximity, you willed your eyes not to dart towards his lips, but they did anyway.

           "I-I-I think you've been acting like a version of yourself is all. Just an opinion...of someone who doesn't know you..." you grabbed onto the fence behind you to hold onto your sanity.

           Yoongi laughed and stepped back, crossing his arms. "That's the funny thing, Y/N."

           You exhaled, feeling relieved. "What's funny?"

           "It seems like you actually know me better than most people." he hummed.

           You glanced at him surprised. You had thought you were assuming too much, deluding yourself into thinking that he had more depth to him than he let on, all to feed your crush. But to think that you were correct, that he had an underlying meaning to his actions, that despite being so popular and talented, he still had insecurities and secrets; it was stunning.

           He must've seen your surprise because he chuckled.

           "But I know about you too, Y/N." he smirked.

           You furrowed your brows. "What do you mean?"

           "You don't open up to anyone, because you don't want to be hurt and disappointed either. That's why you hide behind your books and your studying."

           "Well, I'm not sure if that's really a secret." You chuckled.

           He laughed. "Most people think you're cold or shy you know. I think you're actually the one who doesn't care too much about appearances."

           You smiled.

           "Well Y/N," he stretched. "I'd say this makes us friends, don't you think?"

           "Hm?"

           "We know each other's secrets." he grinned. "If we're not friends, then we're enemies, and I don't think I'd want an enemy knowing my secret. So I might have to kill you unless you solidify our friendship."

           You giggled. "Are you threatening me to be your friend?"

           "Merely coaxing you with a possibility of violence." he cheekily stated as he outstretched his hand. "What do you think? I mean you've also become my accomplice in this crime of trespassing."

           You grinned and slotted your hand into his, with your heart beating wildly. "I don't think having a partner in crime is so bad."    

           And after that day, Yoongi would take time to talk to you in the mornings, surprising everyone in class, including Jin.

           "What was that?" Jin questioned after he finally had witnessed it. "THE Min Yoongi just talked to you...with a SMILE on his face."

           You blushed and your lips turned up shyly.

           "What happened?"

           "He helped me out with carrying the homework stack the other day, and we just became friends." You shrugged. "I'm not really sure how it happened either."

           Jin glanced at Yoongi then frowned. "Just be careful, Y/N. He's popular and you know it gets tricky being around popular people."

           You laughed, "You're popular too though, Jin."

           "You know what I mean. I'm friendly popular, but not in the popular clique popular. A lot of vicious girls are vying for his attention, Y/N. If you get too close, you'll get mixed up into that mess."

           You smiled and patted Jin's hand. "I know. Don't worry. We're just friends is all. I'm sure it's refreshing to have a girl that's not fawning over him."

           Jin chuckled and ruffled your hair. "That's true. Cause you're in love with meeee ~"

           You rolled your eyes then turned back to your notes. You were sure friends was all you would ever be with Yoongi, and as thrilling as that was, the more you thought about it, the more it saddened you. With each conversation, with each thing you learned about the man, you wanted to be something more. But you didn't want your feelings to get in the way of your budding friendship, so you suppressed and buried them as much as you could.

           "Mind if I sit here?"

           You nearly choked on your food when Yoongi appeared beside you in the courtyard. You usually ate outside instead of the canteen, preferring the quiet sound of nature to the loud voices of people. You nodded as you coughed, and he chuckled.

           "Didn't know I had that effect on you?" He sat down and unwrapped his sandwich.

           You rolled your eyes as you swallowed down water to compose yourself.

           "What brings you here, Yoongi?" You questioned, trying to sound calm and collected.

           "Just a change of pace." he shrugged as he chewed. "It does get tiring being popular."

           "Oh? I never noticed." You jeered.

           "You're a cheeky little thing aren't you?" he waved his sandwich at you.

           "Must've rubbed off from your hand." You shrugged.

           He chuckled and glanced up at the clear blue sky. "I'm more than my basketball."

           "Yes, you're a person." You teased.

           He glared at you. "I'm being serious, Y/N."

           "Sorry." You coughed and turned to him to give you your undivided attention. "So you're more than your basketball?"

           "Okay, why does it sound lame coming from your mouth?" he huffed.

           "It was already lame coming out of yours." You snorted. "But carry on, what happened?"

