Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Stepping into the cold warehouse, I subconsciously felt myself step closer to Jungkook as we trailed behind Taehyung. My heart was having trouble beating in this eerie location. The side of the city we live in was not the safest to begin with. I was used to growing up hearing the wailing of police sirens, violent shouting in the streets past midnight, and running home before sundown or else. It's never been my intention to get involved in this type of stuff, but Taehyung and Jungkook really wanted me to join. We're all first years at SuChin high school and we all met at orientation. Ever since that day we've become friends and share English class together. After a while, I knew Taehyung had involved himself in something that wasn't legal. Then one day he asked us to join the gang he had entered in.

"The guys are really cool! They all look out for each other and it's really fun," Taehyung said with a grin. He was sitting backwards in his seat, talking to the both of us before class started.

"I don't know...why are you even in it?" I asked to see him shrug.

"We've all got our reasons." He looked at Jungkook who seemed to be deep in thought. We stared at him silently before he began nodding with a small smile.

"Yeah, I'm up for it. I need something new." Jungkook immediately high fived Taehyung to my dismay. This didn't sound like a good idea at all.

"Jeon Jungkook!" I frowned. I was technically older than all of them despite being in the same grade. They knew I didn't approve, but they sadly didn't care.

"You're no fun, Hyung." Jungkook tossed a mechanical pencil in the air. "Come on. Taehyung says it's fun."

"Thank you! Besides, Jimin, we never get caught. We're smart about things, but we need more people if we want to be more creative." Taehyung lowered his voice before speaking again, "After school, follow me."

"You're coming!" Jungkook grinned as Taehyung nodded enthusiastically. I didn't disagree any further than that. They were my friends, so I trusted them, but I still wasn't too keen on the idea.

When the school day ended, and it came time to follow Taehyung, I was nervous to no end. I wanted to trust him, but he never mentioned where we were going. The main thing that created my fear about joining the gang was the possibility of it messing up my chances to become a dancer. Not that I had any chances. Classes costed money and I have none of that. My parents can't afford it and it's just a stupid dream I have anyway. It's embarrassing to dance in public, but I felt like placing myself in an environment where everyone is there to learn dance is meant for me. Not that Jungkook or Taehyung will ever know. No one will know. It's stupid. I'm not even that good.

"Where are we going?" I whined as we followed Taehyung down the train tracks.

"Somewhere!" He laughed. That's the same answer he's been giving me during this whole time.

"Don't worry, Jimin-a. You know this side of the city. We're heading toward the abandoned old places," Jungkook said while balancing himself on one of the rails, placing one foot in front of the other with ease.

"Yeah..." I sighed with no satisfaction. I was able to figure that much out all on my own, but I needed more information. Taehyung kept walking happily, humming a tune as the gravel crunched beneath his feet.

The walk took almost half an hour and that led us all to the warehouse. We all stood in front of the haunting building. It left a shiver running down my spine as I stared at it. The windows looked like empty cold eyes, the mouth being the large door frame that felt like a portal into darkness. There was a lot of trash around the site and construction supplies that were never used. Taehyung gave us a giant smile, showing me the happy memories he's must have formed at this place. It was the exact opposite of how I was feeling. I never imagined a horrifying place could be someone's salvation.

"I found this place for the gang. I'm very proud of it so please respect it." Taehyung walked forward into the warehouse. Jungkook followed after while I hesitated. Though trash remained stuck in the little nature there was around here and it being an abandoned location, I could almost see it the way Taehyung did. I'd like to see this place through his eyes. If the chipping paint was freshly coated to him and if the sky was bluer or the sun was brighter. If the air was fresher and lighter.

That's how we're here now. My feelings have slightly changed over the situation, but I was still unsure. I promised myself at this moment to still keep my basic morals. Things might change for me now that I've entered inside this large vicinity, but I can't let who I really am slip away. I came here for Taehyung and Jungkook. Once we came into the warehouse, I noticed a large portion of the roof wasn't completed. Light from the sun came down onto a specific area in the building. There was a table with five seats and two of them were filled. I felt my body freeze right away to know that we weren't alone.

"Hey guys! I brought them!" Taehyung waved at them.

One of the guys facing away from us turned around to see what Taehyung had brought. He appeared tall in his seat, setting himself in high power while the other slouched. His hair was parted slightly to the left with one side swooping over the left, but not blocking his face. It was colored purple while the other had red hair. The purple haired man stood up and eyed us down. Glancing at Jungkook, he was responding with a smile. With everything going on so fast, I didn't know how to react. So, I behaved like I usually would.

"Hello, my name is Park Jimin! Please take care of us." I quickly bowed my head to hear him scoff.

"We'll need two more chairs!" The red head grinned in excitement. "I'm Jung Hoseok."

"Jeon Jungkook." The black-haired male next to me bowed.

"Kim Namjoon." The purple haired man walked over to us. I had calmed down slightly, but the atmosphere still felt so intense. "Relax, we're not a dangerous gang. We're just helping each other out and getting easy money doing jobs. Just don't ask if they're legal or not and you'll be good."

"Sounds good." Jungkook laughed at the joke while Taehyung looked so happy about us finally meeting his other close friends.

Suddenly the tension in the room was dissipating into thin air. I felt like it was easier to breathe and that I didn't have to prepare myself to run. They didn't appear to be the criminals I'd thought they'd be. Then again, Taehyung did say kind things about them. Maybe things won't be so bad. Smiling back at everyone in the room, it all felt good. Then I heard two voices coming in from a hallway near the table Jung Hoseok was sitting at. Two men came out, one with a friendly face and the other looking distant. The friendlier male had light pink hair while the colder one had black hair with dark green streaks.

"Hey Seokjin, Yoongi. We got two new ones," Kim Namjoon called out at them. "They're gonna make things run a lot smoother." He grinned at the two, but the green streaks ignored us as he walked over to the table.

"We'll see," He replied. The other one on the other hand walked up to us with his hands in his pockets. Jungkook and I bowed first before he did too.

"I'm Kim Seokjin. It's hard to forget my name when you've got a face like this." He smirked while Namjoon laughed at disbelief at his friend's words. It appeared as if everyone was used to this from him. I was a bit surprised from how bold his statement was.

"Ah, this is great! Now you've met everyone." Taehyung hugged Jungkook and I. "You guys came just in time. We have a deal going on tonight."

"A deal?" Jungkook and I asked, but with very different tones.

"It'll be easy." Namjoon cracked his neck to let out a satisfying sigh. "You have the crate ready, Seokjin?"

"It's loaded in the car," He said in a much more serious tone. Yoongi and Hoseok immediately got up from their seats and started walking over towards us. It all became intimidating again.

Taehyung pulled out a piece of paper with a written address and random numbers on it. They started working together on how the plan would go down to make sure no one would get caught or hurt. I stared in awe as Namjoon told everyone their actions for tonight with complete confidence. It was admirable, and I could see more of what Taehyung saw in this place and the members. My hesitation was still rooted in me though. Jungkook nudged my shoulder and stepped into the circle, asking what his job was for tonight. Then our jobs were assigned for as long as the gang was together.

Kim Namjoon was of course, the leader. I couldn't imagine him being anything besides that. Kim Seokjin was the get-away driver that had a large truck we could all fit into. Min Yoongi knew how to get our supply and was considered second in command if anything were to happen to Namjoon or if he wasn't around. Jung Hoseok was the distraction for the gang that could also ease tension if one of their deals got aggressive. I was set as spy since I was light on my feet and small as they put it. Kim Taehyung handled setting up the deals and finding new buyers. Jeon Jungkook was then set as the muscle for any needed situation.

It felt strange to be put in a team to sell drugs or just vandalize city property for fun. Taehyung found it thrilling though and had a giant duffle bag full of spray paint in the warehouse. Jungkook was trying to fit in and looked happy with his progress with the other members. When we first met him, he was extremely introverted, but Taehyung managed to make him come out of that. I was trying to get used to my new life after school now. My parents wouldn't need to know and at least I had my friends with me. Plus, the other members went to the same school as me.

After tonight, our first job apparently went the smoothest its ever been. Namjoon split the money fairly to my surprise. I would have expected him to give more money to the older members and barely give some to Jungkook and I. Instead, he kindly handed us a generous sum from the deal. It never occurred to me that drugs could be so expensive. It was a shocking amount and an idea came to mind when the money landed into my hands. What if I continued this and eventually got enough money to take dance classes? This could possibly help me. I could actually have a chance.

Seokjin drove us all home so we didn't have to wander around this dangerous side unarmed. Taehyung wouldn't stop talking about tonight and Jungkook occasionally made some comments. All I did was stare out the window into the sky, thinking about my new future. I didn't quite know how life would go on for me, but this gang might be able to help me. It was at that moment that I realized something. Our side of town could be seen as scary and the warehouse appeared that way to me. Dark, cold, and mysterious. The same could be said for the night time. I paid attention to the night sky, thinking on the fact that despite it being like a dark vacuum, it was still a beautiful sight to see. Its mesmerizing stars that only appear when times get 'scary' and the glowing moon watching over us protectively. This must be what Taehyung sees. It's beautiful.

Chapter Text

Ch.2

It's been two weeks since your first day at school. Ever since that day, you've made attempts to become friends with some people. The ones you thought were kind enough at least. The last thing you wanted was to befriend someone dangerous because you were desperate. So far, the girls were kind of rude or had no intention in befriending you. Talking to guys was harder. Taehyung was really nice, but that's probably as far as you'll get. He's just friendly. The last option that you were looking for was Park Jimin. You always tried your best to talk to him during class. People have started to stare at you now and scoff all the time. The same wasn't for Jimin. People stared at him until he looked up then they quickly looked down. It was similar to how people behaved around Jungkook and Taehyung. It was kind of weird.

Either way, you kept pursuing Jimin with questions or just chatting to be with him whenever possible. It came to the point that whenever Ms. Lee-nim tells everyone to find partners, he looks at you right away. That means a lot of progress had been made! You're his go-to partner now which is really cool. He's super nice and fun to be silly around. You haven't completely gotten out of your shell with him, so you knew he was about the same. The two of you could joke around, but not like close friends would. That was going to be changing today! It's been two weeks and you want a friend already. Park Jimin, get ready!

"Walking around the track is kind of pointless," Jimin mumbled. Ms. Lee-nim ordered everyone to walk two laps around the track before it was possible to dress out. Everyone was walking with their friends and you managed to get Jimin to talk to you once again.

"Definitely." You agreed, taking a large step forward to get in front of him. Jimin glanced at you with a playful stare and took an even larger step. Is this how it's going to be? With a large grin on your face, you lowered yourself into a squat and took two large steps. It would have been the weirdest thing for people to witness you walking like that, but Jimin laughed.

"What was that?" He questioned with a big smile, combing his hair with his fingers.

"That's how I always walk." You suppress a giggle.

"Sure." Jimin shook his head. Most classes felt boring, but there was something exciting about physical education. You had a possible friend in this class. That was thrilling to think about.

Pulling out your phone, you checked what the time was. Teacher's didn't care about phones here. They were out no matter how much they took them away. You never made such a large distraction to the point a teacher got upset with you, but you certainly enjoyed how relaxed things were here. Most students would play music on their phones while they walked and that's what you were going to do. Jimin and you were almost done with your second lap and class was almost over. Ms. Lee-nim wasn't paying attention to her students, so you quickly played the first song on your playlist without headphones on. As soon as the song started to play, Jimin turned to look at what was causing the song to be heard.

"No headphones? Don't let Ms. Lee hear," Jimin warned.

"It's fine. She doesn't care about us anyway." You skipped in front of him as the song got to the chorus. It was an idol song that you had learned the dance to. This was your step forward in your friendship with him! Casually embarrassing yourself in front of them was such a friend thing to do. It was the song 'No No No' by Apink. "I learned this dance!" You giggled as you did a few of the moves.

By this time, everyone was getting off the track to go change. You did your best to do the moves in front of him. It's not like you were great at dancing. Your whole body was stiff, you were holding back, and you were occasionally off beat. Jimin laughed at your random show but became quiet as he watched you try. It got too embarrassing, so you stopped, but the music kept playing on your phone. You gave him a small smile, hoping that he didn't notice how pink your face must have been.

"You know the dance?" You asked, not expecting him to just pull out the moves. Instead Jimin just shrugged now that the attention was on him. He looked down at his feet silently, think about something. By the time the second chorus came around, Jimin looked up and repeated the same moves you had done. Just a whole lot better!

Jimin stepped to the left with his right foot, constantly swaying side to side as he kept pointing right. He had good control over his body, knowing what was just right to not make the dance feel robotic or overdone. He repeated the move on the right before turning back to face you again, shimming forward to each 'la la' in the song. You continued watching in awe as he pushed his right hand upward and then clapped his hands together. For a second, you thought Jimin was going to perform the rest of the song, but he immediately stopped. He became shy within a second.

"That was bad." He tried to hide his face as he got off the track.

"What? Not from what I saw!" You caught up with him. "Park Jimin, that was amazing! It was a heck of a lot better than whatever I could do."

"You're too kind." Jimin's face heated up from your compliments. What was he so nervous about? He's so talented!

"It's the truth," You kept saying. Jimin thanked you and you were going to continue talking to him about what just happened until Ms. Lee-nim shouted at you.

"Kwon (F/n)! Don't follow your male classmate into the boys' changing room." She gave you a judgmental glare.

"Oh! Sorry!!" Your face turned bright red as you ran away from that area. That was not your intention at all. You didn't even notice you were following him in there. At least no one saw. Just Ms. Lee-nim, but she probably has her ideas about you now. Great.

Today you followed your schedule one last time. Eating lunch alone and just doing your work in the rest of the classes you had left. Tomorrow, Jimin and you will be talking during breaks and everything! You didn't have that great of friends from where you used to live. Their parents purposely bought them clothes worth more than they could actually afford to seem well off. They were always busy with school from morning to night. Everything here felt more relaxed. No one was trying to be popular here which was nice. They were all real people. Who've probably been in a fist fight at least once in their lives.

As the school day finished, you rushed out to the front of the school gates. If you wanted to catch Jimin before he left, this was mandatory. It's not like he's expecting you to wait for him. It would be easy to spot him anyway since he has bright orange hair. Getting on your tip toes, you viewed over the heads of students walking out. None of them were the one you wanted to see. It wasn't until ten minutes of waiting that a boy with orange hair was walking out of the school building. Perfect! Running towards him, you pushed past the students to get to him. By the time you get Jimin to become your friend, everyone else in school will hate you for being annoying. Worth it.

"Jimin!" You waved at him. He looked around for the source of the voice before his eyes finally landed on you.

"(F/n)!" He said like it was a delightful surprise.

"Good! I wanted to talk to you before you left school." You got closer to him.

"Okay, it'll just have to be quick since I have to go somewhere after school," Jimin replied with a slightly nervous voice. It was like he was on edge now that school was out. He made a few glances over his shoulder, having trouble giving you his undivided attention.

"Got it. I just wanted to ask if you dance outside of school? Like do you take classes?" You tilted your head. At the mention of dance, he was fully in the conversation now. It must be something important to him. It has to be if he was so good at it.

"Oh, no. I don't have the money for the classes." Jimin sighed wistfully. "Besides, I just do it for fun."

"Really? Because you're really good at it! While you were dancing, it felt like you've never been more honest with me. It was the best thing I've ever seen," You assured him. "It's okay if it's just for fun, but if you wanted to take classes or pursue it professionally, you definitely should!"

"...(F/n)." Jimin stared at you with a gentle gaze. There was something in his eyes that proved to you how grateful he was. Dance has to be special to him. "Thank y—"

"Jimin-a." A male came by. He was taller, paler, and had a look of distaste for you. You shut your mouth right away. The atmosphere changed drastically as he swung his arm of Jimin's shoulder. It didn't come off as a friendly way either. "You'll be late. Did you forget?"

"Ah, no I didn't! Don't worry, Yoongi hyung. I was just talking to a classmate really quick." Jimin avoided your gaze. Whoever this Yoongi was, he was frightening. He came off like a gang member.

"I'm Kwon (F/n), fir—" You began introducing yourself, but he cut you off.

"I don't care." His cold hard stare was enough to make you quit your attempts. He had mint green hair, dyed a bright color like Jimin's. Instead of wearing the school uniform's jacket, he wore his own greyish-green coat. "Jimin's busy."

"Sorry, (F/n). I have to go now." Jimin frowned as Yoongi pushed him forward.

It was disheartening to see your conversation go down like this. Plus, you were baffled by Yoongi's presence and why he was so hostile towards you. All you were doing was talking to Jimin about dance. Harmless! As you watched them get closer to the gate, you noticed two familiar males catching up with them. Narrowing your eyes on them, it was the two boys who sat in front of you in math class. Jungkook and Taehyung. They all seemed pretty well acquainted with each other. Did they always leave school together? With a heavy sigh, you looked around to see a few students watching them leave. Some even muttered Yoongi's name. Was he that infamous?

"He's so scary."

"He's the real threat in the gang."

"Does he think he's all that? He's not even the leader."

Furrowing your brows at the comments being said, you slowly walked out of school. Since the school was used to criminal activity, some students didn't give a crap about Yoongi. Others wouldn't push his buttons for their own safety. You also hear the word gang and leader. What does that imply about Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung? Is that why some people try to hard to avoid those guys? That could be the reason. No wonder so many people judge you for talking to them. They're seeing you interact with delinquents. If that's the case, that is.

The thought of Jimin being in a gang was a shock and didn't sound plausible. There's no way someone as sweet and as gentle as him could participate in anything like that. Taehyung felt like an odd member too. Then Jungkook was talkative to his friend but kept to himself when Taehyung wasn't around. Yoongi was believable, but you had no idea the reasons on why the others would do that. As much as you wanted to find out everything, it wasn't exactly your place to do so. Tomorrow, you'll just talk to Jimin like normal. It'll be like nothing ever happened. Yoongi did put a dent in your plans of befriending Jimin though. Guess you'll have to extend it by one more day.

And so when that day came, you were ready for psychical education class. It was the day after the little incident. You came into Mr. Pyo-nim's classroom, impatient for the day to begin. Jimin and you will be friends for sure! Falling down into your seat was the first step of passing the time. A couple minutes more and then class will start. Just write down what Mr. Pyo-nim writes down on the board and class will be over. Next thing you know, you'll be talking to Jimin during stretches and boom! Friends! That's certainly how its going to work. Glancing at the clock, not even a minute went by. This is going to be painful.

"Oh (F/n)! We noticed that you pissed off Yoongi." Taehyung was facing you in his seat. "What'd you do?"

"Taehyung, stop." Jungkook stared at the both of you.

"It's fine." Taehyung lightly pushed Jungkook's shoulder. He came back to you with a curious smile. "We didn't know you had been hanging out with Jimin. He's our friend! Jungkook and I have English with him."

"Really?" You tilted your head. Some of your suspicions have been answered. "Yeah, Jimin and I have physical education together."

"So you're the girl he's been talking about! I knew it," Taehyung said. "He's been mentioning someone at lunch and then after school—"

"Don't say too much." Jungkook kicked Taehyung's leg. The silver haired male didn't hesitate to harshly glare at the brunette.

"Aish! Don't be annoying. I'm not saying anything else." Taehyung smacked his friend's arm.

Class started when this conversation finished. You were expecting Taehyung to turn back to you, but he didn't. He made sure to face Mr. Pyo-nim so he wouldn't have to be scolded for the seventeenth time this week. Taehyung had trouble paying attention to the lessons being taught. Jungkook didn't care to pay attention while you tried your best to. This time though, it was hard to focus in class. What did Taehyung mean? So far you've made Yoongi upset, Jimin might have been talking about you, and they all go somewhere after school. All of it left you with more questions than answers. It was getting frustrating to deal with. What did you get yourself into?

