This City Is No Place for Goldfish [BTS Fanfic] 1.3

Jin-ho

"𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗲 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁."

Y/n blinked. Looked down.

A kid stood there, maybe nine or ten.

Ragged cap. Mismatched slippers. Popsicle stick in his mouth like he was some mafia boss in training.

She blinked again.

Y/n

Excuse me?

He looked her up and down like she was a walking embarrassment.

Jin-ho

You from Seoul?

He asked, like it was a slur.

Y/n

... yes?

Jin-ho

Figures. You look like someone who ironed their socks.

Y/n

I did not iron my—why are you even—?

Jin-ho

And you talk weird. Like a teacher. Or a tax office.

She exhaled sharply.

Y/n

Okay, listen—

Jin-ho

Also, you're holding the map upside down.

Y/n

... what?

He rolled his eyes so hard it looked painful. Then snatched the paper from her hand and flipped it around with a dramatic sigh.

Jin-ho

There. North is that way. You're walking straight into the market dumpsters, not the residential side.

She blinked again, heat creeping up her neck.

Y/n

... I see.

The kid clicked his tongue and started walking away.

Y/n

Wait! Can you show me the way to this address?

She held out a slip of paper. He glanced at it, then made a face.

Jin-ho

That's past the billiards bar. Near the boss's place.

Y/n

Boss?

He paused. The smiled — wide and wicked.

Jin-ho

You'll see.

And then—

"Jin-ho! Don't be rude to strangers! "

A shout cracked the air. A second later, an old woman appeared form between hanging laundry and fish crates like some mythical boss of the block.

Tiny. Wrinkled. Curlers still in her hair.

But the way everyone else moved out her way made it very clear:

𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁.

The kid — apparently Jin-ho — immediately dropped the attitude.

Jin-ho

I was just helping her, Halmeoni.

The halmeoni didn't buy it.

She walked up to Y/n, squinting her eyes.

Halmeoni

You lost? You look lost. You smell lost.

Y/n smiled nervously.

Y/n

A little. I'm looking for this address.

She handed her the slip. The halmeoni glanced at it once.

Halmeoni

Ah. Near the billiards bar. Yoongi's side of the neighborhood.

Y/n

... Yoongi?

Halmeoni

Tch. That rascal. Always smoking and scaring people. Don't worry, he's only dangerous on Thursdays.

Y/n

... it's Thursday.

Halmeoni

Oh. Then walk fast.

She turned on her heel and shouted,

Halmeoni

Come! I'll show you the shortcut.

Y/n hurried after her, map crumpled in hand, while Jin-ho trailed behind chewing a second popsicle like he was watching a comedy show.