           Was it supposed to be this easy? Although your entire body was filled with butterflies, your responses came out naturally and comfortably. Even though afterwards you felt embarrassed about things you said and did, during the conversation, everything seemed to flow well. Yoongi made it easy to converse, made it easy to joke around, made it easy to be yourself.

           "Nothing happened." he hummed. "I just think having you to talk to made me realize a lot of the things I had been putting up with."

           You tilted your head, waiting for him to explain.

           "Like these lunches where everybody just talks about their work outs and gossip, shallow things." he bit into his sandwich. "I was sitting there and I was like 'well this is a waste of my time'."

           You smiled, "Well, what do you want to talk about?"

           Yoongi turned to you so that you two were now sitting facing each other on the bench. "Mm maybe like what you want to pursue in the future? Other interests and hobbies? Funny childhood memories? Something more than what happened recently."

           "Well then, Mr. Min." You grinned. "What do you want to pursue in the future?"

           Yoongi chuckled, "You'll never be able to guess."

           You weren't sure how it happened, but soon, you and Yoongi became a daily part of each other's lives in secret. There was an unspoken agreement between you two to maintain a low key friendship, knowing how the unfair yet prevalent social system of the school worked. Occasional public conversations between higher class social circles and lower class were deemed appropriate and friendly, but anything more than that, was frowned upon. You two eventually exchanged numbers and e-mails, and began communicating that way.

           He even walked you home at times, especially when your Class Rep duties had you stay later than usual. You would meet up sneakily outside of the school and go home together, since you two coincidentally lived in the same direction. Sometimes, he would come over to study after practice. Other times, he would just appear to tell you about some exciting new comic or electronic device that is being released that he wanted to save up for. During school, he'd sometimes ask you to meet him at the rooftop to ask you a thought-provoking question weighing on his mind or just to tell you about something ridiculous or funny someone had said that he needed to say in person.

           Your developing friendship went undetected for most people, with the exception of one.

           "Alright. What is happening between you and Yoongi?" Jin confronted you after school one day.

           Your eyes widened as you looked around, praying no one was around to hear his statement.

           It was one of those late nights where you two were at the school until the darkness covered the skies, doing your class rep duties. The school festival was coming up and you and the other class reps were brainstorming what each class was going to contribute.

           "Nothing, Jin." You whispered. "I told you we were just friends."

           "Bullshit." Jin growled as he wiped his glasses and put them back on.

           You gasped, having never heard your long time friend curse.

           "I see you two eat in the courtyard, and I see him wait for you if you're staying late. I see him make faces at you while we're taking roll call in the morning." Jin accused, pushing you back against the lockers roughly. "What is happening?"

           "Really Jin." You exhaled, a little nervous about this new, aggressive side of your dear friend. "I promise you we're just friends. Why can't you accept that?"

           "Because I can't accept that anyone would want to be 'just friends' when they finally get to know you!" Jin bellowed.

           You stared at him surprised. Why was he getting so worked up over you and Yoongi?

           "Is everything alright here?"

           Your heart fluttered at Yoongi's voice, but you could feel Jin's intense gaze still on you.

           "Y/N?" Yoongi glanced between you and Jin. You realized your questionable position.

           "Uh yeah." You slipped away from Jin. "We were just having a little argument over nothing."

           Yoongi nodded. "Ready?"

           "I'll walk her home." Jin turned from his spot to face you two.

           Yoongi stared straightly at him. "It's perfectly fine. I know you live in the opposite direction as us. She's on the way to my house. No need to trouble yourself."

           Jin clenched his fists, knowing Yoongi was right. "I'll call you later then, Y/N."

           You nodded, not liking the dangerous look on Jin's face. You wondered what was happening with him.

           "What were you arguing about? If I may ask?" Yoongi asked after a few minutes of walking in silence.

           "Oh he just asked me what was going on between us, and wouldn't believe we were just friends." You chuckled.

           There was an awkward silence. Had you just friend-zoned yourself? Shit.

           "What's going on with you and Jin?" he questioned.

           "Me and Jin? Oh we've been friends since freshman year. Granted, he does most of the talking, but he's entertaining to listen to. Plus he's super friendly, so it's easy to get along with him." You shrugged.

           "Have you ever liked him...liked him?" Yoongi mumbled.

           "Jin? Oh, no." You chuckled. "It's not like that between us at all."

           "Never? I mean all 3 years you sat next to each other. Now, you're even his VP. That's a lot of time to spend with a guy."