Class came to an end and you were rubbing your temples because of it. Students were getting up from their seats to wander off. Feeling slower today, you sluggishly shoved your notebooks into your bag. Jungkook and Taehyung got up to leave as well. Putting the strap over your shoulder as you got up from your seat, you watched as Jungkook pushed Taehyung out the door. A small white piece of paper fell from Taehyung's pocket, landing lightly on the floor. The two boys had already left by the time you called out their names. A tiny strip of paper. Was it important? Bending down to pick it up, you read an address and a list of numbers. What did it all mean? Things only continued to get more baffling with them.

Chapter Text

Ch.1

No one likes to switch schools. Especially when you had just started high school where your parents had lived. The thing was, you wanted to grow independent from them. They allowed you to live in a small apartment with your older sibling, but you had to continue school. The place they lived at wasn't necessarily the safest part of town. It almost made you rethink your decision, especially since the high school didn't have the highest graduation rate. As long as you attended enough school days, you could pass. You're a 1st year entering SuChin high school a few months in. Your sibling had promised to take well care of you, but they were rarely ever at the apartment. They were constantly working and studying at their university's library.

Though most people don't like to switch schools, you were kind of excited. Not for the chance of meeting scary students, but just being a new setting. Your parents weren't sure at first to let you go off so soon. Eventually, they thought it would be better for you to grow as a person. That's where you are now. Sliding your foot into your outdoor shoes, you tapped them lightly on the ground to make them more comfortable. Today was the day. First day at SuChin! Opening the front door took a bit of force. It could sometimes get stuck, but that's okay. You made sure to lock the door behind you before rushing down the narrow stairs of the apartment.

The street to your high school was a low grade down. Just walking past the tightly packed cars was a bit worrying. It felt like they'd all start rolling forward at any second. Gripping the straps of your backpack, you continued on your way. The buildings had cracks on them, the streets were small, and you couldn't help but glance over your shoulder a few times. It seems like something you'll have to grow accustom to. School wasn't that far away so that was good. It made you feel a little better about having to walk to school every day.

When you arrived at the school, you pulled out the schedule they had sent you previously. It was all the classes you would be taking here. Your classroom was D-1 and the first subject was mathematics. How fun. Folding up the paper, you made your way to the classroom after asking a few people for directions. Some were already staring as you looked around. The 'new girl' smell must be strong on you. It took you a while to find your homeroom, but you were here now! You were about to step in until a voice behind you caught your attention.

"Kwon (F/n)?" A male voice asked. Turning around to face them, they were a lot older than you were expecting. You figured that they would be your teacher after putting two and two together.

"Hello. Yes, that's me." You bowed your head.

"Great. You'll be taking the seat behind that gentleman over there in the last row. Second seat from the left," He said with a small smile. "I'm Mr. Pyo."

"Thank you, Mr. Pyo-nim." You nodded and walked over to where he had directed you. Once you stepped into the classroom, you took everything in quickly. Students had there things everywhere and didn't keep their workspace tidy. Desks were huddled and moved from their original spaces. It almost felt unbelievable.

Setting your backpack on the hook of your desk, you sat down slowly. The classroom looked like a mess. You continued to eye the place with a raised brow of disbelief. It was puzzling how authority here wasn't that strong. The two boys in front of you were talking loudly, specifically one that had his hair dyed silver. Wasn't that against the dress code? It felt like you were the only one wearing your uniform correctly. Your hair was tied back into a ponytail and you wore absolutely no makeup like your last school had made you do it. No one in here cared. It was strange.

"Oh, are you new?" The male was facing you now. He was grinning at you while his friend remained quiet. His brunette friend was quite attractive that you were almost at a loss for words. "I'm Kim Taehyung."

"Kwon (F/n)." You gave him a weak smile, looking away from his friend who sat diagonal of you. They were both attractive. It almost made you feel embarrassed to be bare skinned like this. Maybe you'll wear makeup tomorrow. This school doesn't seem to mind. "It's nice to meet you."

"Are you from here?" He immediately asked, curiously staring at you. His friend just doodled on his own notebook, ignoring the conversation.

"No. I used to live like forty minutes away from this place but moved here." You shrugged.

"Ah, that's cool." Taehyung gave you a square like smile and it was pretty infectious. "This is my friend, Jungkook! Introduce yourself."

"...I'm Jeon Jungkook. Nice to meet you." Jungkook gave his friend a look before turning his direction to you. He didn't seem to be interested in having a conversation with you. That was understandable. Just having Taehyung talk to you was a surprise. You've never met anyone so outgoing. It was incredibly refreshing from everyone else you've ever met.

Jungkook turned away, returning to his notebook that had plenty of unfinished drawings. They were really good, and you wanted to comment on that, but Taehyung spoke before you had the chance.

"This school is boring unless you met the fun people—" Taehyung rested his chin on the back of his chair.

"Class is starting. Return your desks back to normal. Kim Taehyung, turn around." Mr. Pyo-nim demanded as he pushed up his glasses. His tone was a lot different from when he first talked to you. Everyone in class was slowly putting themselves together. They were either groaning now that class was starting or loudly chatting to the people around them.

"I think this city is fun. Especially at night," Taehyung said, the last part leaving you with a bit of mystery. Was it even safe to wander around at night?

"Kim Taehyung." The teacher repeated with a sterner voice.

"Yes, Mr. Pyo." Taehyung begrudgingly turned around in his seat. He even addressed his teacher without proper respect. Mr. Pyo-nim didn't flinch or react. This school continued to surprise you with how it let itself run.

No students laughed and ignored the presence of the two in the back. Why? Taehyung had the charisma to charm even a rock. No girls were even swooning over the two. At least not publicly. Well, it doesn't matter. Class was starting, and you were already pulling out your new notebook. It already had mathematics labeled on it. Plus, a cute little hamster sticker on it. As you dug your hand in your bag to find a pencil, not a single one popped up. No matter how far you reached in your bag or how worriedly you searched. The first day and you don't even have a pencil? Biting your lip, you automatically felt the day go bad. And you were so excited for today too.

"Here." Jungkook leaned out of his seat to hand you a black mechanical pencil. He set it down gently on your desk and you didn't know how to respond. Did he see your distress? "Give it to me when you're done."

"Thank you..." You nodded. Gosh, you were grateful. You also couldn't believe that you almost let having no pencils ruin your day. That's just dramatic.

Taehyung had noticed Jungkook's kind gesture and gave him a thumbs up. It appeared like Taehyung was just having fun with life. He only needed his friend around him and he'd be set. Hopefully you could become friends with him. You'd imagine that he'd be a friend you'd never forget. Class went on and you got used to the way things were. Everything was a lot more relaxed than you were used to, but you could follow along.

As the day went on, you switched classes. The second class of the day was physical education which you weren't too crazy about. It's not like you were ever athletic. All they ever did was make you run laps and that's it. The uniform for physical education was nothing more than a grey t-shirt and navy-blue shorts. Everyone gathered in their uniforms, lining up in front of their teachers. You stood alone in the crooked line. People already had their friends and you were kind of intimidated by a lot of them.

Staring at everyone outside on the grass, a certain boy caught your attention. His hair was dyed too. Bright orange which made him stand out in the field. No one else was around him as he sat on the ground, pulling grass out from the ground. You couldn't quite get a good look at him, but you found it interesting to see the dress code be completely disregarded. Suddenly, the boy lifted his head and made direct eye contact with you. Gosh, you were staring again! You snapped your head in a different direction, trying your best to ignore your warm cheeks from embarrassment.

Is this school year going to be full of awkward memories involving boys? That'd be way too weird. Just from that quick look, you instantly noticed his handsome features. It's like this school purposely brought them all here to be tortuous. To be honest, you've never even had a male friend so just thinking about anything more was too much for you. Now that you were in a new school, you wanted to make new friends. Whether they were a girl or not, someone to just goof around with. Keeping to yourself gets boring after some time.

"Kwon (F/n)?" The teacher called out loudly, holding their clipboard tightly.

"Present!" You broke out of your thoughts. Attendance was being taken so you made sure to get in the 'line' the students were making. That's when you took notice of the orange haired male tossing the ripped roots aside to stand up. He made his way to the same line you were in. Was he in your class? More names were getting called and students responded in seconds. It sounded like a steady heartbeat. Name? Here. Name? Here. Name? Here.

"Park Jimin?" Teacher sighed, and the rhythm disappeared. As if the heart skipped a beat until he responded with a light, "Here." He looked tough yet gentle. Again, you caught yourself staring. He looked at you with an addled expression.

"Okay, pick a partner for stretches." Ms. Lee-nim lowered her clipboard. She kept a bored gaze as she watched everyone partner up. You looked around for anyone left, but you might be too late. Everyone with a partner was already sitting on the ground with them. "Kwon (F/n), partner with Park Jimin." She let out an annoyed grunt. Widening your eyes, you turned back to face Jimin who was standing alone. He was staring at the ground until he gave you a quick glance.

"Yes..." You inched closer to the male and sat down with him. Despite him looking like he had a small frame, he did have an athletic build.

Ms. Lee-nim told everyone the basic warm up stretches for today's class. Everyone would be running laps today. Lovely. Facing back to your partner, Jimin was already starting without you. He had his right leg out and was leaning over, making contact between his chest and knee.

"You're really flexible," You stated in awe. He turned to give you a modest smile. Instantly, you followed his actions. With your right leg out, you leaned forward but could only get so far. While he was completely flat, you were hovering a few inches away. "Aw man, this as far as I can go."

"That's really good," Jimin spoke with his soothing voice. You don't know why he came off so threatening at first. He was so sweet. "As long as you continue stretching, you'll get more flexible."

"Noted." You switched over to your left as he did. The both of you stayed that way until it was time for the actual partner stretch. You had to spread your legs as much as you and he had to do the same against yours. Jimin grabbed your wrists, slowly pulling your forward. It forced you to stretch your hamstrings. "Oh, I hate this."

"Just breathe. Is this as far as you can go?" He asked.

"Yes!" You frowned to have him release you. Letting out a giant sigh of relief, it came to his turn. You did what he had done, grabbing his wrists and leaning back to pull him forward. As you continued leaning back, you were worried about hurting him. He never once told you to stop. Next thing you know, you were laying flat on your back with Jimin actually touching the ground. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yeah," He said like it was no problem. How was he this flexible!?

Once the stretches were over, it was time to run on the track. He was a lot faster than you were, so it was hard to catch up. You wanted to talk to him some more though it didn't look like you would be able to do that anytime soon. It left you a little sad that your stretches were your only interactions with each other. Everyone you've met so far were interesting, but you haven't talked to them enough to sit with them a lunch. Class ended quicker than you thought it would. You dressed out, ate lunch by yourself, and went off to your next class. They weren't quite as eventful as your first few.

When the final bell rang, and the school day finished, you knew everyone wasn't hurrying off to a cram school. There probably wasn't even one anywhere here. Tossing your strap over your shoulder, you walked on home by yourself. Not even the crowd of loud students lived in your direction. It was a lonely walk up the small hill you lived on, not that you noticed. Surprisingly, your mind has been on your mathematics class and physical education class. The boys you've met today have left quite the impression on you. Arriving home, you took off your shoes and put on your slippers to walk into your bedroom. You completed all the homework you were given today, ate dinner by yourself, and called it a night.

Laying in your bed, you stared up at the ceiling with those boys still in your head. Why were they on your mind so much? It wasn't even a crush or anything like that. Something in you told you it was something more. What does that even mean though? Do they know each other? Closing your eyes tightly, you just wanted to sleep already. Hearing the front door slam, you opened them again to see the light underneath your door come crawling in. So your sister is home. That means it must be late.

"Agh, just fall asleep, (F/n)." You shoved your face into your pillow.

Chapter Text

  Ch.3

This piece of paper has to be a sign. Fate is trying to tell you that you're linked to these guys somehow. For better or worse, you don't know. The things written on it were mysterious. What even was this address? You looked it up on your phone and it was really south of the neighborhood you lived at. It was almost an hour away which made it less tempting to go to. It's not like your sister would get home early and worry about you. Homework could wait. Even if your sister showed up, she'd be too tired to even look at your room door. She'll pass out on her bed and that's the end of that story. You're good to go so what are you afraid of?

The chance of getting involved in criminal activity.

That's actually a reasonable thing to be afraid of. You also wanted to figure what was going on with some students at your school. Particularly your friend, Jimin. It's normal to worry. If the two of you were actually friends that is. The two of you are friends in class, but outside of class shows a different side. It was the unfortunate truth at the moment. You had thought about showing up to the address for a long time. If you went later, you'd get there by night time and you might end up dead. What if they don't show up? What are they doing there? This little piece of paper didn't help at all to your puzzle. Instead it felt like a piece to a completely different problem.

No matter how long you thought about it, you were already at the location. Without thinking, you immediately went over to where the paper told you to go. If you had gone home first, you would not have come. You made the reckless decision of showing up to this ominous location. When you had arrived, you took note of how narrow the streets were. Tall brick buildings sat next to each other, looking like the perfect factory for thugs and illegal products to come out of. Older men eyed you as you hurried into the tiny alley way. You were walking for a while until it came to an opening. It led to a space where the backdoors of all the buildings were pointing at.

Then the faint sound of a car engine made your heart race. Are they here? Is it time to figure out what's going on? It's not like you can go back now. You ran into a narrow space and hid behind an old trash can. There was a fire escape above you, but you didn't have time to get a good view of the situation. One of the doors to the buildings was kicked open as the sun was setting. A group of five men came out to the center and your eyes widened to see one of them trying to hide a knife in their sleeve before the others arrived.

This was insane. Five younger men came from the right alley ways and joined them at the center. At that moment, you recognized three of them. Jungkook was standing next to the guy mainly speaking for his group. There was a look in Jungkook's eyes that you've never seen in anyone in your entire life. If he had to hurt someone, he would. It was terrifying to see him like that. Taehyung was standing behind everyone with Yoongi next to him. The two of them held two bags with questionable substances. In front of them was this male with faded red hair that was close to pink.

"Welcome back! It's so nice to see you guys," The leader of the opposite group spoke. He tried to be friendly, but it didn't feel right with you. He had long hair that didn't look well kept. None of his own members looked like trustworthy people. Who were your classmates associating themselves with?

"Money," Jungkook's leader instantly replied. He was taller than everyone else with faded purple hair.

"Oh wow, you don't hesitate in getting into business." The other chuckled. "Well, you know the deal. Give us what you got and we'll talk about the price."

"You've bought from us once before. You know you get what you paid for. Our prices are already settled." The purple haired sighed in annoyance.

"Yeah, but we've been running low on funds. Plus, we've been having some intense cravings lately. Help us out, huh?" Their leader scratched his arm nervously. All his members were getting impatient. You forgot to breathe at times which was kind of good. The last thing you needed was getting caught.

"I don't care about that. Are you paying for what you wanted or not?" Purple hair asked, losing interest in the group he was talking to. Jungkook was giving each member a threatening stare.

"Just give it already!" A crazy member rushed over to Taehyung, pushing everyone aside. He tore the bag away from Taehyung's hand and tried sniffing the batch right away. In that moment, all members looked at the purple haired male on what to do. It wasn't supposed to go down like this.

"Wait...the hell? Boss, this is f*cking sugar!" The member tossed the bag at the pink haired member in Taehyung's group.

"What?" The boss's eye twitched. He faced the other leader with a scowl. "Are you serious?"

"Stop f*cking around!" Another member, shouted. He was the one with the knife. Your heart was pounding with the scene unraveling in front of you. This was not your classmate's plan.

The member with the knife pulled it out in a flash. Before the gang you were rooting for could take notice, you let an involuntary gasp slip. You almost stood up in surprise but shrank back down. You bumped into the trash can next to you. Covering your mouth with your hands, you waited for the trash can to stop the noise it was creating. You're going to be caught. You're going to die tonight. Bitter tears were forming in your eyes as the two gangs looked in your direction. Instead of peeking over the trash can, you looked at the small space between the can and the wall. They were practically making eye contact with you. Fate wanted you dead it seems.

As you silently wept, the member with knife took the moment to strike. He went wild and was able to slash Jungkook's leader in the face. The slash lasted for a second but Jungkook responded automatically. He grabbed the wrist of the attacker and kicked him in the gut. The man hunched over as Jungkook twisted his arm to throw the knife far away. Jungkook was getting more violent and you had to close your eyes. You did hear a crack, but you were shoving your tear stained face into your knees.

"What are you doing here?" A quiet voice asked, making you jump. Looking up from your knees, you saw Jimin staring back at you with worry.

"J-Jimin...I'm scared," You admitted.

"(F/n), why?" Jimin persisted. Sounds of fists making contact with flesh, yelps of pain, and cracks of bones were loud behind you. It was hard to focus. You've never been exposed to this. Was this normal for them?

"Tae...Taehyung dropped a piece of paper with an address on it, so I came. I don't know why." You continued to whimper. Jimin bit his lip as he looked over the trash can. The fight didn't sound over yet. He looked back at you with a mature expression. He always came off as soft and sweet in physical education class. What's the truth?

"Follow me but be quiet." Jimin took your hand, guiding you farther back into the dark alleyway.

It was a dead end, but Jimin revealed how he appeared out of nowhere. He held his hands out for you to step on. He would lift you up to the fire escape ladder and then you could make it to the rooftop. Stepping onto his hands, you grabbed onto the cold metal bars. They shook a little bit but were silent. You needed to be quiet if you wanted to make it out alive. Jimin followed after with ease. His movements were quick and agile. As he climbed up the stairs, his steps were soft but sharp. He seemed to dance with the shadows to hide himself and you tried your best to follow.

Loud panting could be heard by the time the two of you reached the roof. You wanted to take a look to see who had won, but Jimin refused to let you near the edge. He didn't want you viewing anymore of his life. It was understandable. He helped you jump to the next rooftop and eventually make it down from the buildings. Right when the two of you made it to the bottom, you noticed a giant black truck waiting by the alleyway.

"Is that—?" You faced Jimin, but he grabbed your shoulders and urgently pushed you towards the truck. He opened the car door and shoved you in. "Jimin!"

"Seokjin-nim, take care of her," Jimin requested and someone in the driver's seat looked back at him. "Please."

"Okay." Seokjin nodded as the door was closed. What's going on now? "You go to SuChin?"

"Huh?" You looked at the driver. He was staring at you from the rearview mirror, eyeing you down. You looked down at your clothes and realized you had almost forgotten that you were still wearing your uniform. "Oh...yeah."

"It's not safe to wear uniforms on jobs," He said. "Not like you would know that though. How did a pretty girl like you end up here?"

"M-Me? Oh. It's kind of a long story. Not really." You shrugged as he nodded.

"It's alright. We'll be getting the full story later anyway." He sighed in his seat, gripping the wheel tightly. "You'll be fine, Baby."

Your breathing hadn't calmed down at all. Being in the car implied that you were in the safe zone, but still. Where they okay or what? You never expected quiet Jungkook to hurt someone like it was nothing. The whole situation was unbelievable. You were caught, but lucky. For now. Who knows what will happen once they all see you here. Like Seokjin said, they're probably gonna try to get everything out of you. It was hard to even think of a sarcastic remark in your head with everything going on. It was no time to joke around. You stared out the window, anxiety building up in your chest as you waited for the members to arrive. Then they did.

Purple hair showed up first with a fresh cut on his cheek, the blood smeared downward. Yoongi was adjusting the rings on his fists and Jungkook was cracking his knuckles. Taehyung and the pink haired guy were just walking alongside them. Jimin jogged in front to tell them all the truth and reveal your presence. Oh no. He opened the car door and you felt yourself die inside.