           "Oh please." You rolled your eyes. "Like you aren't always being fawned over by half the female population of the entire school."

           "But I don't spend a majority of my time with them."

           "But you have to admit you like the attention and find some of them attractive."

           "Well do you think Jin is attractive?" he fired back.

           "Well, I'd say he's charming, yes."

           "And what about me?"

           You stopped walking. "What?"

           "Do you find me attractive?" he questioned.

           You gulped. You couldn't say no and offend him, but if you said yes, would it make things awkward?

           "I mean, I guess." You settled for a vague response, but before you could start walking again, he grabbed your backpack, pulling you back to face him.

           "What do you mean, 'you guess'?"

           "Well, I mean uhh..." You stumbled over your words. "It's not that you're not attractive..."

           "So I am attractive." he grinned.

           "Gah!" You flailed your hands, embarrassed. "I'm not answering this question, pass!"

           "Then answer this." He steadied you with his hands firmly on your shoulders. You glanced up to find him being unusually serious. "What would you say if I said I was attracted to you?"

           Your throat closed up immediately, and you could hear your heart hammering loudly against your chest.

           "Wh-what? Stop joking around, Yoongi." You laughed nervously, sweating intensely.

           "I'm not joking, Y/N." he stared into your eyes.

           "You find me attractive?" You repeated in a low whisper, not believing the words yourself.

           "Have you never had someone say that about you?"

           You shook your head. "No."

           "That's a shame." Yoongi whispered. "But good for me."

           Your eyes traveled up to see him looking at you intently. "Well... thank you for finding me attractive."

           You tried to escape, but his grip on your shoulders kept you in place.

           "I had been contemplating this for a while now, but seeing you with Jin today, it really just...it didn't make me feel good at all." he stated.

           "What? Why?"

           "Be my girlfriend, Y/N." he straightforwardly requested. "I don't want to meet you just in secret anymore. I don't want guys like Jin or whoever in our class is noticing how good looking you are now that you're standing in front of the class as our VP, to take you from me."

           You grabbed his arms and slid out from underneath his grasp, not trusting your hearing. He stared at you curiously as you tried to piece his words together.

           "Wait, what?"

           He chuckled and cupped your cheek. "Did I surprise you?"

           "Um yeah, wow. Please don't do that." You hurriedly shied away from his touch. "I think my heart is going to explode."

           "In a good way?" Yoongi laughed as you jogged a little in place to compose yourself. He hummed and crossed his arms as he waited for your reply. "Will I get my answer sometime in the next few minutes? I'm awkwardly standing here, unsure if you like me back or not."

           "Oh wow. Hold on. It's just... a lot to take in." You distanced yourself from him. "So let me get this straight. You, Min Yoongi, handsome, popular, basketball star, is attracted to me?"

           "Yeah." he nodded.

           "And you, Min Yoongi, popu--"

           "Y/N, stop giving me stupid titles." he growled.

           "Okay, so you want ME to be YOUR girlfriend?" You repeated. "Like..."

           He ran his hand through his hair sheepishly. "Yes, Y/N. I want you to be my girlfriend. It's not a damn command, but if you have any inkling of feelings for me, I want you to give me a chance."

           You stared at him in awe. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be roundabout like this. I just...I just had a lot of daydreams and stuff about this happening so I want to make sure it's real before I answer and make a fool of myself. This is real, right?" You pulled at your cheeks to make sure.

           Yoongi grinned widely, your statement subtly confirming that you reciprocated his feelings.

           "Should I help you check?" He bit his lip and stepped closer to you.

           "Hm? How?" You looked up questioningly.

           "Like this." he whispered as he titled your chin up and pressed his lips against yours lightly.

           You stared at each other for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

           "I think I'm going to need you to repeat that a couple more times." You smiled as it dawned on you that this was, in fact, reality.

           Yoongi chuckled, and obliged, capturing your lips once again.

           You were dizzy with happiness, elated and floating on cloud nine. After a year of crushing on him, a few months, falling deeper for him, you were now Min Yoongi's girlfriend.

           And it was everything and nothing like you had expected.

           In an effort to be honest and maintain your open, strong friendship with Jin, you called him and told him what had happened on your way home, bubbling with excitement. But for some reason, he didn't sound too happy about your news.

           "I'm tired Y/N. Thanks for clarifying."

           "No, I'm sorry I kept my feelings about him a secret. But I really didn't think it was possible for him to like me back...much less ask me out." You gushed.

           "Well...I never had a doubt you could make someone fall for you." Jin stated.

           "Thanks Jin."

           Without another word, he hung up on you.

           Jin didn't come to school the next day, and so you had to lead roll call, and talk about the school festival in his stead. You were so nervous that you thought you were going to barf, but you just asked yourself what would Jin say and do, and acted on that. It didn't turn out so bad. The class was receptive to your ideas, and even asked you questions, throwing out their own suggestions. You felt like it was a successful meeting, and Yoongi gave you a thumbs up in the back to confirm it. Smiling to yourself giddily, you returned to your seat.

           Your homeroom teacher arrived and Yoongi immediately raised his hand.

           "Yes, Mr. Yoongi?"

           "Do you mind if I sit next to Y/N today? I forgot my contacts and glasses today, and I really can't see the board."

           You glanced over at him surprised. He grinned at you then returned his attention back to the teacher.

           "Uh sure. I don't see why not since Mr. Jin is absent today." she shrugged. "I, for one, am surprised you actually want to pay attention today."

           The class snickered as Yoongi shrugged nonchalantly, transferring to the table next to you.

           "Laugh all you want kids, but even if he doesn't pay attention, he still gets higher grades than half of you." Your teacher pointed out, earning a groan from everyone.

           "Mornin'." Yoongi grinned as he sat down.

           "Morning." You smiled.

           You couldn't concentrate the entire class because all you wanted to do was stare at him, so beautifully close to you. He was nodding off as usual, so you would nudge him every so often. He'd grumble shove your elbow in return. You shook your head, amused, and gave up. Some habits can't be broken right away after all.

           "When did you realize you liked me?" You asked Yoongi during lunch. He had prepared a picnic blanket for you two to sit on in the courtyard.

           "It's a secret." he hummed as he settled himself on your lap with a yawn.

           "What? Why?" You huffed.

           He smiled. "One day I'll tell you."

           You pouted. "Then I'll keep mine a secret too."

           "You started noticing me when I gave you my jacket." he smugly grinned, his eyes closed.

           "No." You tried to smother down your surprise.

           "Your tone just confirmed my guess was right." he cackled.

           "I said it wasn't!" You urged.

           "I'm calling your bluff." he poked your cheek, one of his eyes looking up at you. "Yah."

           "What?" You glanced down.

           "Come closer."

           "Why?"

           "I have to tell you something."

           "Well just tell me. No one's here."

           "It's embarrassing to say too loud."

           You were intrigued that something would be embarrassing for this shameless man to say. You dipped your head closer to his face to listen, but instead of saying anything, he kissed you. You straightened up immediately and glanced around. Blushing profusely you smacked him shyly, but he was already resting with a triumphant grin on his face.

           "Doesn't matter when or how we ended up liking each other." he hummed. "The fact is we like each other, and we're together now."

           You smiled and carded your hands through his soft, dark locks. "You're absolutely right."

           For the first few days of your new relationship, you two continued to be secretive with your closeness. You and Yoongi talked more openly and walked to class more often, but you kept any sign of your new couple status hidden. Until one day, Yoongi took a leap and intertwined your fingers in the middle of the hallway. You were panicking inside, but he kept talking, as bold and as confident as ever.

           "Hey." he smiled, seeing your evident nervousness. "Relax, no one's going to jump you."

           "Not yet, anyway." You whispered.

           "Do you not want to be with me?"

           "Of course I do." You squeezed his hand. "I just-- I don't know how people are going to react to...me."

           Yoongi smiled. "I'm sure they'll see what I see when they get to know you better. Trust me."

           You returned his smile, hoping that he was right.

           But he wasn't.

           When he wasn't around, people would confront you, call you names, subtly throw things, and pull your hair, antagonizing you. But you just let it pass, knowing that at the end of the day, you would be the one going home holding Yoongi's hand. To make things worse though, Jin began distancing himself from you. He wasn't as chatty with you as before; he wasn't as bubbly. He was still the same Jin, but not to you. You didn't have anyone to turn to.

           You thought the harassment would die down after a month or two, but it didn't; it only intensified as time passed, as people realized that you and Yoongi were serious. You began getting threats, and sometimes your outside shoes would go missing. But you were still happy regardless. Whenever Yoongi was around, no one bothered you two.