"Please don't be mad, Hyungs," Jimin told them all as he looked at you. They all raised their brows as they waited for what he meant. You slowly poked your head out to give them a nervous smile. Taehyung and pink haired were shocked to say the least. Yoongi's face turned dark to find out you were here while Jungkook stared in confusion. Then their leader. His face was the hardest to read out of all of them.

"We'll take this somewhere else. Everyone, in the car. Now." He sighed as he went over to the passenger's side. Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook squeezed in with you in the back meanwhile Yoongi hopped in the truck bed. You wanted to believe it was for the lack of space. Not because he clearly hates you. The car was starting, and all was silent. Where were they taking you?

"I'm sorry, (F/n)." Jimin frowned and quickly pulled out a piece of cloth. Jungkook held you down as you started to scream for your life, struggling in the back seat. The two in the front didn't say a word as Jimin placed it over your mouth and nose.

"Please make it easy for us, (F/n)." Taehyung looked at you with sad eyes as you became involuntarily calm. You became light headed as you breathed in the fumes from the cloth. All your movements to fight back became lazy and weak. You almost forgot the reason you were in the car in the first place. Finally, you sunk into darkness.

*~*
Hearing male voices, they only got louder as you came to. Few were calm while some were loud shouts. It was unsettling and hard to make out. Letting out a groan, you opened your eyes to then close them. The light was too bright that it became painful to your eyes. A stern male voice spoke, and you felt yourself get put into a sitting position by someone else. You opened your eyes again, letting them adjust like all your senses right now. Where were you? Lifting up your head, you met eyes with seven different boys all looking back at you. A faint memory came to mind to give you some context. They purposely knocked you out.

"You're awake." Jimin smiled in relief, but his leader ignored his caring comment.

"Tell us your name," He demanded.

"...Kwon (F/n)." You heard yourself speak. It sounded almost strange.

"We knew that." Yoongi scoffed. "She's wearing her d*mn SuChin uniform and the tie let's us know she's a first year. Jungkook and Taehyung have to know her. I know Jimin does."

"Stop being so hostile," Pink haired instantly retorted.

"Hoseok's right. You're not helping so calm down." Their leader sighed heavily. Yoongi shook his head in disbelief.

"This is f*cking unbelievable." He took steps away from the group. The leader ignored Yoongi's bad attitude and continued paying attention to you. It made you realize he wasn't trying to be scary when he asked that question.

"I'm Kim Namjoon," He began, "Jimin told us a bit about you. We all don't know why you were there though. Jimin told us as much as he could."

"Taehyung dropped a paper with an address, so I came." You looked at them with confusion. It felt like you were being interrogated.

"Yes, but why?" Namjoon inquired.

"...Well..." You looked at your lap, playing with your fingers nervously. Were you really going to admit your stupid reasons for showing up? "I really wanted to become friends with Jimin, but some mysteries came up. Taehyung didn't help, and I wanted answers and so I thought I would get them by showing up there. I was worried what my classmates were getting themselves into." You stopped fumbling with your fingers and looked up. Jimin was shocked by your words. Yoongi rolled his eyes, muttering many swears under his breath.

"Please never do that again." Jimin walked up to you.

He sat down on the couch you were sitting on. You've been here for ten minutes and that was the first time you took notice of where you were. The couch you were on was dark green and musty. The room was giant and lit by many tiny ceiling lamps. Flies flew around the lights, attracted to their glow. Some of the roof was gone too which explained why you were chillier than usual. Everything was concrete here. Maybe you were at a warehouse. The only question left in your mind was, how do you get home? If you go to bed then this might all be over.

"I promise..." You nodded. Jimin looked like he wanted to say more but didn't know how to word it. You were going to wait for him to speak but Jungkook interrupted.

"What did you see?" He questioned, hiding a nervous tone.

"I saw...the beginning up until the fight started," You stated with a bit of shame. You shouldn't have come.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that," Hoseok spoke. "It usually goes really well! We just weren't lucky tonight."

"But you guys had bags of sugar." You furrowed your brows. "Wouldn't they have found out you cheated them?"

"No." Taehyung opened his jacket to pull out a plastic bag. "The real stuff was in our jackets. We were just waiting for the money." He gave you his famous grin. You laughed before nodding with approval.

"That's smart." You crossed your arms. Namjoon looked at him with a slight glare. They probably weren't supposed to reveal this information to you.

"Thank you! It was my idea a few months ago!" Hoseok raised his arms in excitement.

"No, I suggested that from the beginning," Yoongi quickly responded. "I also said that we need a shovel in the back of the truck in case of incidents." He glanced at you.

"Well, we don't need to listen to you." Jungkook caught the glare Yoongi was sending you.

"No more fighting." Namjoon looked back at them.

"Did you know the shovel was a ground-breaking invention?" Seokjin asked before cracking up and clapping his hands loudly. It took you a second to realize what he was saying.

Everyone was silent from the joke except for the orange haired male next to you. Jimin was laughing which made Seokjin grateful. It was kind of cute how entertained Jimin was from that little joke. It was so subtle, but everyone had caught on. Yoongi was groaning at the corny joke and officially walked away from everyone. Does this happen a lot? You couldn't help but start laughing too. All the first years were amused, including you. It was hard not to be. Namjoon and Hoseok were shaking their heads, but with grins on their faces. They must all be so close with each other. The mood lifted just from that little joke and that almost made it funnier. Seokjin kept a proud face full of confidence, not caring if others didn't like his jokes.

Chapter Text

Ch.4

Witnessing the gang do a deal wasn't supposed to happen. Namjoon gave Taehyung a scolding after everything to be more careful with his evidence on their gang activity. At first, you were confused why he even used paper. It would have been easier to communicate on phone, but Taehyung shut down your thought process. After the deals, he burned the papers. He left no digital footprints. All gang related things were on paper or spoken about in person. It was smart. You didn't quite know how to feel about all of this though. It was almost admirable how skilled they were in this, but also incredibly worrisome. You didn't ask how they all got involved last night. You're not close to them so you shouldn't be asking them that.

When the mood lightened up, Namjoon made you promise to not say a word to the cops or any adults. You agreed to his request since they didn't hurt you and Jimin did keep you safe. This was the most you could do for them at the moment. At school, there were rumors that they were in a gang but not of it was ever confirmed. People just find them suspicious. Taehyung decided to tell you all the names he came up with for the gang. No one liked his names and you could see why. He had the ideas of 'toxic bombs' and 'bullet boys'. Everyone was against the cheesy names to Taehyung's dismay. All your fellow first years had opened up to you more. It felt like they all let down their walls, especially Jungkook.

Namjoon made sure that Seokjin would drive you home. Jimin decided to come along since he refused to let you be alone in a car with his sunbae. Taehyung and Jungkook joined in as well which made the car ride home a lot more eventful. Seokjin was a bit offended that they didn't trust him, but it was all in good fun. The car ride was loud, and you were pretty sure you had managed to make more than one friend. If so, score! When you got out of the car, you made sure to thank Seokjin for bringing you home safely. That's when he winked and said it was nothing. Jungkook groaned, Taehyung rolled his eyes, and Jimin didn't hesitate to smack his hyung's arm. This led to Seokjin whining for getting hit. It was hilarious, and you almost wanted to stay with them, but it was getting late. It was a good night indeed.

When the morning came, you happily ate breakfast and hurried off to school. You had arrived earlier to school. The place was almost vacant. Teachers were roaming, but students tended to come late. It didn't matter too much to you. Mr. Pyo-nim's room was opened and you sat down in your seat. You waited patiently and slowly students walked in without a care. The two seats in front of you were never filled up though. For a moment, you were getting excited to see them and talk to them. It didn't look like they were going to show up today. Class started and you put your head down on your desk with a gloomy expression. You wondered if Namjoon told them not to come or if they wanted to ditch for fun.

"We're here!" The door was slammed open by a certain silver haired boy. Taehyung gave everyone his classic square grin with Jungkook trailing behind him.

"Kim Taehyung and Jeon Jungkook." Mr. Pyo-nim shot them a dirty glare.

"Good morning, (F/n)!" Taehyung rushed to his seat, sitting backwards once again. You let out a giggle at his behavior and Jungkook plopped in his seat, giving you a charming smile.

"Taehyung, you—" Mr. Pyo-nim adjusted his glasses. Everyone was watching the show, waiting for Taehyung to get publicly scolded.

"I'm talking right now!" Taehyung barked back. Students let out muffled laughs and Jungkook shook his head.

"This hyung," Jungkook said to you.

"Isn't he gonna get in trouble?" You whispered.

"He'll be fine," Jungkook assured you.

The rest of the class left you with a smile. Your cheeks were hurting by the end of it all. Taehyung kept making you laugh and got you in trouble for that. Now you're no longer on Mr. Pyo's good side. It's not your fault though! Taehyung can be so silly. He scolded the both of you after class while Jungkook waited outside the classroom. Once the two of you came out, he started laughing right away. Lucky little punk didn't have to listen to that. Not like you did anyway. The three of you messed around until it was time for your next class. Jungkook was so funny too. It made you happy that he had opened up a little.

When you made it to physical education, Ms. Lee gave you an unhappy look. She was probably still thinking you were trying to get into Jimin's pants. Then there was also the fact that you showed up late to class. She never said anything about it, so it didn't matter too much. Teachers didn't say a word when you had your hair down and some light mascara on. It felt nice to be a little free at school. As you stood in the so called 'line', someone tapped your shoulder.

"(F/n)!" Jimin cheered happily.

"Jimin!" You couldn't help but grin to see him. Just seeing the youngest members today brightened your day a lot. They were talking to you on their own and you might actually be considered their friend! This was too exciting.

"I wanted to ask you something." Jimin pushed a few orange strands away from his face. "Do you want to eat lunch with us?"

"Really?" You tried to hide how overjoyed you were. You did it! "I'd love too!"

"Everyone will be so excited." Jimin then added, "We sit outside the cafeteria. Follow me when class ends, okay?"

"Alright!" You nodded. Normally, you would have asked if that was even allowed, but that wasn't important right now. If it doesn't matter to the school staff, then it's okay. Besides, it's just eating outside.

*~*

Jimin was outside the girls' changing room, patiently waiting for you to come out. When you finally did, he gave you a happy expression and you just had to return one. How come these boys all had such charming smiles? They were so infectious and beautiful. If you'll be receiving these smiles everyday from them, you'll end up with cavities from how sweet they are. If you were poor, their smiles would make you feel rich. Girls stared at Jimin as the two of you headed towards the cafeteria. The girls who avoided him knew his possible criminal activity and the ones who were brave enough to stare wanted him as their own. All the members of his gang were fairly attractive to be truthful. You weren't blind to it, but it didn't matter to you. They were your friends!

Well, sort of. Yoongi was a whole different story and you were acquainted with the others. Since Jungkook, Taehyung, Jimin and you were in the same year, it made it easier for the four of you to be friends. Entering the cafeteria, you immediately bought your food and followed after Jimin again. He opened the door for you that led to the outside. Once Jungkook and Taehyung saw you, they showed some excitement. For you? This was insane! Giggling happily, you hurried over to sit down with them. Jimin laughed and joined everyone on the floor.

"You can sit with us every day, (F/n)!" Taehyung said as he ate his meal.

"You're more than welcome." Jungkook nodded and Jimin clapped his hands together.

"It's so great that we can all get along together!" He cheered.

"Wait until the hyungs get here," Taehyung uttered.

"They're coming?" You looked over your shoulder nervously.

"Don't worry, (F/n). They don't have a problem with you," Jungkook advised, "As long as you don't come to the deals."

"Min Yoongi has a problem with her," Taehyung spoke under his breath, getting ready to take a bite of his warm rice. Jungkook quickly punched his shoulder in response to that comment. He knew that must have left you a bit unsure on staying. You could tell Yoongi hated you, but you didn't know why. Maybe he was just naturally cold at first. "Ow! What is your problem?"

"He always punches us." Jimin pouted.

"Can't you be respectful to us?" Taehyung complained, hoping to get through to the youngest one. All Jungkook did was shake his head with a smug smirk. "Punk. You almost made me drop my rice."

These guys always made you laugh without trying. You were currently trying to drink your water without choking on it. Their relationships with each other were just too entertaining. It felt nice being included too. The four of you ate your meals, talking, and messing around. A few minutes passed and that's when the doors opened. Namjoon was walking towards everyone with the rest behind him. The cut on his cheek was clean, but it would leave a scar. Now he's going to be even more intimidating walking around campus. Hoseok came smiling and instantly waved at you.

"(F/n)'s here!" He rushed over to you. "This is gonna be fun!" He sat down, making himself comfortable. Taehyung had to back up a little to make space and complained about how he couldn't eat his rice in peace. Namjoon and Seokjin were a little surprised to see your presence but didn't mind. It wasn't until you saw Yoongi's expression that you didn't feel hungry anymore.

He gave a cold stare that never faltered. The youngest members noticed but didn't say a word about it. The older ones were oblivious and couldn't wait to start eating. Yoongi scowled but sat down anyway. He was the farthest from everyone, making himself Pluto. He couldn't be forgotten though. Seokjin looked at him with a strange look and patted the spot next to him. They probably didn't sense the tension you felt. Yoongi got a little closer at the request of his hyung, but still wasn't looking to please anyone. He stayed emotionless as he ate his food.

All of them spoke amongst each other. Nothing they spoke about was gang related whatsoever. It was always interesting to see them all interact with each other. You liked seeing them all together. When they were with each other, they didn't come off as friends, but as family instead. You found yourself no longer talking but enjoying the moment. You still laughed along with them. Hoseok was making everyone laugh with his exaggerated humor and cheering them up with his sunny personality. It was so fun to be sitting with them that you didn't want to throw away your trash. It kept trying to fly away in the wind, so you decided to get it over with.

Getting up from the ground, you walked over to the door and opened it with one hand. The cafeteria filled the atmosphere with random shouts and noises. You'd still argue that outside with the others was a lot livelier. It didn't take you long to find a trash can. The plastic can sat in the corner, away from all the students. Tossing all you had inside, you turned around to go back to the others but made contact with a chest instead. Who did you bump into? Nervously looking up, you were already apologizing when you saw Yoongi glaring at you. Now he's bothering you when you're alone? You'll take the glares, but this was becoming too much. You don't even know what you did wrong!

"Sorry...Yoongi, I didn't see you there." You rubbed your neck. This was getting awkward fast. Other students wouldn't be able to see you in the corner and all the other members were outside. Did they see Yoongi following you? He stayed silent, letting it drown you with anxiety. "Is there anything you need?"

"What are you doing?" He finally spoke.

"W-What? Me?" You furrowed your brows. He only grew more frustrated to see you puzzled by his question. "Jimin invited me to sit with him. We're friends. So am I with Jungkook and Taehyung."

"Friends?" Yoongi scoffed, looking away from you. When he finally faced you with that dark expression, it made you want to disappear. "Don't get carried away. They're just keeping an eye on you. Keep your mouth shut about last night. You've seen what we're capable of."

The male threateningly towered over you, making all your thoughts become scattered. It was hard to think straight with his gaze burning into you. Then you also wanted to ignore what he had just told you. Why did he say that? You didn't want him to be right. It would explain why they suddenly became so friendly with you. But they are friendly people! They opened up with you since you already knew about their gang activities. But who knows? Maybe Kim Namjoon told the first years to check up on you. Did they not trust you? Well, you were just some random girl who went to their school. Yoongi left you speechless, but with thousands of thoughts a second. He slowly turned around to head back to the gang. You couldn't let it end here.

"Why would you say that?" You said loud enough for him to hear. Every word was clear. He stopped in his tracks. You could already see his annoyed visage. He looked over his shoulder, playing it off as if he didn't give a f*ck.

"It's the truth." He tried walking away again.

"No. You're lying." You took a step forward. Yoongi hung his head down before turning around to face you. He stormed forward, forcing you to take a frightened step backwards.

"Look, believe what you want to believe. I won't be the fool in the end anyways," Yoongi whispered in a bellicose tone. If you continued to push his buttons, this wouldn't end well. A cafeteria full of bored students and a nasty trash can behind you. He could embarrass you in ten different ways and they would all be worse then what you were thinking of.

In the end, Yoongi stomped off to get back with his group. They all greeted him warmly and you were crying out 'how' in your mind. What was the side of him that he refused to show you? He most likely lied to you since he doesn't want you near the gang. There's a chance he doesn't want his hard, bad reputation ruined by the happy new girl. Maybe he just simply finds you annoying. Whatever his stupid reason was, you were going to figure it out whether he liked it or not. Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook, and you will be friends. And you'll befriend the others while you're at it too! Take that, Min Yoongi.

Chapter Text

Ch.5

Math class had just finished. Taehyung managed to receive another scolding for his disruptive behavior while you just got a dirty look. That's improvement! Somehow Jungkook is able to keep himself under control and not bother Mr. Pyo that much. The three of you exited the class and walked up to the large window in the middle of the hallway. While you leaned against it and talked to the boys, you picked up on something. The students passing by were looking in your direction. More than usual. It made you shift uncomfortably. They just kept giving you quick stares, whispering amongst each other. You swear you could have heard your name somewhere in the crowd.

Crossing your arms in frustration, you stared down at your feet. Jungkook saw how you stopped talking with them. The mood of the conversation shifted. He wanted to say something but didn't know what. Taehyung soon found himself talking to no one. You lifted your head a little to give Jungkook the best smile you could. You were overreacting. It was nothing. That's when you heard someone running down the hall. All of you turned to see who it was to see Jimin waving at you guys with a big smile. Letting out a small chuckle, you couldn't help but think how cute he was. Sometimes he had this cute childish aura around him.

"(F/n)! Guys!" Jimin stopped in front of everyone. "I finally found you guys."

"Welcome!" Taehyung patted Jimin's back.

"Class is gonna start in five minutes." Jungkook pulled out his phone.

"We'll be fine. It doesn't matter if we're late." Taehyung waved him off.

"Then you'll get scolded again." You smirked to see Taehyung give you a fake glare. You were right after all.

"I'm the good one out of you two." Jimin placed his hands, cutely against his cheeks. Taehyung immediately started shaking his head as Jungkook scoffed.

"Keep talking, Orange highlighter." Jungkook pointed at his hair.

"Rude. I'm thinking of changing it." Jimin protectively tried covering his hair with his hands.

"What color this time?" Taehyung pulled at a strand of his hair. His was silver and Jungkook's was just brunette. Most of the members in the gang had their hair dyed too. Everyone had bright colors while Jungkook was tamer and Seokjin's was just jet black. The boys talked about the hair colors they've done and Jimin admitted to being interested in dying his blonde. They also teased Jungkook for trying out the color red. It made you curious to see photos of them with their old hair styles.

The conversation lasted for a little longer before a teacher was yelling at everyone in the halls to hurry up. One more minute until class! Taehyung quickly said goodbye and started running towards his class with his boxy grin. He was laughing at the top of his lungs, pushing past people with no manners. You shook your head at that boy and said goodbye to Jungkook. He squeezed your shoulder and walked to his next classroom. Jimin grabbed your wrist before you could see Jungkook disappear into the crowd. He started tugging you at full speed to make it to class. It's not like Ms. Lee cared, but it was fun none the less.

"We're gonna be late!" He shouted.

"I think we already are!" You giggled, trying your best to keep up with him. As the two of you ran outside the school, you saw many students eyeing you a certain way. The way they looked at you was different from how they typically stared at you. It made you feel off. The both of you were a panting mess when you arrived in the so-called line. Ms. Lee wasn't even paying attention when the two of you showed up.