           But weekends were your favorite, because you could just be a regular young couple going on a regular date. Not Min Yoongi, star basketball player, and some random unattractive nobody. It was freeing, and you cherished the sense of normalcy where you could focus on just your boyfriend and spend quality time with him. He introduced you to his childhood best friend, Hoseok, who went to a different high school, and you introduced him to your family. Most weekends you two spent lazily, but sometimes, you two planned a big date to eat a new restaurant, go to the mall, to an indoor water park, or an amusement park.

           It was everything and nothing like you had imagined.

           When nationals approached for his basketball season, Yoongi wasn't around much anymore, but he called and texted you as often as he could. He couldn't walk you home or see you on weekends, so it saddened you a bit, but you understood that it was an important and busy time for him. He could potentially be scouted by colleges already, and he was vying for the position of captain of his team, which you always reassured him, he was a shoo-in for. But with his absence in your life, the degree of bullying picked up. And you pushed through it and hid it from him, because you knew it would hurt him to know his "friends" were like that, because you knew he cared about his image far more than he let on. You loved him, and this was the price of being with someone so admired.

           And you thought he felt the same, up until you walked into the classroom early one morning just to meet up with him after a long time.

           "So I know it's been a few months, but like...what's up with dating Y/N? Are you serious about her?" Jin's voice echoed in the classroom.

           You stepped back, unseen, and listened in.

           "Yeah, man. Like come on, you have so many hott girls lined up and throwing themselves at you." his teammates nudged him. "But Y/N? What? Is she good in bed or something?"

           "Hey." Jin scolded. "Let's not go there."

           "Oh Jin, you're so old fashioned." the boys chuckled. "So what is it Yoongi? You can't be serious about her, right? She's just temporary? I mean, next year we'll be seniors and you KNOW there's a bunch of hotties coming up from middle school. And if you're basketball captain-- WOW- you'll have your pickings."

           Yoongi laughed and nodded, "Yeah, you know. She's just super nice and friendly you know? I'd catch her staring at me from afar. Whenever I needed something, she'd give it to me right away. I didn't have the heart to turn her down when she asked me out. And you know, I didn't really have any interest in anyone so I figured why not? I mean, let's give everyone hope right?"

           The guys cackled and hi-fived each other with the exception of Jin who stood up and began walking away.

           "Poor girl. She thinks you're dating her for real, but it was out of sympathy. I bet she waits for you thinking you have basketball practice, but you're actually out with us and the older brothers hitting up clubs to meet college basketball coaches." they snorted.

           Your heart dropped and your eyes welled up at hearing everything. Had it all been a lie? Some of his story didn't add up, but why had he never told you about when he started liking you? Was it because your feelings for him were obvious and so he asked you out just to give you what you wanted and then dump you? Had he just toyed with you this whole time? And had he really lied to you about practices when he was going out? You would've understood so why did he keep that from you?

           "Are you serious, Yoongi?" Jin spoke out. "This is what it was this whole time?"

           Everyone stared at Yoongi intently. He glanced around in silence. Your heart was hammering intensely, praying he was just kidding, that he didn't mean anything he had just said.

           "Yeah, of course that was it the whole time. Why would it have been anything else? You can't seriously think I'd be steady with someone like her?"

           "You son of a--" Jin hissed.

           "Well then." You stepped out, fists curled up in a ball.

           "Y/N." Yoongi scrambled out of his chair, stunned.

           "Thank you for your precious time, Min Yoongi." You took off his varsity jacket he had given you to adorn. "But I won't be needing your sympathy anymore. Let's break up."

           You threw his jacket on the ground and sprinted away from the classroom.

           And that was that. 

           You waited for him to call, maybe to apologize or explain himself, but it never came. You two were back to being strangers, cold and unforgiving. You passed each other without batting an eye, and returned to your own orbits before ever becoming friends. You were beyond hurt. His words replaying inside your mind, night after night. How much had you endured for him? How foolish had you been? How many more things had he said about you while you weren't around?

           Rumors spread like wildfire that you had dumped Min Yoongi harshly. Extremely outrageous versions of the truth were created, all to make Yoongi look like the victim and you, the criminal. Some reported that you had punched and slapped him for no reason. Others claimed you had cheated on him and he had caught you with another man. You were flabbergasted, but sadly, no one was on your side. Everybody believed the rumors, and made sure you knew that they did.

           You were pushed down the stairs countless times, shoved into garbage cans. There were times when your desk disappeared from the classrooms. Times when you were the sole target during gym class. People vandalized your locker, locked you in bathrooms, dunked your head in the toilet, and even went so far as breaking into your house to take some of your things. You came home with cuts and bruises, and an extremely heavy heart. You regretted your stupid crush so much. You wished you had said no. You wished you had never decided to become his friend. You wished you had just brought your own damn jacket your sophomore year so you would have never noticed him. You felt so helpless and so appalled. This was exactly what you had wanted to prevent. This was exactly your worst fear, why you preferred books to people. People were cruel. Some people had no heart, had no qualms about hurting others.

           Instead of eating at the courtyard now, you hid behind the dumpsters during the break, hiding from the people hunting you down. And you weren't their lone target. Another boy from your class-- you couldn't remember his name at all-- but you knew he was one of the quiet ones who used to hang out with the popular boys, often ate behind the adjacent dumpster in hiding as well. You'd glance at each other, but never spoke a word. Even though you both were on the same boat, he would leave you if you got caught first and in turn, you did the same to him. Every day solely focused on survival, and your heart had hardened and turned cold through your experiences. Now even those who were just as unfortunate betrayed each other.

           Finally, your homeroom teacher stepped in and called you and your family into her office since your grades had been severely suffering as a consequence. You confessed everything that had been happening as of late, and she ended up privately teaching you in your house for the rest of your Junior year. Since students were still harassing you even in front of your house, your parents decided it was time to move. Your teacher helped your family choose a good school for you to transfer to in your new area, and helped get the paperwork together.

           "I'm truly sorry, Y/N." she hugged you tightly. "I had no idea that any of that happened. My heart hurts."

           You wept and shook your head. "No, thank you. You helped me more than you know just by letting me stay home. I hated that feeling, not knowing whether I was going to get caught by those students, when I was going to be shoved or attacked. If I would make it home alive."

           "I know. I'm so sorry. I'm really, truly sorry Y/N. And I hope you find good friends and happiness in your new school. Please." Your teacher wiped your tears. "E-mail me and update me as well. I'll always be on your side."

           "Thank you." You smiled sadly.

           And off you went, to escape the dark days of your life, to escape the thought of the boy who you loved that played you, and the resulting pain that he and your classmates had caused.

           Your new school was amazing. You actually made a fantastic group of friends, and joined a few interesting clubs with them, particularly robotics and fight simulation club.

           "Morning Mr. Bang!" You greeted your favorite teacher warmly.

           "Morning Y/N!" He smiled. "Tae and Jimin already started a training simulation in the back room if you want to join in for some morning exercise."

           "Always." You giggled then glanced over at him piecing a few new robot parts together. "New project?"

           "Yea. Trying to make a small laser that could be installed into a pin." he hummed.

           "Interesting." You blinked. "Good luck."

           "Thanks." Your teacher stated emotionlessly, already back to intensely focusing on his daunting task.

           "Morning boys!" You hollered as you put on your simulation suit and helmet.

           "Y/N!" The two greeted excitedly. "Good! We need you!"

           "Yeah, cause Jimin still isn't good." Tae whined.

           "Hey! I'm improving!"

           You snorted as you pressed a button on your helmet and joined them on the simulation pad. "Well, now that the gang is all together, let's get this mission completed."

           You really, absolutely enjoyed your time in this club, going so far as to take up martial arts lessons and frequenting the shooting range as hobbies. Through Mr. Bang's guidance as well, you found that you had a knack for robotics and inventing new things. You enjoyed the way your intellect now had a real life application, past textbooks, papers, and quizzes. You liked the challenge of coming up with battle plans, assigning roles, figuring out how different devices go together, etc. But as far as your future plans went, you had no idea what you wanted to do with your life. Luckily, you, Jimin, and Tae were all on the same boat so you didn't feel too left behind. However, the end of your Senior year was approaching, meaning you three needed to decide on a school and a legitimate, achievable career plan.

           You sat in Mr. Bang's office, since coincidentally, he was your homeroom teacher and in turn, your guidance counselor.

           "Y/N. What're your plans in terms of college and career path?" He questioned as he pulled out your information sheet. "You had written 'to be decided' earlier this year."

           You bit your lip.