"We're in the clear." He grinned at you.

"Sure." You smiled in return. You didn't say anything more after that. Should you tell him? It wouldn't hurt. "Hey Jimin...have you noticed that a lot of people have been staring at me lately?" You whispered, already seeing some classmates glancing your way. Jimin saw it too and sighed heavily.

"Don't mind them. They're probably just staring at you since you're starting to hang out with us." Jimin frowned with an apologetic face. "You used to just talk to three of us, but now you sit with all of us at lunch too."

"That's stupid. They should mind their own business." You scoffed, glaring at the people who made eye contact with you. They had no shame until they were caught. They instantly looked away as if they were innocent.

"That's what happens when you hang out with the Bullet Boys." Jimin sighed and you had to smack his arm lightly.

"Don't encourage Taehyung's names." You laughed and eventually he burst out laughing too.

"I wanted to see if it would stick." He reasoned as you pinched the bridge of your nose.

"Trust me, it won't."

*~*

Lunch today was easier to handle since Yoongi didn't make it his priority to bother you. Instead he minded his own business and only spoke when the members talked to him. He never once glanced at you until the end. You were laughing with the second years and he scoffed. Hoseok and Namjoon were second years meanwhile Seokjin and Yoongi were third years. That meant they were going to graduate which was interesting. What were they gonna do once they get out? Continue living as gangsters? It made you want to ask, but you also didn't want to pry. It's also not likely for Yoongi to tell you all about his plans for the future.

When school ended, you met up with all the first years at the gates of the school. Students would completely circle around the three members that were with you. It was sometimes entertaining how much they would go out of their way to avoid them. It's not like Taehyung, Jungkook, or Jimin were at all intimidating. Maybe the older members could be frightening if you pushed them far enough. Then Yoongi always seemed to have a scary exterior. Taehyung found it funny and even encouraged their frightened behavior. One female student walked around, and Taehyung stepped towards her with a mean look.

'Can't look me in the eyes?' He taunted her and even proceeded with 'are you scared of me and my friends?'. You covered your face in embarrassment as he messed around with the students. Jimin and Jungkook pretended to not be associated with him for the time being. The girl went off running with Taehyung screaming 'you better run' at her. This did not help their reputation whatsoever. It's not like they were bullies at school. They just didn't care for school. You did hope that would change soon though. If you could help them lead a better life then that would be nice. You just didn't want them getting hurt or falling into a bunch of problems from what they were doing.

"We should get ice cream," Jungkook suggested, staring at you with a small smile.

"I'd love that!" You bounced happily. Taehyung raised a brow and lightly smacked Jungkook to get his attention.

"We can't. We got a deal today." Taehyung reminded him. "You need to break bones tonight, not go on a date."

"It's not a date!" Jungkook looked away with a flushed face.

"We just wanted to hang out." You pouted.

"Yeah, like friends." Jimin crossed his arms with a huff. Taehyung was a bit taken back by Jimin's sassy attitude. He didn't expect his friend to get upset at the mention of a 'date'.

"I was just joking, don't shoot me." Taehyung raised his hands in defeat.

"You can show up at the warehouse at night." Jungkook stepped closer to you. He was hoping this would be a good solution to the small problem. You were about to agree until you realized an even bigger problem. Before you could open your mouth, someone spoke for you.

"She can't. She doesn't even know where it is." Yoongi stepped in. "Do you (F/n)?"

"Oh...no. Not exactly." You didn't make eye contact with him.

"I can write it down for you." Jungkook started tapping on Taehyung's shoulder to get a piece of paper out.

"Great." Yoongi bended down to your eye level, forcing you to look at him. "So are you gonna show up? To hang out with the same guys who knocked you unconscious against your will? What does that say about you? Do you not have any respect for yourself?"

"Yoongi," Jimin said his name in a dark tone, warning him to back off. You were at a loss of words. How can someone say that to someone's face? It made you want to run in the opposite direction. It would be better for you. His words were so cruel and harsh. Sometimes you wanted to just run into a bathroom and cry. You might have been desperate for friends, but you still believed you had respect for yourself. Yoongi did make you question everything though. He played with your thoughts and the other members could only do so much to defend you.

"She's our friend." Jungkook pushed Yoongi back with a lot of force. Taehyung was surprised by the youngest one's actions.

"Okay. Since two days ago." Yoongi smacked Jungkook's hands off him. "We have a deal tonight so don't let a girl distract you."

Everyone remained silent as Yoongi walked off by himself. He was going to the warehouse early. It felt like he lived there from what the other members have said. Come to think of it, you only know them when they're at school. You don't know any of their home lives. Two days. You shook your head, trying not to let Yoongi's words get the best of you. Two friends walking in front of Yoongi split like the red sea just to let the terrifying male walk through. Jimin went to give you a small hovering side hug to comfort you a little. Jungkook wrote down the address and handed it to you. Right when he placed it in your hand, he hugged you lightly.

"Don't let him bother you," Jungkook quietly said only to have Jimin pull him away.

"She's not your girlfriend. Don't touch her like that." Jimin held Jungkook back.

"When did you get so comfortable around girls?" Taehyung teased. It felt like Jungkook couldn't get a break. You didn't really mind the hug, but you knew they were only trying to be respectful towards you. It was kind and thoughtful.

Luckily, the rest of the members showed up before another fight could break out. You didn't want Jungkook to get upset with his hyungs for just trying to comfort you. Namjoon came around with Hoseok and Seokjin following. The oldest was whistling, spinning his keys on one finger. The truck was like Seokjin's second prized possession. The first being his looks, of course. The older ones liked to ride in the car to the warehouse while the first years liked taking their time walking and talking on the way there. Yoongi appeared to enjoy the silent walk there too.

"C'mon guys! We have homework tonight. We're gonna be real busy," Seokjin loudly claimed. "Sorry that we can't hang out with you, (F/n). I adore you."

"She knows we have a deal tonight," Taehyung admitted.

"Aish, you can't keep your mouth shut." Seokjin stopped twirling his keys.

"Aren't they great delinquents?" Namjoon joked.

"Just wait until the cops ask them questions." Hoseok eyed the young members.

"We won't say anything." Jungkook wrapped his arms around his fellow first years. They stuck together and clearly didn't appreciate their hyungs teasing them like this. Ever since you found out, they told you stories when something funny happened during deals or whenever problems occurred. They just never mentioned anything about themselves personally. To be fair though, you haven't either. Like most things, it will take time to develop that level of trust with them.

"Sure. Anyway, we need everyone at the warehouse now," Namjoon stated. "We need hands to help open the crates and organize for tonight."

"Can (F/n) come?" Jungkook asked like an excited little kid. Namjoon sighed, thinking on what to do with them now that they've found a new friend.

"Jungkook-a..." Namjoon started only to be interrupted by Seokjin.

"As long as she doesn't come to the deal." He smiled as he took your hand. "I wouldn't like seeing you get hurt, my sweet." Seokjin gave you a flying kiss. He had a lot of temerity and was very flirtatious with you. Namjoon rolled his eyes while Hoseok ripped Seokjin's hand away from you and roughly put it down. "Ow!"

"We all don't want her getting hurt, but we're not weird about it," Hoseok replied to have all the members crack up.

"Alright, let's get going into the truck now." Namjoon laughed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"All of you can walk." Seokjin crossed his arms.

It didn't take long for Namjoon to make Seokjin get the car. All Namjoon had to do was threaten Seokjin with Jungkook. The last thing Seokjin wanted was a blackeye on his face. Students were already gone from the school and Namjoon wanted to get to the warehouse already. Yoongi left without them so they were just going to meet up with him there. The eldest ones entered the truck while Taehyung jumped into the back. He told all the first years to come in the back, so they could have fun. One thing you noticed was Taehyung was crouched on the ground for a while before getting into the bed of the truck. What was he up to? His pockets were fuller, but you couldn't identify what he had put in them.

By the time the car had started, the four of you continued talking with each other. You had forgotten all about Taehyung's secret plan. That's when he shoved his hand in his pocket and tossed something at cars driving near the truck or parked cars. Jungkook got a kick out of it right away and held his hand out in front of Taehyung. The silver haired boy dumped all the rocks he contained in his pockets and told everyone to go wild. You didn't pick up a single rock and tried to shrink yourself. Though you were friends with them, you didn't see the appeal in doing bad things. You wouldn't abet them in any of their deals, you made that promise to yourself. The most you would do is let them continue. You didn't want to condone it, but they were having too much fun.

Jungkook hit a parked car and managed to break the glass with his force. All the boys got excited and tried throwing even harder. Jimin grabbed handfuls and threw them with no clear direction. Taehyung wanted to get running cars, enjoying the anger he got from the driver's. When the copious supply of rocks finally went away, you felt like you could breathe. No cops were called on you guys which was lucky. Namjoon scolded the young ones when the ride was over since Seokjin could get in trouble because it was his car they were in. They all were forced to apologize to the oldest member while Namjoon praised you for not partaking in their childish behavior.

Yoongi was already laying on the couch by the time everyone was coming in. He stared at everyone with a calm face and for a second, you thought he was going to smile. It changed right when he made eye contact with you. The rancor he had for you was too much. It made you want to step out of the warehouse, but Jungkook made sure to block the exit. Jimin stayed by your side and Taehyung gave you a reassuring look. They were going to take care of you as much as they could. They told you Yoongi would warm up to you and that he wasn't always like that it. You had the feeling he wouldn't warm up, but you thanked them for their words anyway.

"The crates are in the back. Go there and I'll bring the crowbars." Namjoon demanded, already walking towards a closet in the warehouse.

No one fought his orders and went right to the back. You went with everyone just to watch, but not participate. It probably didn't make a difference though. They were still continuing in their illegal activities. Namjoon came in with crowbars, tossing one to each member. He left the room with Seokjin who was going to pull the truck around. While the leader and eldest were gone, Yoongi didn't hesitate to take charge. He assigned teams to open crates and told them to start taking the supplies out and to place them in piles of five.

"Set them over there." Yoongi pointed to the corner.

Hoseok and Jungkook popped open the crate as Taehyung and Jimin slowly lifted the lid off. They made the lids lean against the wall before coming to take a look inside the crate. You were sitting on a counter, so it let you see everything in the two opened crates. The one Jungkook and Hoseok opened contained what appeared to be thousands of tiny bottles and pills. Jimin and Taehyung's was filled with white powdery bags and green leafy products. Yoongi looked up to you with a serious look.

"You're gonna have to learn to keep your mouth shut." His voice was in a low tone.

"I-I know." You nodded as he just turned around to walk over to Taehyung and Jimin's crate. He picked up a green bag and shoved it into his pocket.

"I'm keeping one." He went to lean against the wall. Your eyes widened to know he had just taken a bag. Do they all do drugs? You didn't want to assume things and destroy your friendship with them. Assuming is a b*tch.

Hoseok left the room to catch up with Namjoon and Seokjin. Yoongi closed his eyes and didn't do anything else. While Jimin and Taehyung organized their crate, Jungkook was staring at the pills in front of him. You jumped off the counter and went over to him right away.

"What are you doing?" You kept your hands behind your back. Unlike the rest of the boys, you didn't have gloves on that would hide your finger prints so you kept them to yourself.

"Just staring." Jungkook picked up a bag of pills. "This whole crate if full of steroids. I heard they make you really buff. It makes me kind of curious."

"Jeon Jungkook." You gave him a sharp glare.

"I'm just saying." He shrugged, not dropping the bag back into the crate.

"They do a lot more than just make you buff." Namjoon came in, taking the bag and four others to set aside in the corner. "I wouldn't recommend it."

Stepping away from the crate again, you watched them continue to organize the products. In the inside, you hoped that Jungkook was going to listen to Namjoon. It's not like Namjoon told him 'no', but you didn't want Jungkook taking drugs. It would be hurting both him and you. His members too. Unfortunately, Jungkook kept eyeing the supply the whole time. He had a good head on his shoulders, so you wished that he would lose interest in the drug. You followed Jimin out of the warehouse and rested against the truck with him.

"Do you do drugs?" You asked, and he laughed at your question.

"No, I don't." He smiled, shaking his head. "Yoongi smokes cigarettes and has the occasional joint. He's the only one though. I'm not interested."

"That's good." You patted his shoulder. "Don't destroy your athletic career."

"Career?" He furrowed his brows. "No, I don't have that. I like to dance but...I don't call that a career. It's just for fun."

"Ugh, you'd be really good." You pouted before giggling. Jimin shook his head, remaining modest. You went back inside as the older ones left. Taehyung and Jungkook were left in the back room, hitting the crates as hard as they could with their crowbars. Silly boys. They messed around for a little while longer until Namjoon opened the door.

"It's time." He called out for them. Jungkook and Taehyung tossed their crowbars aside and quickly said their goodbyes to you. They rushed out of the warehouse with excitement for the deal, screaming for 'shotgun' only to groan when they saw Jimin had already stolen the spot.

"These kids." Namjoon laughed. "You can wait here for us if you want. We'll be back two hours the longest."

"Okay. Thank you." You bowed as Namjoon left. So...looks like you have this place to yourself.

Chapter Text

Ch.6

You chose to sleep on the couch they had at the front of the warehouse. It wasn't the cleanest, but you had nothing else to do. You did your homework sloppily and called it a day. Most things were graded on a curve, so you were fine. Compared to your first-year friends, you were the smart one with the highest grades. They weren't outstanding, but decent enough that your sister wouldn't get a call from school. One minute you were staring up into the sky on a dusty couch, then you drifted off to sleep. It was peaceful and calming at the warehouse. It could appear scary, especially knowing what goes on inside sometimes. In the end though, it was just another abandoned building.

So, you had stayed like that for who knows how long. It wasn't until you felt something flick your forehead that you jumped awake. Who did that to you? Opening up your eyes, you were sleepy and angry. Immediately, your eyes made contact with Yoongi's. He had a small smirk on his face. He was clearly entertained by your reaction. Suddenly, you didn't feel so sleepy anymore. Not to mention he flicked your forehead really hard. Rubbing the spot with your hand, Yoongi chuckled as he walked off. He's so mean for no reason. You pouted and sat up on the couch to see everyone inside too.

"I told you to wake her up, not attack her." Seokjin crossed his arms as Yoongi passed by him.

"You didn't specify how to wake her up." Yoongi rolled his eyes, grinning as pointed at you. "And look, she's awake now."

"That's enough." Namjoon sighed as he sat down in a rusty chair near the couch.

He ran his hand through his hair, finally relaxing after what might have been a tough deal. Seokjin sat down at the table far from the front, pulling out some left-over food from the fridge they kept here. Yoongi sat with him, feet on the table and closed his eyes to take a nap. Jimin and Taehyung were running around Hoseok who was lying down on the ground. Hoseok tried tripping them, but they decided to switch things up a bit. The two boys started jumping over Hoseok which caused him to panic and scrunch up on the ground. You shook your head at them for bothering their hyung. Then Jungkook stood outside the warehouse, downing a water bottle.

"You guys are too loud." Namjoon laughed at the two first years.

"Get them to leave me alone!" Hoseok pleaded.

"We're having fun with you, Hyung." Taehyung stopped jumping but kept his legs out with Hoseok in the middle on the ground. Why were they doing this to poor Hoseok? He never did anything to deserve this.

"Yeah, we're just playing." Jimin laughed, squatting down to poke Hoseok's face. Hoseok attempted to bite his finger off but was unsuccessful.

Namjoon eventually came to the rescue and got the first years to leave their hyung alone. By that time, Jungkook walked in with an empty bottle and was tossing it in the air. Bringing your knees up to your chest, you wrapped your arms around them. They were all so entertaining with their unique personalities. It was impossible not to laugh or not have a good time with the gang. How students at your school were terrified of these guys, you'll never know. Actually, you might. Taehyung will occasionally yell at them. He's so extra, but it's great. You wouldn't have him any other way. When things calmed down, Jimin walked over to you with a giant smile he had gotten from bothering Hoseok.

"Hey Jimin," You said softly.

"Hi...I just wanted to let you know that we wouldn't be at school tomorrow." Jimin took Namjoon's rusty seat.

"What? Why?" You stopped holding your legs close.

"We're ditching!" Jungkook shouted as he won an arm wrestling battle with Taehyung. When did that start?

"Yeah!" Taehyung let out a sharp gasp as Jungkook roughly slammed his opponent's arm to his side.

"We've got a lot on our hands. More than usual," Namjoon said, referencing the amount of drugs they had gotten from the crates. "We're supplying another group across town. It's gonna be dangerous." At the last part, he looked towards all the members in the room to remind them. The bright mood went down a little as they gave a serious nod.

"We'll get a big pay out of it though," Seokjin added.

"That's true. More food!" Hoseok cheered.

"How about a new couch?" Jimin kicked the green couch you sat on.

"No." Yoongi quickly shut Jimin down. He was still crossing his arms and trying to sleep.

"You heard him." Taehyung sighed. "We'll keep that couch until we die!"

"You just like it because you found it in the junkyard." Jungkook shook his head.

"He made Hoseok and I put it in my truck even though he was the one who wanted that junk." Seokjin groaned.

"The memories!" Taehyung shouted as if all the members should be focusing on that aspect more. It was clear some members were more attached to the items in the warehouse than the others. You looked back to Jimin with a tiny frown. The thought of not having your friends at school sounded insipid. Especially if they were leaving to do something so dangerous. The last thing you wanted to think about was the cops finding them smuggling it across town. No, you don't even want to joke about that. You'll hope the best for them and that they'll return safely.

"I wish you guys didn't have to ditch." You looked up at the night sky. "It's not gonna be fun tomorrow without you guys."

"I'll miss not seeing you either." Jimin went to sit down next to you on the couch. "Don't worry, we'll be back at school the next day."

"...why do you guys do it if it's so dangerous?" You asked as Jimin tensed up a little bit. He didn't speak and tried thinking of answers for you.

"Stop it. If you don't like it, then you can leave," Growled Yoongi, "You know who you got yourself involved with. Don't try to 'fix' us."

"I'm not..." You started but ultimately decided to keep your mouth shut. There was no winning with him. Besides, it was getting really night and you wanted to continue sleeping. Jimin patted your shoulder for comfort and got off the couch.

Seokjin left the table, swinging his keys around his fingers. He gave you a wink and cocked his head towards the door. You got up to follow him and then Taehyung, Jimin, and Hoseok wanted to join in for the ride. Jungkook didn't to your surprise. Instead he quietly said goodbye to you before landing on the couch. He looked tired and out of it, so you let him be. He deserved the rest.

The ride home didn't take long. All the guys in the back made sure Seokjin didn't try playfully flirting with you. Though it didn't matter too much to you, you did find it cute how much they protectively kept watch over you. Seokjin couldn't catch a break so he went on the route of making puns instead. Jimin was laughing hard with Seokjin while you and the rest were enjoying their laughter. Car rides home were soon becoming your favorite thing. It's so much better than walking home alone. When he dropped you off, it was time to say goodbye. That part sucked a lot. You would climb up the cramped staircase and stand in front of your door, waving goodbye to them as they drove off. You'll really miss them tomorrow.

*~*

Math class had started, and you were already dying of boredom. The material was hard to understand with your lack of focus. Students were disruptive of course, but there was no silver haired boy in front of you making fun of Mr. Pyo. The lack of the brunette boy next to him was also disheartening. You enjoyed seeing his large smile when Taehyung said something funny or whenever Mr. Pyo publicly scolded his friend. Sometimes it felt like that boy had no respect for his friends, but he was just like that. Jungkook laughing at Taehyung getting embarrassed just proved how close they were. Taehyung and Jimin were also extremely close. Those two tended to mess with their older members a bunch. You'd say those two had a tighter bond than with the maknae.

A frown landed on your face as you thought of Jimin. He wouldn't be in your next class. Now all your classes today wouldn't have them. This was going to be a truly painful day. Looking up from your desk, you suddenly met eyes with a bunch of students looking at you over their shoulder. They looked away once you noticed and you felt your stomach twist. Again? What is going on? Why are they all staring at you? Even when you first started hanging out with the boys, they didn't stare at you this much. Not to mention, they didn't scoff or give you a dirty glare either. All their whispers behind your back started to sound more like shouts. It was becoming obvious and you were getting paranoid.

Jimin said it was nothing though. But was it really? You didn't want to come off as whiny, but it was really getting to you. It would naturally start to annoy people to be stared at like this. You began to feel more insecure than annoyed. Without your friends to distract you, it was easier to feel smaller. Class went on for centuries until it finally finished. You hurried off to your next class, getting into Ms. Lee's line. You kept your head down, but you were feeling many eyes on your body. This feeling was not bearable one bit. Why were they staring? School could not end fast enough. It was driving you crazy. You didn't want to start anything up by confronting people. That wouldn't be smart. That would only give them a reason to start talking about you.

When physical education class ended, you hurried off into the girl's changing room. Lunch sounded great. You really needed to stuff your face and ignore everyone else. As you changed out of your gym clothes, you felt some people stare at you. It made you hesitate to take your shirt off, but you had to. It went off quick and you instantly started buttoning up your uniform. They were all being perverts! Whatever their deal was, you weren't having any of it. When the boys come back, you're certainly going to bring it up. They're gonna have to notice how crazy this has gotten. Unbelievable.

"They don't buy you good lingerie?" A girl asked behind you. Turning around to see the face of the voice, it was some random girl you've never seen in your life.

"What?" You raised a brow to have more eyes land on you.

"Yeah, they looked pretty cheap," Another girl said.

"Or do they just want the action instead of the show?" A girl asked before the whole locker room laughed. What were they going on about? Making fun of your underwear for some d*mn reason. It made your face heat up and you hurried out of the room. Girls could be such b*tches.

This school had some really blunt people here. Yoongi doesn't think twice about making you feel like garbage and then girls ask you such absurd questions while you're in the middle of changing. Some people of have no decency. As you slowly came by the cafeteria, you stopped in your tracks. Their words replayed in your head. Clearly, their words had malicious intent, but it wasn't about that. They talked about 'they' a lot. They mentioned them not getting you good underwear. Action instead of a show? You furrowed your brows before your heart stopped. Is that what they think? No. You didn't want to believe it.

The sound of female voices got louder as you looked over your shoulder. You pushed open the cafeteria doors wide open, running away from making any possible scene only to land yourself in one. Everyone poked their heads up to see who threw open the cafeteria doors. Male students smirked once they spotted you as girls scoffed, murmured, and rolled their eyes. Does the whole school know about this rumor? That's right! It's just a rumor. You're not...you're not involved in anything like that and you never will be! Embarrassed beyond belief, you rushed out of the cafeteria to see those same girls from the locker room. They laughed at your flushed face. You need to get out of here. Bolting off into a different direction, you found a bathroom to hide yourself in.

The door was light as you softly pushed it open. No one was inside the girl's bathroom yet oddly. Hearing giggles, you hurried into a stall. This was getting ridiculous. You stepped onto the toilet seat, squatting to hide your feet from showing underneath the stall. The door wasn't completely closed either to hopefully create the illusion that the bathroom was vacant. Hopefully, no one tries to use this stall or kicks the door open. Biting your lip, you hear the door open as the female voices got quiet. That's when you unintentionally held your breath, staring through the crack between the door and the next stall. They didn't enter the stalls but instead decided to touch up their makeup in front of the mirrors. Go away.

"I thought that Kwon (F/n) came in here." One brunette girl spoke, sitting on the counter.

"Yeah, me too." A short haired girl slightly lowered herself to check for shoes. Luckily, you were in the clear. She got up and continued chewing her gum, pulling out her phone.

"Whatever. It was funny seeing her face in the locker room," The black-haired girl said as she redid her bright red lipstick.

"Definitely!" Her two friends giggled.

"But I actually didn't expect this from her." The brunette kicked her legs back and forth.

"Well duh, no one did. Shy cute girls are always sluts in the inside." Short hair popped her gum.

"We're all sluts though. What makes her special?" The brunette continued. Despite them all being rude, there were moments when you needed them to continue talking. Brunette was helping out a ton with your own questions.

"Because." The black-haired girl closed her lipstick. "We mess around with stupid guys. She chose to mess around with those gangsters. They might be hot, and I might like d*ck, but no way am I gonna be their b*tch."

Frowning, you continued to listen as they spoke lies about you. Why did this have to happen? The guys weren't here which was kind of good. Now you weren't as oblivious to the rumors. Who would spread something like this though? It was a disgusting lie that tore your true personality apart. It was hurtful. What was even more despicable was the fact that everyone full heartedly believed them. You wanted to defend yourself, but how? If you told the guys and they tried to fix it for you, it would only get worse. Somehow, you've managed to land yourself in a problem just a month into school. It wasn't even your doing! Wonderful. It was most likely made by stranger's assumptions. Apparently, a girl can't have all guys friends. Or gangster friends, but that's a different story.

"You don't even know if they're thugs," The short hair replied, looking at herself with her phone. She kept moving around her hair despite having a pixie cut.

"Are you kidding me? It's so obvious. I don't know why this is even a question anymore at this school." Red lips shoved her makeup in her bag. "I'm waiting for the school to do something but wait. They won't. Why? Because they're dumb as sh*t."

"They're not hurting us. Plus, it might be kind of hot with criminals." Brunette giggled with a light blush as the others gave her judgmental gazes. 'Gross' was muttered by red lips as pixie cut nodded. "What? I'm just saying! Do you think it's one at a time? In pairs? Or like the whole group?"

"All of it, probably." Pixie chuckled.

"Yeah, I saw (F/n) on her first day of school. She was totally normal. Like in a boring way," Red lips said as they ate her words up. "Then she started talking to them one by one and boom! No one warned her about them and they decided to make her their b*tch. Poor girl was afraid to say no but turns out she likes it anyway. Good girl must like the attention."

That wasn't true at all! How could they be saying these things about you? Did the rumor start out like this or was it twisted into the vile creature it was now? You accidentally let out a frustrated sigh. Oh no. The girls became silent in the bathroom. It's like your blood froze. Pixie and brunette didn't care after two seconds of looking around. Red lips however was determined to be the monster under your bed. A vision of your nightmare as she took steps towards your specific stall. Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. She had made eye contact with you and you ducked your head to the side. Please don't open the door. Your heart violently pounded against your chest as her nails made contact with the door. All of your body burned in embarrassment and fright.

"Hayoon is waiting for us. The boys are apparently trying to dry hump her," Pixie stated, saving your @$$. Red lips turned around in annoyance.

"Are you kidding me? Can't she just say no?" She walked out of the bathroom with her friends following. They all laughed in agreement, rudely talking about the next girl that was mentioned. It was that easy for them to switch?

A few seconds after the door closed, you began to breathe heavily. That was too much for you. How could the boys even deal with doing illegal stuff? Opening the stall, you rushed to the sink. Making eye contact with yourself in the mirror, you noted how red your face was. Wasn't that perfect? Turning on the sink, you splashed your face in water to calm yourself down. Your neck felt like it was on fire. After you felt like you had cooled down, you turned off the sink and shook your hands. So...that's the reason they've been staring?

Chapter Text

Ch.7

The next day of school had come and the members were back in school. The thought would have been more exciting if it weren't for that rumor destroying your mood. There was a lot of questions you had about the rumors and a lot of pent up screams of frustration. It's not like that would do any good. You had no idea how to fix the problem. Hanging out with them was going to leave you in the same spot or possibly make it worse. When you came to school, you didn't come to math class right away. Instead you wandered the campus until you actually had to go to class. Luckily, Jungkook and Taehyung didn't think anything of it.

Stepping into math class felt like a different experience now that you knew the reasons for their stares. It made you glare harder at them, but also keep your head down with your hair in front of your face. Jungkook and Taehyung were talking to each other when you sat down in your chair. You didn't say hello to them and went to grab your notebook. The two were in the middle of a conversation anyway. It was a little sad. This silence was going to be awful. You wanted to ask how the supplying went, if they were okay, if anything had gone wrong. They seemed to be fine. Not a single scratch on them that they didn't already have. Taehyung appeared vibrant as he laughed while Jungkook stayed quiet.

Jungkook just watched Taehyung move his hands around, exaggerating a story about his experience in a convenience store. You didn't want to stare. That was a bad habit of yours that you were fixing. But one thing you noted about Jungkook was how his face didn't glow like it always did. His skin came off as greasy which you never thought would be possible. All the boys had perfect skin. It really wasn't your problem though. Shoving your face into your notebook, you ignored the two boys in front of you for your own good. Mr. Pyo was going to teach math and you were going to pay attention no matter what. Who cares if you're still clueless by the end of it! Math is hard!

"Hello, (F/n)~!" Taehyung turned to you with his grin. Jungkook looked at you over his shoulder, waiting for a response as well.

"Erm, hi," You muttered, scribbling harder in your notebook.

"I can't hear you." Taehyung teased.

"I need to catch up in math so yeah...I'm gonna work on this." You tried to be remotely believable. Taehyung's puppy eyes didn't twinkle as bright once you said that. He nodded and slowly shifted back into his seat. Jungkook kept his gaze on you for a while before turning too.

This sucked a lot. There was no winning situation to this it felt like. Ignoring the boys ruined all the work you had put in to befriend them and telling them would only get them upset with the other students. Taehyung would probably try to fight people while Yoongi wouldn't give a crap. Either way, you were going to continue your current route. You wanted to spend some time alone and think on what to do. The guys could be a little distracting. Not in a bad way, but you did find out about the rumor once they were no longer here to block out the school's lies.

Math was uneventful like the day before this one. Jungkook and Taehyung actually sat in front of you, but you chose to ignore them. The silver haired boy was bummed out that he couldn't talk to you since he wanted to respect your attempts to get it together in class. Jungkook on the other hand didn't say a word to your face. He had a different air around him that you couldn't quite figure out. It almost felt like he knew you were purposely ignoring them. It's not like you were being obvious so that was farfetched. For the rest of the class, you listened to Mr. Pyo drone on.

Then when class ended, you immediately told Jungkook and Taehyung that you would be going to the bathroom. They can't follow you in there and even if they tried, it wouldn't end well. Plus, they would never question you going to the bathroom. When you have to go, you have to go! But you didn't need to at the moment. A large part of you felt bad for lying to them. You just had to be alone today, figure stuff out, and see what happens. As you took your first step out of Mr. Pyo's classroom, Jimin was already standing outside with his arms behind his back.

"Hey! I got out my class early," He said as you let out a sigh.

"That's cool. I have to go to the bathroom though, so I'll see you in class." Your eyes shifted away from his. Jimin spotted that and his smile was no longer as strong. He furrowed his brows, but you were already walking away. How come you were so obvious to them? You were trying your hardest to make it as natural as possible.

Jimin stayed alone in the hall until Jungkook and Taehyung came out to see him. By that time, you were already gone. You walked past the bathroom without a second thought. Bathrooms were a perfect place to hear all the gossip, but you were done with them. That close encounter with red lips was enough to scar you. Since you didn't go to the bathroom, you made your way to Ms. Lee's line. Few students were already here, sitting on the ground with their friends. You decided to sit on the ground too, playing with the grass underneath you.

It left you with time to think. Avoiding Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin was going to be harder than you thought. Somehow you thought it was doable even though they were in your classes. Then lunch was a problem you hadn't thought of yet until now. What were you going to do then? Eat lunch alone like you used to? There was no other real choice, so you told yourself to stop complaining. Whenever you saw the guys, it made you feel weird. The rumors were disgusting, but you couldn't imagine letting yourself do what the lies said. They were your friends and nothing more. This gossip they had going around had a huge potential to destroy your friendship with them. It's awkward to have people assuming that you're having sexual relationships with all of them. No way.

"(F/n)!" You were pulled away from your thoughts. You looked back to see Jimin running towards you, waving his hands in the air. His fluffy orange hair was bouncing with his steps as he eventually came to a halt in front of you. "I made it."

"Yeah." You nodded with a forced smile. He didn't say anything else and sat down next to you. He grabbed a dandelion, lightly placing his finger on the white fuzz. The wind picked up, blowing all the seeds off from the plant. They swirled in the air, flying away from the two of you.

Ms. Lee then shouted for her students to make the line neater. Jimin and you stood up, getting into the new line that wasn't that much better. You kept your eyes straight, waiting for Ms. Lee's next words. Jimin tapped your shoulder to make a joke about Ms. Lee. He chuckled as he compared her to the angry guy at the gas station. You would have laughed along with him, but you didn't let yourself. Jimin's light laughter faded away. He stopped talking to you in that moment because he felt you weren't in the mood to do so. He quietly apologized, making you want to hug him as an apology. That's it. You can't do this anymore.

"Jimin...don't be sorry." You faced him with a tiny smile. "It was funny. Don't worry."

"Oh...okay, that's good." Jimin stared at his feet. He rubbed his neck, unaware of the girls behind him who were staring in your direction. It was them. They pointed in your direction, giggling, and trying to make secret comments. You turned away from Jimin to block them out. Out of sight, out of mind. You really needed that. When will this rumor die?

"I need someone to refill our water cooler," Ms. Lee yelled out. Students shifted around, lowering their heads so they wouldn't get picked on. No one offered to help, but you found this to be a perfect opportunity to get away from the girls.

"I can do it!" You raised your hand as she nodded, not really caring who it was. She only needed someone to do the job she should have done during the break between classes.

Walking over to the plastic cooler, you picked up the white handles at the side. Since there was no water inside, it was easy to pick up. Bringing it back full would come to be a challenge, but you'll cross that bridge when you get there. Jimin cocked up a brow as he watched you leave. You were in no rush to find the water fountain. Getting this filled up helped you skip out on running and gave you the chance to not make Jimin feel bad for not talking to him. It seems like he was easy to hurt, and you didn't want him to think you were purposely doing this to him. You would never do something so cruel to him. Jimin was the first person you were determined to be friends with after all.

So, what were you doing now? Honestly, you had no idea. Was it selfish to ignore them only to protect yourself? Those girls were making you go crazy. How is that that they could make you feel so pathetic? All they had to do was say one lie about you and you felt like sh*t. If you couldn't stop the rumor, then you were certainly going to find the root of it. Maybe there was no clear root and it came from everyone's assumptions. The thing was, who was the first one to say it was true? The water fountain was around the corner. You set down the cooler, taking off the lid and turning on the faucet. Time to wait for the thing to fill up.

"Kwon (F/n)," A male voice spoke, making you lift your head in confusion. Jungkook was standing there with one hand in his pocket.

"Jungkook? Aren't you supposed to be in class?" You asked.

"I ditched." He shrugged, walking towards you. He ditched yesterday and now today?

"You can't do that!" You crossed your arms. "Jeon Jungkook, you have to care about your grades."

"That's not gonna happen." Jungkook shook his head in annoyance. You fiddled with your fingers behind your back, questioning his sudden presence. Why would he ditch class and show up here? Was it important? "Why have you been acting weird?"

"What? Me?" You pointed to yourself.

"Who else?" He got closer, making your heart race. He knew something was up. The only thing on your mind now was if you were going to lie or tell the truth.

"I'm fine." You heard yourself say. Looks like you've taken the lying route.

"Yeah right. (F/n), you've been a little strange." Jungkook stared down at you. He was so intimidating like this. He was so blunt now that the two of you were alone. It was off putting to have him like this.

"Are you sure I'm the one who's been acting strange? What about you?" You turned it around on him. Jungkook only gritted his teeth and you felt yourself lose some confidence. He took in a heavy breath, calming himself down. Was he okay?

"This isn't about me. You've been looking paranoid and you haven't really talked to us at all today." Jungkook ran a hand through his hair. "Tell me what's wrong."

"There's nothing wrong." You looked away from his eyes. It felt like he could see right through you.

"Are you sure?" Jungkook leaned down to turn off the faucet for you as it reached the top. He placed the cap on top and tightened it on for you.

"Positive," You said with a bit of huff. You just needed him to believe you and to leave you alone. "I'm going now." You grabbed the handles, lifting the cooler with shaking arms. This was a lot heavier than you anticipated. Still, you could make it back to Ms. Lee.

"I can help." Jungkook took hold of the sides as you shook your head in protest.

"I got this! Trust me." You pulled away from him. Jungkook was shocked by your abrupt actions. It made you stumble in the process, letting the cooler fall with you. With one swift move, Jungkook grabbed your hand before you could fall into the puddle the cooler created. He brought you close to his body, wrapping his other hand around your waist. Both of your ankles were soaked all the way down which wasn't too bad, but still not comfortable. You looked down at the orange cooler that was on its side. Great. You're going to have to refill that and Ms. Lee is gonna yell at you for thinking that you were messing around.

Jungkook's hold around you didn't vanish. Once the realization hit you on how close you were against him, your face went on fire. You're trying to stop people from thinking you're sexually involved with them and this position doesn't help. Jungkook's eyes were on you and you had to look away. This was getting to be too much. You tried pushing away, but he didn't let you escape. He was the muscle of the group so escaping him wouldn't be easy.

"Jeon Jungkook, let me go," You said sternly.

"No." He smirked at your frustration. Why was he doing this to you? In the middle of your attempts to leave, you heard a light gasp. Jungkook and you turned to the owner of the gasp. She was a small girl with her hair in a bun. This probably didn't look good to her and you knew why. Does she know about the rumor too? Why not add to the mess while you're at it?

"I'm going back to class." You finally shoved him off.

"(F/n)," He sighed with both his hands in his pockets. He didn't stop you from leaving anymore. You picked up your things and left. There was no doubt in your mind that Ms. Lee was going to scold you.

She did and in front of the whole class. It was better than you thought it would be. Jimin gave you a look of sympathy as Ms. Lee told you to run two laps before you could go to lunch. You accepted the punishment. The same girls from earlier were laughing when Ms. Lee castigated you. Running would calm you down so you took it without question. It also meant Jimin would have to go to lunch without you. It made eating lunch alone easier. When you finished the two laps, you begged for the day to go by faster.

Today was sort of similar to yesterday with its pace. The bell would soon ring, and classes were out for the day. It made you beyond thankful as you ran out of the building. Students were already flooding the hallways, spilling out from campus. As you pushed your way through the crowd, you were almost past the gates. All you had to do was walk home and proceed to scream in your room. Plans were going to then delayed right when you heard someone shout out your name. Today just wasn't your day. You found the voice calling you in the crowd, it was Namjoon. Hoseok and Seokjin were with him too.

"Are you coming to the warehouse today?" Namjoon came closer, the two guys following his actions.

"Uh, I don't think so. I've got a lot of homework." You laughed nervously. Hoseok frowned as Seokjin nodded understandably.

"That sucks. I was taking a liking to you have you in the warehouse every day," Namjoon admitted, making you smile at his kind words. You were happy to be accepted by him in the one place you felt like you'd never be able to connect with them.

"Aw, you two should date!" Hoseok said jokingly. Your cheeks burned, but Namjoon shook his head at his friend's nonsense. Hoseok didn't mean it which took you a while to pick up on.

"I can give you a ride home first," Seokjin offered, but you immediately declined. Getting into a car with three of the members? Students would eat this stuff up.

"I'm happy walking but thank you." You waved goodbye.