           "Are you still undecided?"

           You looked down. "Yes..."

           Mr. Bang smiled. "Great."

           You glanced up, surprised at his response. "Great?"

           "Y/N. Have you ever thought 'Wow, I wish something like this fight simulation and robotics club could become a career'?"

           You blinked, "Yeah, actually."

           He grinned. "Well, it can be."

           "Really?" Your heart fluttered excitedly.

           "Have you ever heard of Big Hit Agency?"

           "Um no..."

           "Good, 'cause it's a secret agency." he laughed.

           "A secret?"

           "Y/N." Mr. Bang leaned in closer. "Would you like to be trained to become a secret agent?"  

            Your grin widened and your eyes lit up brightly. It dawned on you immediately. This was it. This was exactly what you had been searching for, what you wanted to do with your life. You wanted to gain the power to protect others, and make the world a far better place than the one you had experienced, without needing to be tied to one place for too long.

           You were going to become a secret agent.

           So you packed your bags, and went to Big Hit Agency's training sect in your city, disguised as a small college. It was 4 years of intensive training, and once you "graduated", you would be assigned a career in the agency, based on your performance and rankings cumulatively from all 4 years. And it was run similarly to a college. You stayed in dormitories, had to go to class, and participated in fun competitions and events, except they were far cooler than regular colleges. Your classes consisted of hand-to-hand combat training, weapons training, fighting simulations, robotics & invention seminars, piloting aircraft lessons, and Survival 101. The competitions were a wide array of combative tournaments in various specializations such as archery, shooting, robot fighting, etc. Every day was a dream. And coincidentally, Tae and Jimin also were invited by Mr. Bang to join the agency, which made the experience all the more enjoyable for all of you.

           And you hadn't thought of Yoongi, your first love, the boyfriend that had humiliated you and broke your heart all on the same day, for years. No, you didn't become an undercover agent just so you could become someone new, someone different, someone better. You didn't graduate at the top of your training class to prove to him that, unlike what he had said back in high school, you were worth it, you were enough, you had something to offer.

           And yet, when you finally convinced yourself that you had escaped his hold on you; that you were going to step into the new world of being a secret agent, filled with adventures, thrills, and challenges, there he appeared, tauntingly flashing his gummy smile as you entered the room with the rest of your training class. How you had spotted him amongst the crowd of graduates from various training sects, you had no idea. But you felt yourself sink back in line, praying you were hallucinating and praying you two would never have to cross paths, because there were sheer thousands of training agents and only limited spots in the most coveted division of the agency-- the SA -- the Special Agent Division. The SA was specifically reserved for the most promising agents of the highest caliber, because this division was in charge of taking on the most advanced, and highly secretive and sensitive cases and investigations. These agents were always on the field, putting their skills to the test in life-or-death situations. But why was Min Yoongi here out of all places?

           "Y/N."

           Your name being called out by an official at the podium pulled you out of your thoughts. Your class separated to make a path for you to walk to the stage. You had missed the entire shpeal leading up to your name being called, but you could only assume you were getting recognition for being the top training agent in your class. You kept your eyes peeled forward, fighting back the urge to check Yoongi's reaction to your presence, not wanting him to know that you were already aware of his. Smiling brightly, you stood beside the official with your head held high and your shoulders back confidently.

           "I am proud to announce that Y/N of Class #1 has unanimously been chosen to be part of the Special Agents Division, for her outstanding performance in all training modules. Please give her a round of applause!"  

           You grinned happily and your eyes briefly flitted to where Yoongi was. He was wearing a stunned expression. Your eyes locked with his, but you averted hurriedly, heart beating wildly.

           "And unprecedentedly, the SA has chosen her partner among the other accepted training agents, for they both had achieved perfect scores on all simulations and training modules. We look forward to cultivating their amazing potential. Without further ado, her partner is none other than, Class #9's resident genius, Min Yoongi!"

           Your eyes widened in pure shock, and your ears seemed to drown out the thunderous applause that erupted from the announcement. Yoongi, with his irritatingly disarming grin, made his way towards you, eyes never leaving yours until he positioned himself next to you.

           As was custom when receiving your life long agent partner, you both turned to face each other and bowed deeply. Then you extended your hand boldly, and his slotted into yours gently, as it once had many years ago. He smiled warmly and squeezed your hand.

           "Long time no see, Y/N."

PART 1