They waved back at you, their faces not as bright as they always are. Can they sense you ignoring them? You didn't want to hurt them, but you probably already did. They didn't question you for not showing up at lunch which was nice. Maybe Jimin told them you had to run laps. You also didn't suspect Jungkook of telling them about what happened between the two of you. That was so strange and out of character for him. Jungkook might have been trying to get answers out of you with his strange methods, but it still felt off. Your imagination was causing you to question everything. Next, Yoongi will try to be your friend. That just might make you actually lose it.

You went home feeling exhausted. The way home wasn't terrible, school work wasn't stressful, and you had no real reason to feel this way, but you did. Ignoring them took too much effort. They were your friends and you cared for them a lot. Just saying that you wouldn't be hanging out with them was enough to tear you in two. Going to the warehouse sounded like fun! You wanted to hear Taehyung's stupid stories! And Jimin was so right about Ms. Lee being similar to the gas station guy! Even now, it leaves a smile on your face. Gosh, you should have laughed but instead you cared what others thought of you. This wasn't fair! Letting your body fall onto your bed, you screamed into your pillow.

That's it! Tomorrow, you're going to hang out with all of them and ignore the girls instead. That's how it really should be. You know you're not a slut and the others know that too. You're not doing anything inappropriate with them whatsoever. They're your friends and that's it. Tomorrow, you'll make things right. You might tell them about the rumors or you'll wait for them to die on their own. That seems possible enough. Tomorrow is going to be a good day no matter what.

Chapter Text

Ch.8

Tomorrow became today and you were already excited to talk to your friends. You were going to make things right! They probably didn't even know you felt this bad. Jungkook seemed to be the only to notice something was up with you, but that's about it. In the end, it just meant Jungkook was a good friend for picking up on that. His actions towards you were still weird though. That might be awkward to bring up. Then there was also that girl that saw you two practically hugging each other. It doesn't matter now. You know the truth and that's all that matters. Math class is going to be a lot of fun today. Hopefully Taehyung and Jungkook forgive you for attempting to ignore them. Plus, the other members.

Stepping into Mr. Pyo's classroom, your eyes landed right on the two boys you wanted to see. A smile formed on your face without a second thought. You took long strides to your desk, setting down your bag. Jungkook lifted his head to look at you. His appearance today almost made you jump. He looked exhausted and had some acne. It would be rude to comment on that so you didn't. It was just strange to see him this way. Taehyung turned his head to face you, his earrings moving with his head movement. It never occurred to you that his ears were pierced, but it was so good on him! He gave you a light smile, unsure if you wanted to continue working hard in math today. Hell no!

"Taehyung-a!" You leaned over your desk. "Your earrings look so cool on you!"

"Oh, you think so?" Taehyung began to completely face you with his square grin. He lifted one of his fingers to touch the metal of his jewelry. It was a dangling chain earring that really matched him well. "Thank you! I got them when I was out with Jimin yesterday."

"Really?" You asked. It felt good to be conversing with him. There were no awkward pauses and things felt natural again. He didn't hesitate to tell you all about his day yesterday.

"Yeah, I was gonna invite you, but Namjoon said you went home." Taehyung pouted as you gave him an apologetic expression. You would have loved to gone shopping with them. It would have been so much fun, but you were too wrapped up in your own crap. That's not going to happen again.

"I'm sorry. Yesterday just wasn't my day." You sighed. Taehyung nodded in understanding and you wanted to give him a huge hug. These boys were too good to you and you tried to ignore them for your own reputation. Forget that. If people think you're a whore, then so be it. It'll be worth it to just hang out with them. "I'm here now though! Let's have fun."

"Definitely!" Taehyung jumped in his seat. He was bouncing in excitement, making his desk shake like there was an earthquake. Mr. Pyo stared up from his papers to glare at the two of you. His favorite students! Taehyung's back was facing him like always while you were in a fully engaged conversation with the boy. Everyone gave the two of you quick stares, waiting for Mr. Pyo to blow up. He appeared to be keeping his cool. "Jungkook got earrings too but didn't wear them. Can you believe that? He didn't even pay for them and doesn't wear them either!"

"Wait, he what!?" Your mouth dropped in surprise. Sometimes you forget they would do things you'd never do in a million years. Mr. Pyo slammed his papers down on the stand in front of him. Taehyung and you jumped in your seats. He's had enough of the two of you consistently chatting every day like this. He would always scold Taehyung, but you wished he wouldn't move the two of you apart. This seat was the best. Jungkook sat on your left, diagonal of you while Taehyung sat right in front of you. It was perfect.

"Kwon (F/n) and Kim Taehyung! Outside the classroom," He snapped. Mr. Pyo pointed towards the door. Taehyung gave the teacher a nervous smile with his hands up. All you did was get up and scurry out. Was he going to scold you in the hallway right now? Mr. Pyo never blew up like this before.

Taehyung stood outside the door with you. Furrowing your brows at him in confusion, he didn't know what was going on either. He shrugged in response and proceeded to poke his head in the classroom. Apparently, Mr. Pyo was going to resume class with two of his students in the hall. Then Taehyung being the way he is decided to question his teacher's actions. You stayed silent, biting your lip. Mr. Pyo was probably going to lose it again. And he did. He came by the door and slammed it shut. It left the two of you startled. Hopefully he doesn't call home. That call would make your sister lose her mind. She would threaten to send you back with Mom and Dad. You'll fight to stay here though. You're not going to leave any of them behind.

As the two of you stood in the hall, Taehyung began to laugh at the situation. It was strange to have him so amused after what just happened. He wasn't in least bit worried if Mr. Pyo was going to hand out detentions or worse. He only cracked up at the fact that Mr. Pyo had had enough of him. Mr. Pyo normally didn't pay attention to you, but Taehyung would get a scold after class consistently. Now you two were standing out in the hall like a couple of troublemakers. Soon you couldn't help but laugh yourself. This was suddenly becoming funny for no reason. Taehyung and you grinned like crazy at each other.

"He's so mad!" Taehyung whisper yelled.

"I've never seen him like that before," You admitted as he nodded.

"Great teamwork!" He held his hand up high. You chuckled at first and then gave him a stinging high five. "Haha, yes!"

"This is great." You leaned against the wall with your hands behind your back. Taehyung did the same, only with his arms crossed on his chest. The laughter died down, your smile slowly fading at you thought more seriously. Should you mention the rumors to him? Imaging the silver hair boy not joking around was a strange concept. "...Hey Taehyung?"

"Yeah?" He looked over to you with a small smile.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you the other day. I ignored everyone." You didn't share his gaze. You were too ashamed to make eye contact with him.

"...it's okay." Taehyung got closer to you. Once his shoulder was touching yours, it made you bring your head up to see him with a soft smile. He's too kind. "But what's wrong? I know you wouldn't ignore us for no reason."

"I'm that easy to read?" You joked, letting out a quick laugh. Soon you nodded, saying, "There's been a rumor going around about me. Have you heard it?"

The silver haired boy tilted his head, pushing himself off the wall. He gave you a face you've never seen on him. There was a lot of emotions that it was almost hard to read. Still, you were able to sense his confusion, anger, and all the big emotions. You experienced them all when you first heard about them floating around too. Being forced into that stall let you know all the information you needed. It's okay if you don't ever find the root. That's what you've decided. Instead, you're going to try to grow stronger from this experience! Ignoring your friends was the wrong move since they're all you have. It was a good lesson for you to have so whoever spread it to be harmful can suck it.

"Rumor?" His brows knitted together. "What are they saying about you?" He quickly wanted to know. It was embarrassing to reveal. The rumor was a lie, but it did involve your friends in it too. It put all of you in a bad light.

"They're saying...they're saying that I'm sleeping with everyone in the gang," You explained, "I don't know why. They think that you guys wanted me to be the slut of the group."

"Are you serious?" Taehyung scoffed in disgust. "Aish, some people have no real lives. Who do they think they are?"

"Well, there's nothing we can do about it now." You patted his shoulder, trying to calm him down. Taehyung looked down at you in shock. He wasn't expecting you be this calm or 'give up'. You figured doing it your way would be easier. Finding the source is impossible so why bother?

"What do you mean? I'll find out who started it. I can get all the guys to get people to confess." Taehyung started devising up a plan, but you had to end it there. That's the last thing you wanted. The gang shouldn't get involved in this rumor or people will be positive that they're thugs. This school may be very relaxed with how things are done, but even you doubt they'll accept little criminals running around.

"No, Taehyung. Really, it's fine." You grabbed both of his hands. "I just want to continue as if things are normal. Don't tell anyone. If they hear about the rumor, don't let them do anything."

"Are you sure? I think I can convince Yoongi to intimidate people into telling the truth," Taehyung offered as you shook your head.

"There's no way he would help me." You laughed. "Trust me. I'm fine."

Taehyung didn't want to accept, but inevitably nodded in agreement. The two of you stayed out in the hall for the whole class period. The whole lesson wouldn't be retaught, and Mr. Pyo stated that that was your punishment for speaking in class. When he went back into his classroom, Jungkook came out with his notes written down. A savior! He handed Taehyung the notebook and began rubbing his own shoulders. You gave him a worried look as he muttered something about his body aching. Taehyung chuckled and told you that Jungkook has been working out a lot. Jungkook nodded, saying he was sore.

'That's our muscle boy!' Taehyung slapped Jungkook's back. You giggled lightly, but Jungkook didn't take it the way Taehyung had intended. Suddenly, the brunette shoved Taehyung to the side with frustration. The mood shifted from a happy atmosphere to a perplexing one. Why did Jungkook react that way when he knew Taehyung was just having some fun? Taehyung uttered an apology to his friend for possibly smacking him too hard and Jungkook didn't say anything. Jimin showed up soon afterword and you were grateful for that. He made the mood return to normal.

Jungkook gave Jimin cold stare before walking off. What's wrong with him? He was fine, generous enough to give Taehyung his notes. Without warning, he becomes angry and cold. That wasn't like him at all. It made you want to say something to Jimin and Taehyung, but it's not like they even know what's going on with their friend. Jungkook didn't always talk, but he was still kind and friendly. You had no clue on why he was behaving this way. Maybe Namjoon would know? Maybe something personal is making him react like this?

"Jungkook-a doesn't really tell us his feelings." Taehyung frowned as he watched the youngest member force himself through the crowd. The brunette was rough with the other students surrounding him. Many students who were shoved to the side by him looked back, wondering what his problem was. Soon he was completely gone from the hall.

"He's been acting a little weird lately." Jimin nervously ran his fingers through his hair. He let out a deep sigh as you silently nodded.

"Yeah, it's making me worry. Do you know if anything is wrong at home?" You said to see them shake their heads.

"We wouldn't know. Jungkook doesn't really talk about home to any of us." Taehyung shoved his hands in his pockets. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll pass."

Jimin sided with Taehyung on this. You weren't so quick to come to any conclusion. Unlike the rumors, you could figure out what was going on with Jungkook. He wouldn't like you prying into his life. To be honest, he would hate it for any of the members to get too involved. It almost felt like he had just as much walls up as Yoongi did. All of you didn't speak about Jungkook anymore. Taehyung went off to his next class as Jimin and you headed over to the physical education field. Ms. Lee's line was out there waiting for the two of you to arrive. During the whole class, you tried to dance to 'Mr. Mr.' by Girls Generation and managed to get Jimin to follow. As always, he did it a lot better than you. He wouldn't take your compliments, but you saw how happy he was just to move his body this way.

The time for lunch came and you were beyond ready. Dressing in the locker room has become a quick process. You don't take your time like you used to. Now, you hurry out of there to avoid their rude stares and inappropriate questions. You came out of the locker room with three buttons undone. Jimin was waiting for you outside and got embarrassed to see a bit of your cleavage. It wasn't that big of a deal to you since you knew he wasn't a pervert, so you quickly buttoned the rest up. Now it's time to go eat! Jimin and you ran over to the cafeteria at full speed. He went outside where the gang eats while you went into the cafeteria line.

As you waited for the line to move along, someone shouted your name and you could tell who it was. Turning back to face them, Taehyung rushed over to grab a tray. He cut the line to stand next to you. It made you laugh, but you also mouthed an apology to the people who were here first. He was just excited to make it in line with you. Normally, all the members already had lunch, but Taehyung occasionally got something from the cafeteria. It made waiting in this line a lot more enjoyable. When the two of you had gotten your food, you walked outside to see the group already there. Namjoon was sitting against the cement wall with Hoseok and Seokjin. Yoongi was to the side of Hoseok, ignoring you like always. Jimin sat next to Seokjin and besides the talented dancer was Jungkook.

You sat down with Taehyung, joining the group for another day. None of them mentioned you skipping out on lunch with them yesterday and you were grateful. So far you've only confessed to Taehyung and that was enough for today. It'd feel embarrassing if they all knew. Yoongi would most likely laugh at you or might be grossed out that people would imagine you and him like that. Either way, you weren't too interested in finding out their reactions. You weren't going to focus on the rumors any longer. You'll be enjoying your life instead. Everyone ate their food, teasing each other, or complaining about class. Jimin, Taehyung, and you were grinning about what happened with Mr. Pyo. It was still randomly hilarious.

Jungkook didn't laugh or enter any conversations. He stared up into the sky with an empty gaze. It made you glance at him multiple times during your chats with the rest of the guys. He was shaking his leg ridiculously fast and you wondered if he was impatient for something. Jungkook then stood up, grabbing his water bottle tightly. The plastic crunched from his hard grasp. Everyone looked up at him, confused about him suddenly shooting up like that. Where did he have to go? A frown found itself on your face. Taehyung and Jimin said it was nothing to worry about, but you felt like it was. Once you get the chance, you're going to tell Namjoon. He's the leader and you know Jungkook respects him. They all do.

"Everything okay?" Namjoon asked.

"Yeah, I just feel a little nauseous. I'm gonna go to the bathroom." He pointed with his thumb. Namjoon nodded his understandingly. Jungkook opened the door and left with his full water bottle. You couldn't take it anymore. You stood up and walked over to Namjoon, squishing yourself between him and Seokjin.

"Oh hey, (F/n). Did you want to see me?" Seokjin smiled.

"Ah...I came here to talk to Namjoon. Sorry," You said as he pouted in disappointment. Hoseok laughed, clapping his hands while Yoongi looked away to drink his milk.

"What'd you want to talk about?" Namjoon spoke in a low voice.

"I think something's wrong with Jungkook. He's been acting strange and it's been making us worried," You whispered into his ear, referencing you and the other two first years.

"Want me to check it out?" Namjoon placed his soda down.

"Please." You begged. He accepted, saying he'll figure it out when they get to the warehouse. You were beyond happy at this point. "Thank you so much, Namjoon! You're the best!" You hugged him from behind, your arms wrapped around his shoulders. Namjoon chuckled lightly as Seokjin made a tsk.

"Oh, you guys really are cute together," Hoseok commented only to get a second head shake from Namjoon. Something about this time didn't sound like a joke anymore. Seokjin began to whine how the two of you would be cuter together. Taehyung interrupted and jokingly said he was the perfect man. Out of nowhere, Jimin replied with 'we all know it's me' to receive a lot of 'ooh!'s from the guys. Yoongi didn't even bother to partake in this. Sometimes it felt like the boys were purposely trying to make the rumors sort of true.

Chapter Text

  Ch.9

Namjoon would tell you what was up with Jungkook soon. He texted you last night when he went to the warehouse with the gang. He didn't get Jungkook to talk, but he did agree with your suspicions. Apparently, he wasn't aware that something was up with Jungkook. None of the older members picked up on it. Yoongi, you don't know for sure. You always call all of them your friends, but Yoongi would hate it. Either way, Namjoon wasn't able to get Jungkook to confess anything. The youngest one was still a closed book to everyone else. He kept a lock on himself and when you think you know him, it turns out you were only reading the summary.

Jungkook was close with all the members. He even considered them family and the same could be said the other way around. They still had their on things going on which left you sleepless. First, you had to deal with math class before you could talk with their leader. There was nothing wrong with math class. You were excited to see your two friends, but you've been getting nervous to see Jungkook now. It feels like every day you see him, he looks worse. When you stepped into the classroom today, he was sitting in his seat with a smirk. His jacket was laying on his desk while he showed off his muscles in his t-shirt. Taehyung was staring in awe as you sat down behind them.

"Wow! That's not fair! It would take me forever to get muscles like that." Taehyung pouted.

"Well, I've always been athletic." Jungkook shrugged. "I don't do sports anymore, but I still work out. Let's arm wrestle!"

"Arm wrestle? That's all you want to do and we both know who's gonna win." Taehyung frowned as Jungkook placed his arm on his friend's desk. You silently stared as Taehyung continued to whine.

Jungkook's acne had gotten a little worse. It was mainly on his right cheek, but you've been noticing that his skin didn't glow like it used to. Instead, it almost appeared as a sickly yellow. What was going on with him? Jungkook slammed Taehyung's arm on the desk, winning before Taehyung had a chance to think. You stayed quiet, watching as the brunette cheered at his win. The silver haired only whined at his loss. You badly wanted to know what kind of information Namjoon had managed to get. It was really important to you to help Jungkook with whatever he was dealing with.

That's when he turned to you with no warning. He had caught your stare and you almost felt your heart stop. The habit of staring needed to stop. Jungkook's smile suddenly turned into bared teeth. He had many emotions run through his face and you could only catch embarrassment and rage. Taehyung wasn't paying attention to the two of you. He was oblivious to the amount of fear building up inside you. Jungkook glared at you with the same eyes he gave tough buyers. Why was he giving you that look of all people?

"Stop staring at me!" He banged his fist on his desk. "I know you're staring at my face! It's because of my acne, huh?"

"Jungkook...no, I—" You tried to speak, but he cut you off. Even if he didn't, you wouldn't have known the right things to say. What did he want to hear?

"It's normal! I'm just a teenager so back the f*ck off." Jungkook scoffed. Taehyung looked up from his desk with shock. You wanted to run out of the room. Where was Namjoon?

"Jeon Jungkook!" Taehyung scolded the brunette. You appreciated Taehyung's effort to defend you, but Jungkook wasn't even listening. It was hard to stay calm after getting yelled at like that. This wasn't the Jungkook you were excited to see every day. What the hell is going on? "You shouldn't treat (F/n) like that. What is going on with you?"

"Nothing." Jungkook groaned as you got up from your seat.

If you stepped out of class to catch your breath, then maybe you would feel better. And that's what you did. While they fought, you got up from your seat to escape. Opening the door, you closed it behind you. Mr. Pyo didn't say a word. He only glared at the three of you in the back for being loud. Letting out a heavy sigh, you felt a bit upset with yourself. Should you be helping Jungkook or trying not to feel hurt in the hallway? It made you close your eyes in frustration as all these thoughts ran through your mind. It's gonna be hard to continue math class with Jungkook sitting directly diagonal of you. He's probably still going to be angry and you don't know if you're going to stay calm the next time.

Hearing footsteps, you opened your eyes and became alert. Down the hall, you saw the purple haired male you wanted to see. He had his hands in his baggy jacket as he walked over to you. Hopefully you didn't look like you were close to crying. That's the last thing you needed. You can't help Jungkook or any of your friends if you're too sensitive. Namjoon stood in front of you, staring at your small form. He was the tallest member, but he wasn't intimidating at all. He had a friendly nature to him that could never disappear. It was one of the main reasons you trusted him in telling him about Jungkook. All the members must see this in Namjoon. He cares about his friends and he was a very admirable person, gangster or not.

"Namjoon? What are you doing here?" You asked in a low voice. If you spoke any louder, Mr. Pyo would come out to see who you were talking to. 

"I was gonna pull you out of class, but you're conveniently in the hall." He grinned as you raised a brow. He was just going to take you out of class? That couldn't be allowed. There's no way Mr. Pyo would let that happen in a million years.

"Sure?" You just went with it. You weren't going to question anything. Namjoon came here to tell you all that you wanted to know.

"So about Jungkook," Namjoon started, "He's gotten a lot more defensive lately. He really doesn't speak to us on anything personal. I do know that it's probably not a family related problem. That's as much as I know, sorry."

"It's okay." You crossed your arms. When thinking about what might be wrong with Jungkook, you wanted to avoid the worst solutions as much as possible. "I'll come to the warehouse and—"

"No, you won't." Namjoon shook his head. "Normally, I'd let you come but I don't think it's such a good idea right now. Give Jungkook some space. I got this."

"But—"

"No 'but's."

The tall male ruffled your hair up as he told you to go back to class. Giving him a big pout, you told him to do the same. He just laughed as he walked away from you. His laugh left you with a smile from how uplifting it was. You watched as he walked backwards in the hall. He wouldn't turn around until you went in and you wouldn't go in until he turned the corner. Finally, the both of you had to go. When you went back in Mr. Pyo's classroom, he didn't care that were gone for about ten minutes. As long as you came back, he didn't have a problem with it. Jungkook didn't look at you as you sat down meanwhile Taehyung gave muttered an apology to you. It was fine though. You'll get to the bottom of the situation soon enough.

Class ended when the bell rang. Many students couldn't wait to get out of their classes, but you've never seen someone leave as fast as Jungkook. He already has his things packed up and went on his way before anyone else could. Taehyung tried calling out his name to get him to wait, but to no avail. The both of you gave each other small frowns. He got all his things and waited for you to get everything too. By the time you two were ready, Jimin was already waiting outside in the hallway. His smile grew as he saw the both of you come out. Then you noted the hint of confusion in his eyes. He was wondering where Jungkook could be. All of you were. He wasn't the same guy who was here earlier.

"Namjoon told me that Jungkook isn't dealing with family problems," You stated. "He clearly has something going on though."

"Ah, Namjoon hyung is such a good leader." Taehyung smiled. Jimin didn't hesitate to agree and you thought to yourself on how much you adored their respect to him. They would never address their adults with honorifics, but with Namjoon it was different. You felt the same. He was such a good guy. How did they all become criminals? Never mind. That's not what you should be stuck on right now.

"We'll look into it too. I thought he'd get over it, but it's becoming really concerning," Jimin revealed.

"Yeah. Jungkook blew up in math class. That's not really like him." Taehyung stared at you. "We'll find out at the warehouse tonight."

"Please do," You pleaded. "I won't come to give Jungkook some space. I'm sure he's more likely to admit his problems to you guys than to me."

"You got it, (F/n)." Taehyung gave you a thumbs up.

They helped you feel better about the situation. You automatically thanked them, but they said it was what had to be done. Jungkook was a friend to everyone in the group and to you. If something was wrong, then of course everyone would begin to worry about him. His friends were dependable like that and you hoped for one day that Jungkook would be able to trust you completely too. It was a good goal in your opinion. And with that, Jimin and you waved goodbye to Taehyung as he went to his next class. Physical education was not too much of a step up from math class. At least you had Jimin with you. He kept the mood happy and your mind off Jungkook.

Ms. Lee made sure to get attendance done before sending people off to change. Soon she blew her whistle to let you know she was done. Jimin and you parted ways as he walked with the guys towards their changing room. Stretching your arms, you made your way to the girl's changing room. The rest of the girls were ten feet away from you, staring and maybe even gossiping. It doesn't matter anymore. Jungkook was more important than whatever these girl's thought about you. It'll have to die eventually. You changed into the uniform faster than the rest of the girls who talked trash with their friends. As you stepped out of the locker room, you bumped into a small girl.

"Sorry," You did a quick bow. She didn't move or say a word. It made you look up at her curiously. At first, you wondered why she looked so familiar despite not knowing her name. Then it occurred to you that she was the one who saw you and Jungkook so close to each other. Your cheeks heated up as you stood straight again. Her hair was no longer in a small bun. It was short, barely grazing above her shoulders. The situation quickly grew awkward as she just stared at you with a simple look of disgust. That's great. "Sorry again." You squeezed past her to meet up with Jimin. That was weird. Maybe the rumor won't die as quick as you want it to. Oh well.



Jimin's P.O.V.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
As much as I liked walking with the rest of the first years to the warehouse, Seokjin drove us all there without question. I bet it had to do with Namjoon's plan. Jungkook has a pattern of leaving during the middle of lunch to go to the bathroom with a full water bottle. He always looks sick but insists he's fine. Not mention he gets angry if anyone says anything remotely about his physical appearance. Everyone was just concerned. Yoongi didn't show his feelings, but I could tell he was questioning our youngest member. Namjoon hyung told us that we'd all arrive at the warehouse after school. From there until night, we would learn what was wrong. Yoongi implied using force, but that was a last resort.

The car ride wasn't filled with laughter like it usually was. The eldest members stayed silent in the car while Taehyung and I sat in the bed of the truck with Jungkook. We gave each other worried frowns before glancing at the brunette again. He was looking away from us, deep in his own thoughts. We were going to figure out what's been causing him to behave like this soon enough. We're all here for him. (F/n) will be thankful for when we do. I just wondered what could be wrong. When I first met Jungkook, he was kind and introverted. An athlete who soon quit because he found it insipid. Once we joined the gang, I saw ourselves changing a bit.

A bump in the road made us all jump in the back. Jungkook was gritting his teeth, holding the side tightly. It was easy to see the veins in his arms pop out. There was a great disparity from the person he was in the beginning to who he is now. Seokjin drove off the rode into a narrow dirt street. We passed a lot of homeless people burning items for warmth as the air got cooler and the sun got lower. The day light was still out, but I knew we'd use it up to just get Jungkook to talk. The truck circled around the warehouse, entering the back entrance. Seokjin parked and we all jumped out.

"Anyone wanna play cards with me?" Yoongi held up a deck. Hoseok rushed over like an excited child. We were supposed to act natural until Namjoon gave us the go ahead to get it out of Jungkook.

I followed everyone in the warehouse, stepping on to the elevated stage inside. That's where the table was. Yoongi and Hoseok sat down to enjoy the game. Seokjin joined in too while I walked by Taehyung's side. Namjoon jumped off the stage meanwhile Jungkook went down the stairs to head over towards the green couch. Taehyung tugged on my sleeve, indirectly telling me to follow his actions. We didn't go to the green couch with Jungkook. We sat in front of the table on the edge of the stage, letting our feet dangle. My heart was beginning to pound. Why did I feel so nervous? I've never had to deal with this problem before.

"That's not fair!" Yoongi laughed as Seokjin got lucky. He was in a better mood. To speak quite candidly, I didn't think (F/n) would ever get to see this side of Yoongi. He was always happier anytime it was just us. It didn't look like he was going to change his thoughts on her for some reason.

"It's not my fault you suck at this game." Seokjin grinned.

"Why are you suddenly so lucky?" Hoseok furrowed his brows.

My eyes narrowed down on Namjoon who was speaking to Jungkook. Their conversation was sort of audible. Taehyung and I could hear our leader asking how Jungkook's day was. There was nothing strange about Namjoon checking up on us. Jungkook didn't bat an eye when he asked and gave him a one-word response. Okay he said. Namjoon was going to be as subtle and as calm as he could be. The plan was to see if Namjoon could get him to say anything first before getting all of us involved. We were all listening in even if it appeared as if our other hyungs were invested in their card game.

Namjoon talked to Jungkook as if there was nothing wrong. Jungkook was lying down on the couch, looking up at the ceiling and sometimes at Namjoon. Taehyung turned to me and pretended that we were talking. I saw Jungkook make eye contact with me and I immediately gave Taehyung a smile. Our fake conversation was along the lines of how our school day was. Anything to look like we weren't repeating the same words over and over again. When we thought we were clear, we watched the two talking again. Eventually, Namjoon let us know that we needed to get ready.

"So Jungkook, (F/n) has been worried about you," Namjoon mentioned. By this time, everyone was paying attention to the conversation. (F/n) was the code word to get us ready. Jungkook stopped looking at the sky to give a wide-eyed look at Namjoon.

"What?" Jungkook got up into a sitting position. "Why? Tell her to mind her own business!"

"Hey! She's worried about you. We're all worried." Namjoon raised his voice. "We want to know what's been going on with you."

"I'm fine." Jungkook grunted.

"No, you're not. You haven't been yourself." Namjoon drilled into Jungkook. "You keep going outside of the warehouse for some d*mn reason and you keep going to the bathroom during lunch."

"Because I have to go to the bathroom!" Jungkook yelled, getting up from his seat. He grabbed his water bottle sitting on the ground and sighed. "I'm going outside." Jungkook started walking out with a bitter expression. That's when our leader got up to look at us before following after the brunette.

"Not today." Namjoon grabbed Jungkook's wrist, pulling him back with all his might. Jungkook lost his balance and fell onto the floor. Taehyung jumped off the stage to stand on the ground and I heard Seokjin get up from his seat as well.

When Jungkook hit the concrete floor, his water bottle cap broke. The water spilt into a puddle as the maknae winced in pain. He rolled on the ground, letting something slip out of his jacket pocket. The warehouse became silent as we all watched a small pill bottle roll away. I didn't know what to think. Jungkook glanced at the bottle in shame as Namjoon walked over to it. He didn't bother to bend down and pick it up. He just stayed disappointed and disgusted. Taehyung's shoulder's sunk down and I heard a few deep sighs from the members behind me.

"What the hell is this!?" Namjoon shouted to see Jungkook flinch.

"Leave me alone!" Jungkook propped himself up with his elbows.

"Answer me," Namjoon spoke in a low, dark tone. It was threatening as he stepped closer. I could hear Hoseok telling everyone to get up and get ready.

"No. I don't have to." Jungkook swallowed hard. He looked away from everyone's eyes. Namjoon grabbed the bottle in one last attempt. He opened it to see the panic run through Jungkook's face. All the pills inside were dumped onto the ground. "That's my sh*t!" He screamed.

"I f*cking knew it." I heard Yoongi scoff. I turned to see him shaking his head. Hoseok's hands balled up into fists while Seokjin kept a stoic face.

"Whatever this is, I don't want you doing it anymore. I told you full d*mn well not to." Namjoon tossed the bottle in Jungkook's face. I slid off the stage at this point. The tension in the room was augmenting. Jungkook slowly faced Namjoon, making direct eye contact.

"You know what it f*cking is." Jungkook growled. Namjoon breathed heavily, not saying a word.

The pills were too hard to see from where I was, but there was no doubt in my mind that Namjoon knew the drug. Time almost stopped as the scene was unfolding right before my eyes. We were all silent. Suddenly, Jungkook started grabbing the pills one by one in one last desperate attempt. Namjoon grabbed the back of Jungkook's jacket as Yoongi told everyone to hold down Jungkook. There was no time to waste. We ran over to kick the pills away from the maknae. He screamed at us, his face turning red. The pills were pushed into dirt and crushed beneath our feet.

Yoongi pushed Jungkook on his back, letting Namjoon take a rest from handling the muscle in our group. Hoseok and Seokjin placed their knees on Jungkook's arms while Taehyung and I kept his legs down. His struggles for freedom were hard to control. Jungkook was beyond enraged. He hated the fact that we figured him out and had him down. Yoongi forced Jungkook to face Namjoon who was the only standing member. Now that I had seen the pills up close, I knew full well what Jungkook had been taking. I never knew I could feel so disappointed in someone. Out of all the problems I expected Jungkook to have, this wasn't one of them. What would (F/n) think? I hated to imagine her face when we told her.

"Jeon Jungkook." Namjoon spat in anger. "Why the f*ck are you doing steroids?"  

Chapter Text

Ch.10

Steroids? He's been doing steroids? You got the call from Namjoon at one in the morning. They forced Jungkook to admit it. You wanted to know how, but they refused to tell you so. It was a good thing your sister didn't wake up. This news made your stomach drop. Right when it left Namjoon's lips, you fell back into your bed. You were there when Jungkook had grown that sudden interest in steroids and for some reason you were blind to it. It's not like you knew the symptoms, but how could you rule it out? A large part of you wanted to deny Jungkook doing anything that was considered self-destructive. It made you feel awful to hear that Jungkook had fallen into that path. Namjoon and the rest of the members felt like it was their fault for not watching over the youngest one enough.

The call lasted for about an hour as you assured Namjoon that none of this was his fault. He was so upset with himself that he started to vent for a long time. You listened to every word and made sure to make him know that he was trying his best. It wasn't his fault that Jungkook had steroids readily available. They sold drugs for money way before they met you. It wasn't until now that Jungkook had grown an interest. Now you made a promise with Namjoon and the rest to keep Jungkook clean. This was a drug Namjoon didn't want anyone he cared about messing with. He let Yoongi smoke weed and cigarettes on the occasion, but the harder drugs were off limits. He kept criticizing himself for not catching that. When you got him to calm down, Namjoon said that today would be Jungkook's first day being clean no matter what.

And so that's what you wanted to see. Math class was starting, but Jungkook and Taehyung weren't in their seats at all. It was making you become impatient with everyone in the classroom. You came in hoping to see them, but at the same it was good that Jungkook wasn't here yet. If he was, you would have started a huge scene. You didn't know whether to yell at him first or throw something. They better show up to school because you were extremely close to ditching just to go to the warehouse. The school would call your house, but you could delete the message before your sister heard it. The bell rung, and you jumped out of your seat with your phone in hand. During Mr. Pyo's class, Taehyung had been texting you that they were dealing with Jungkook at the moment.

Hurrying out of the classroom, you spotted them down the hallway. Students were already crowding the small space to travel to their next class. They weren't going to stop you. Shoving past them, you made your way to the three boys. Jimin was standing behind them as Jungkook shook Taehyung off of him. Jungkook was trying to hold in his anger, but you could clearly see it on his face. His teeth were gritted, and his nostrils were flaring. Jimin pursed his lips while Taehyung didn't know what to do. The first years couldn't get the maknae to calm down which means the rest should come to help. Right?

"Jeon Jungkook." You walked up to them, meeting Jungkook's eyes. His eyes widened slightly as you stood in front of him with your arms crossed. "Why? Why did you get yourself into that? It makes no sense!"

"Shut up! You shouldn't have said anything." Jungkook took a step forward to you. "It's my life. You had no business in telling everyone that there was something up with me!"

"I was trying to help." You frowned. "This little habit of yours has been affecting not just me, but your friends too."

"I didn't ask for help. Now I feel like crap and they took all I had left!" Jungkook yelled. Everyone in the halls were walking slower, listening into the conversation. Many eyes were on the both of you, but you made sure not to mention the words 'steroids' or 'gang'. "I don't know what else you want from me because you're not getting a thank you. I'm fine being friends, but don't meddle with my problems or my life."

"Jungkook, this is for your own good." You felt tears forming at the corner of your eyes. He wasn't going to listen to you. He was still upset about losing his steroids and slowly dealing with his withdrawals. "Right now—"

"You don't know what's good for me." Jungkook groaned, rolling his eyes.

"You're only saying that beca—"

"You should've kept your mouth shut!" Jungkook grabbed the collar of your jacket within a flash.

The vein on his forehead appeared as if it were about to burst. Jimin and Taehyung's eyes grew shocked once they saw Jungkook letting his anger get physical. They tried reaching out to him to make him stop, but Jungkook threw you onto the floor before they could. Students didn't say a word as your body slammed onto the cold floor. Jungkook was breathing heavily as you let out a soft whimper. It was hard to remain calm after what just happened. You can't be blamed for letting some tears slip away. Even if they were in a gang, you wanted the best for them. Maybe you really shouldn't have involved yourself with these guys. You slowly brought your body up as Jungkook began to cool down. Taehyung and Jimin called out your name in a concerned tone, but you shook your head.

Whispers from the students surrounding you were already engulfing the hall. They were trying to figure out what caused the fight or possibly making up their own reasons. What will they say about you this time? Jungkook's hard stare softened a bit as he collected himself. Tears were already slipping down your cheeks, your vision of him getting blurry. Jungkook tensed up, realizing the number of students in the hall and his own actions. Taehyung was glaring at Jungkook but held himself back. Jimin placed his hand on Taehyung's shoulder to prevent another fight. Jungkook took a careful step towards you, but you pushed yourself away from him. You weren't in the mood for talking anymore.

"Not now..." You said in a slight whisper. If you spoke any louder, you knew you'd break down into tears. Only letting a few slip was embarrassing enough. You got up onto your feet and pushed yourself through the crowd. You'll just go to Ms. Lee's class and catch your breath again.

"(F/n)..." Jungkook's voice called out, but you were already gone.

Jimin told Taehyung to get the elder hyungs to watch Jungkook for the rest of the day. Meanwhile Taehyung had to handle the brunette for a little longer, Jimin ran to your side. He found you outside near the field. His voice was soft and gentle when he spoke to you. It made it easier to cry in front of him, but you still hated it. You kept wiping away your tears in frustration. You hated how red your face would get, how annoyingly sensitive you would become, and all the unwanted attention you received for crying. It was so stupid. The fall didn't hurt too much, and the yelling was a little hard to take, but you were fine. That's what you had to remind yourself with. You're fine.

Today you didn't eat lunch with the guys. The elder hyungs were with Jungkook outside while Taehyung and Jimin kept you inside the cafeteria. They glared anytime someone would stare and made sure you had a smile on your face. Even if it was small, they just wanted it to be genuine. They did their best to cheer you up and didn't mention Jungkook. That was going to be brought up later, so they gave you a break for now. It was really kind of them to do so and you appreciated their efforts. Namjoon was originally going to talk to you but decided to make his conversation with Jungkook instead. Hopefully, Namjoon and the others are able to get Jungkook to listen. He might not always treat them the best, but Jungkook clearly respected his older members.

You went home walking to just clear your mind. A car ride would have been too loud, and you just wanted to think. Seokjin didn't get a chance to offer a ride since you left school right when the bell rang. No one got to see you leave. That was okay with you. A lot happened today, and you didn't feel like talking. When you made it home, you did your homework and caught up with school. Everything you did was to busy your mind with something else. Jungkook will get better, but with time. He only treated you that way because he's upset. You didn't want to continue pondering on the same thing. None of the members ever texted you to say anything about today. That left you with a peaceful mind as you ate dinner all alone and got ready for bed.

Tomorrow will be better. Spitting out your tooth paste, you placed your tooth brush under the sink water before tapping it against the sink a couple times. The moon was high in the sky and your sister still wasn't home. It practically felt like you were living on your own despite not paying major bills. Wiping your face on a towel, you turned off the bathroom light to walk into your room. The room felt cold, but you were wearing cozy pajamas. Right when you were getting ready for bed, the sound of knocking came from your door. Did your sister forget her key? It was already night, so who could it be this late? Walking out of your room to the front door, you peeked through the peep hole. Standing in the cold was Jungkook with his head down. What?

"Jungkook?" You opened the door as he raised his head.

"(F/n), I'm sorry." Jungkook bowed his head down, holding his stomach tightly.

"What's wrong?" You let him come inside. Even though you didn't say anything, you accepted his apology.

"Stomach pain." Jungkook grunted as he sat down at your kitchen table. "They've been trying to taper down my use of steroids."

"So, you've still been taking steroids?" You narrowed your eyes on him.

"You can't just quit abruptly. I'm gonna make the effort to quit though, (F/n)," Jungkook said as he closed his eyes tightly. "These f*cking withdrawals are gonna kill me." Sweat was running down Jungkook's temples.

"Do you want water?" You asked to see him shake his head. Jungkook was bending over his seat, shaking his foot quickly up and down. It was incredibly worrisome. It made your heart break to see him like this.

"They tried making m-me completely clean, but Yoongi said that was dangerous," Jungkook stated. "Yoongi said it was better to wean me off of it so I don't suffer too much, b-but they're cutting me off too fast."

"Did they drop you off here?" You asked, pulling out your phone. Calling the ambulance sounded like a horrible idea for once in your life. If you did that then everything would be screwed. It was horrible to know that Jungkook couldn't get professional help to handle his recovery. The only people you could trust was the gang.

"No, I walked here by myself." Jungkook sighed as he leaned back in his seat. It meant a lot that he came here just to apologize, but it was also so stupid of him. He looked like he was having a fever, but he wasn't. You didn't know a thing about helping someone recover from a drug problem.

"I'm calling Seokjin to pick you up. They'll take care of you in the warehouse." You smiled at him as he stared up at the ceiling.

He didn't say a word as Seokjin picked up his phone. You told him about Jungkook being inside your house and having a rough time with the withdrawals. Seokjin thanked you for letting him know where the youngest had gone. Apparently, he ran away out of nowhere. You shook your head at the sick boy, but at least his members were coming to get him. There's no way you could explain to your sister why a boy came here so late to the apartment with a 'fever'. Jungkook pulled through with his stomach pain and was happy it was over for now. Three knocks were heard at the door and you opened it without a second thought. Seokjin lifted his hand with a smile. His car was running downstairs with Namjoon still inside. You stepped to the side to let him take care of Jungkook.

"Come on. We're gonna help cleanse you tonight." Seokjin placed one of Jungkook's arms over his shoulder.

"I'm so tired..." Jungkook muttered as his feet were practically dragging on the floor. He looked so weak.

"Get better, Kookie." You smiled to see him lift his head. He gave you a small one in return.

"I will."

Seokjin thanked you again for alerting them about Jungkook's whereabouts before saying goodbye. It wasn't a problem at all. You almost wanted to scold Jungkook for dangerously showing up, but he was going through too much pain. He was well aware of his actions. Seokjin helped Jungkook down the stairs and into the car. You stayed leaning against the door frame of your apartment. Namjoon got out of the car to help get Jungkook comfortable in the back seat. They waved goodbye at you one last time before driving off. You rubbed your shoulders for warmth as you watched the black car disappear into the night. Getting back inside the warm apartment, you closed the door and wished the best for Jungkook's recovery. It's not going be easy for him.

Chapter Text

Ch.11

Knowing that Jungkook was on the path to recovery let you sleep peacefully last night. It made you extremely proud that he was trying. You were also worried for when he told you what the boys were doing. They were trying to reduce the amount Jungkook took in for his safety and then completely take it away, so he doesn't deal with strong withdrawals. The thing was, they were doing it at a quicker pace that it did cause Jungkook to have some problems. He's been pushing through, but it's still painful to see. Jungkook was texting you in the morning. Namjoon made him write a list of reasons not to do steroids and Jungkook decided to send it to you as a reminder. Some of his reasons were sweet and some were a little silly. Anything to keep him off steroids.

The first reason was that it angered his hyungs and caused issues in the gang. The second reason was because he didn't want to make you worry or hurt you again. The third reason was because he wanted clear skin. The acne was symptom as well as the yellowish skin that made him look sick. Jungkook wrote a long paragraph about how he does care for his looks a bit. The fourth reason was because he wanted genuine and healthy muscles. He used to be an athlete and worked out to form any new muscles. He wanted to get back on track with that instead of using a cheap way. The fifth reason was that he didn't want to remain addicted to something forever. Jungkook didn't like feeling useless unless he took the drug. These were all valid reasons and you knew he would keep his promise to become clean.

Mr. Pyo's class went a lot differently than you had thought it would today. Jungkook showed up to school despite dealing with some intense withdrawals. You immediately scolded Taehyung, questioning why his tapering process wasn't working. What Jungkook didn't tell you was that he was one of the main reasons the process was going quicker than it should. He wanted to be clean already for you. Shaking your head, you watched as poor Jungkook slouched over in his seat. He was so tired, and he obviously wasn't doing so well. Taehyung told you that he had spent most of the night in the warehouse throwing up. In the morning, Jungkook didn't feel like eating but Seokjin made him eat toast anyway.

Jungkook was giving Taehyung a cold stare for revealing all this information. He most likely didn't want you to know he was struggling so much. You wanted to let him know that it was okay. He didn't always have to be strong in front of you. If ever he felt like he was vulnerable, you wanted him to know he was safe to be that way around you. Mr. Pyo kept glancing over at Jungkook who was sweating buckets. The brunette was getting chills and his stomach wasn't handling the breakfast very well. Finally, Mr. Pyo brought it up.

"Jeon Jungkook, are you okay?" He closed his book.

"Agh...yeah, I'm f-fine." Jungkook gave a weak smile.

"No, you're not." You sighed as Taehyung shot up from his desk. He raised his hand straight in the air.

"Mr. Pyo! I can take him to the nurse." Taehyung grinned. Mr. Pyo lowered down his glasses to look the energetic boy in the eyes.

"Kwon (F/n), help Jungkook to the nurse," He said as Taehyung fell to his seat with a pout.

Getting up from your seat, you wrapped Jungkook's arm around your shoulder to help lift him up. He originally was resisting, shaking his head, and even tried smacking your hands away. All his attempts were futile in the end. The withdrawals made him weak, so he had to suck it up. The two of you left the classroom and made a slow journey to the nurse's office. The hallways were long and empty. Each foot step seemed to echo. Then there was the occasional shout in the classrooms from disruptive students. Jungkook clutched onto you as you were about to open the nurse's door.

"Don't open the door." He panted.

"Why? You need help." You frowned, pushing away some of his damp bangs that had gotten stuck to his forehead.

"So what?" Jungkook scoffed. "The nurse might call an ambulance if s-she thinks I need emergency help. I'll get caught."

"Dang it. You're right." You sighed, looking around the hall. "You know what? We're going to the bathroom instead."

He didn't protest to your next attempt. Jungkook may not get to rest on a bed, but he will be able to freely throw up. With all your strength, you helped bring Jungkook to a bathroom at the end of the hallway. No one was inside it which let you breathe calmly. You did have to enter the boy's bathroom after all. If a boy saw you then that would not end well for you. Plus, they would see Jungkook close to throwing up. Too many 'if' situations that you didn't have time for. Pushing open a stall, you watched as Jungkook crawled to the toilet seat and relieved himself. You looked away to give him some privacy.

As Jungkook breathed heavily over the toilet bowl, you rubbed his back in comfort. You were going to speak until you heard footsteps coming down from the hall. The door swung open and by that time you were hiding in a stall. Your heart was pounding as they walked in. Why do you always have horrible experiences in restrooms? This time, you closed the stall door all the way and had your feet pressing against it in case they tried opening it. You were not going to get caught! Poor Jungkook remained on the dirty floor, continuing to vomit all he had left.

"Drink this," A familiar voice spoke. You looked through the cracks of the stall, but still couldn't identify who it was. They were wearing their uniform but that wasn't really helpful. You listened in to their conversation intently. Jungkook seemed familiar with them.

He turned to them without panic. Whatever the male gave Jungkook, he was drinking it like his life depended on it. All you could hear was how Jungkook was swallowing it. That's when you lowered your feet onto the floor. Maybe they were a gang member? That meant you could show your face to them and give them a small explanation on why you were in here. As you reached to open the stall door, it was suddenly slammed open. Before you could let out a shriek of panic, they covered your mouth and tugged your body out of the stall. Jungkook watched with a frown on his face as you panicked in the hands of your captor. You were struggling in their arms until you saw who it was in the mirror.

"Yoongi, let her go," Jungkook requested. With a sigh, Yoongi released you from his arms. What the hell was his deal!?

"Why would you do that?" You whisper yelled.

"That was a stupid place to hide in the first place." Yoongi narrowed his eyes on you. It only made you grow more frustrated with him. Like you had time to find the perfect hiding spot! There's only one entrance and exit in a bathroom. This place leaves you like a sitting duck!

"Why are you even here?" You asked, trying not to start a fight. Even if he treats you badly, you're going to try your best to not give him a reason to hate you.

"Taehyung texted me. I can help Jungkook-a from here. You can go back to class." Yoongi handed Jungkook a second water bottle. You stared at them in silence with pursed lips. You didn't want to leave yet. Jungkook probably trusted Yoongi a lot, but you still felt like you weren't finished. It wasn't clear what you wanted to prove though you knew you wanted Yoongi to have at least some basic respect for you. Yoongi bent down to help Jungkook before looking up at you with acrimony. "Are you going?"

"I will. But why'd you show up?" You crossed your arms. He let out an exasperated sigh and big eye roll at your question.

"Are you really doing this right now? Jungkook feels like sh*t." Yoongi scoffed, making you feel once again like a terrible person. It was selfish of you to act like this. He was rude, but he was right. "Look, it doesn't matter if I skip classes. You should go back, or your teacher will think you ditched."

"Okay..." You quickly bent down to squeeze Jungkook's shoulder. He grabbed your hand as you stood up and squeezed it. By the time lunch comes, you hope his withdrawals calm down. It wasn't pleasant to imagine him not eating all day due to his sickness. "Don't skip class too much." You warned Yoongi to hear him chuckle in response.

"Whatever. Go back now." Yoongi glanced up at you with a tiny smirk. You nodded your head as you turned around, grabbing the handle of the bathroom door. "Before your classmates start thinking you're doing something else." What does that mean? Looking at him over your shoulder, you slowly opened your mouth before words came out.

"What?"

"Just go, (F/n). I-I'll be fine." Jungkook clenched his hands into fists, scrunching his face. He was trying so hard to ignore the pain. He was toughening it out until you left. Muttering an 'okay', you left the bathroom without a single word.

Another encounter with Yoongi that didn't go well. Why do you even bother anymore? Plus, Jungkook was literally vomiting his entire breakfast. Yoongi seemed to have a talent in making you realize your negative qualities. It was hard to even think about it without repeatedly thinking how selfish you are. You wanted to say how you could be having the best day ever and Yoongi had the potential to destroy it by saying one word. He knew how to twist up your thoughts and make you feel awful. Or was it all just in your head. But what did he mean by 'Before your classmates start thinking you're doing something else'? Who cares! You're not going to dwell on that any longer.

Taehyung was happy when you returned to math class. My. Pyo didn't say a word and students didn't stare at you with suspicion. Class went by quickly which was a perk. You wanted to see Jungkook, but Taehyung told you to just go to physical education class. Automatically, you disagreed but Jimin showed up out of nowhere. He was worried for Jungkook too but wanted to go to the next class together. It was hard to deny Jimin. He had a good pout and cute puppy eyes that made you feel guilty. Then seeing his happy smile when you said you'll go with him also feels rewarding. Gosh, he knows how to play you.

There was a part of you that felt Taehyung told Jimin to beg. It worked in their favor if that's what they did. Either way, Jimin and you went to Ms. Lee's class. She had everyone do any sport of their choosing. Today's class was very relaxed for some reason. Jimin and you decided to play tennis. He told you how Hoseok was good at this sport and even did a few dance moves. He did well in distracting your mind, but you were still constantly thinking about Jungkook. It wouldn't be until he was better that you wouldn't worry so much. Class eventually ended, and you had a lot of hopes for lunch. Jungkook should be better by now! That was the goal at least.

Jimin and you walked over to the cafeteria. He walked towards the door that led to the outside where the gang ate. He patiently waited for you as you went in the lunch line to get your own food. All the members were already outside. They were waiting for you to come on over. Yoongi didn't care, but you were happy with the other members. Jungkook even looked better. Today's lunch was placed on your plate. Leaving the line to go outside, you gave Jimin a smile as he opened the door wider for you. It was still more than ten feet away, but you were on your way. Jungkook shouted out your name in delight and you gave him a bigger smile. Unexpectedly, a girl blocked your path with a milk carton in her hand. Opening your mouth to ask her if she needed anything, you were then drenched by her milk. She held it over your head and dumped your tray while she was at it.

"Oh my God." You gasped, feeling the cold liquid sink into your clothes and travel into uncomfortable places.

"(F/n)!" You heard almost all the boys shout your name in shock.

"Stay away from Jungkook!" The girl in front of you screamed.

"W-What?" You wiped the milk away from your eyes. It was her. The small girl who had seen Jungkook holding you. She had the wrong idea. Oh no. Lifting up the soaked strands of hair away from your face, you stared at her with big eyes. Her hand was crushing the carton and she was ready to do more damage. "Jungkook and I are just friends—"

"Yeah right!" She threw the carton at your face. You flinched as it hit you, wondering what the hell you should do. The members behind her were slowly standing up. Yoongi was raising a brow at the scene and Jimin was telling everyone to get up. "I saw you two hugging! Not to mention you're their slut. How could you date Jungkook if you don't devote yourself to him? Instead you give yourself out to all his friends!"

"You're stupid if you think those rumors are true." You spat the milk dripping down to your mouth onto her face.

People who were already seeing this were making 'ooh's. She wasn't drenched in milk like you, but you doubt that she enjoyed having the milk you spit out on her face. She scoffed before it switched into laughter. All the members by now were looking at each other in confusion. Taehyung didn't move his head but gave you a frown. He knew the rumor, but everyone else was clueless. Yoongi wasn't getting himself involved in your problems. Students in the cafeteria were getting out of their seats now to see the commotion. This was going to be annoying. The small girl only smiled as people created a crowd around the two of you.

Her friends were watching, cheering her on. This was ridiculous. They had everything wrong. What was more frustrating was her friends encouraging her behavior. Granted, the members didn't tell you to spit on her. You just felt like it. When her friends were cheering her on, you heard her name was Jandi. Jimin called your name out and told you not to fight. That was the plan. Nodding your head at him, you noticed Jungkook standing up straight and watching the scene in confusion. He was no longer bending over in pain. He looked much better now like you had hoped. Smiling at him, Jungkook told you to just ignore everything and eat with them. That sounded a lot better than dealing with this. Taking a step away from the 'fight', Jandi's eyes widened at your interaction with Jungkook.

"No!" She grabbed your wrist and pulled you back. You were thrown off balance and you tried your hardest to have stable ground. With your luck, you slipped on the food that had been knocked off your tray. "It's not fair!" She cried out as you groaned in pain. Fair? When did you deserve to get hurt like this? Just because of some stupid rumor and because she saw Jungkook and you together?

"We're just friends!" You kicked her legs, making her fall flat on her face. The gang didn't know how to react. Before they could say anything to stop you, students blocked their path to you to get a better view of the battle. Jandi pushed herself up from the ground with a scowl.

"I don't believe that! Just look at you and Jimin!" She screeched. Sighing heavily, you just had to roll your eyes. Normally, you wouldn't be one for fights but you were so tired of this. "There's no way Jimin and you are just friends too with the way you guys act like together!"

"It's called having multiple friends!" You shouted as she crawled over to you to pull your hair. Gritting your teeth at the pain, you grabbed onto her wrists and pulled them off. You knew she wasn't going to quit now until she got what she wanted. She wanted to scare you off away from Jungkook, so she could have him. Too bad. Jungkook would never be into a crazy girl like her.

With her hands out of your hair, you kicked her chest back. She fell onto the floor one again and people were growing excited with the fight. Jandi got up again and this time she slapped you in the face. Tears were in her eyes as she made her last attempts to 'win' Jungkook. You didn't want to fight but here goes nothing. Sorry, Jimin. You looked back to Jandi with a poisonous glare. Before she could do anything else, you punched her in the face. Students in the crowd started picking sides and shouting names. You stood up, looking down at her as her shaky hand was brought up to her nose. It was hard to believe you did that. Once she stared at the blood on her hands, she bounced up with you.

"Little b*tch!" Jandi threw herself at you, leaving the two of you flying five feet away from where you were originally standing. Wincing from the land, you pushed her off of you. She tried scratching at you, but you gripped a handful of her hair to smash her head against the floor.

"(F/n)!" Namjoon pushed himself through the crowd, the members following after. Seokjin ran straight towards you, lifting you up from the ground to take you away from Jandi. Panting in his arms, you felt like a wild animal. It was hard to process what you had just done. Why did you do that? Taehyung and Hoseok were telling people to get lost meanwhile Jimin helped Jungkook stay standing. He was still feeling fatigued. Jandi looked up to Jungkook with big eyes, a tear stained face, and blood running down her nose.

"Jungkook oppa!" Jandi's bottom lip quivered. Jungkook made a face, clearly not enjoying what she had called him.

"No. Don't call me that. (F/n) is our friend," Jungkook stated. "Don't spread lies about her."

Smiling at Jungkook, you were happy that he was defending you. Jimin backed up Jungkook and eventually all the members were shouting in the cafeteria that you were their friend. Seokjin was still holding you as he shouted at the top of his lungs. It made you laugh and feel good. Yoongi stepped into the cafeteria with a sigh. He didn't care for the fight that just happened. He did give you a glance, seeing how you were sticky from the milk and your dirty uniform. He laughed and stayed out of it. Jandi stood up and ran away in embarrassment. She was loudly crying while you let out a heavy sigh. Finally, that was over with. Thanking Seokjin for holding you back, the rest of the boys gave you a comforting smile.

A teacher did come by, asking for what had just happened. The cafeteria became dead silent, but you admitted the truth. The members were so surprised that you came forward like that. You explained what had happened, even stating that you were defending yourself. Fortunately, they didn't call the head master down and were happy someone told the truth. It must not be common at this school. The teacher did give you a warning, but you felt like you were safe. That was such a close call. Maybe you actually are a bit lucky.

School was eventful yet another day. Jimin brought you to the girls' changing room and waited outside like a body guard. You washed up inside and wore your physical education clothes for the rest of the day. All the members kept a watchful eye on you besides Yoongi of course. He kept laughing at the memory of you soaked in milk. How sweet is he? You made sure to ask Jungkook how he was feeling. For some reason he tried apologizing to you for what that girl had done. Sure, she was crazy over him, but it was not his fault. It was okay, and he didn't have to worry about it.

Seokjin drove you home and dropped you off. The first years waved goodbye at you and loudly parted with you. The elder members were quieter as you walked up the tiny stairs. They started driving away when the clothes line began blocking you. Well, hopefully tomorrow will be better. Opening the front door, you gave it a little push to actually open wide. Before you could even take a single step inside, you saw your sister sitting down at the kitchen table. Her foot was tapping the ground rapidly and she only ever did that when she was upset. Why was she here? She should be going to work right now.

"Unnie?" You slowly closed the door behind you as she raised her head. She narrowed her eyes on you with no mercy.

"Why did I get a call from the school that you were in a fight?"

Chapter Text

Ch.12

After the boys had left you at your apartment, you were welcomed by a surprise. It never occurred to you that the lights were on. You were too busy waving at them as they drove off. Now they were gone. The door was closed as your older sister gave you a hard stare. It was a bit frustrating to see her looking at you this way. She was never around and now she's trying to take charge? Of course, Mom and Dad did put her in charge of you, but was she really? It was always you making your own food, buying your necessities, taking yourself to school, and you barely even saw her. Maybe if you woke up in the middle of the night you would get to hear her arrive. She was like a ghost.

Hyosung unnie got up from her chair and stood in front of the round kitchen table. She crossed her arms as she looked down at you. Sighing, you wanted to word this correctly. She obviously didn't want to tell Mom and Dad since then they would consider her irresponsible. She also wanted to make sure that you were behaving well in school because that was important. That you understood, and your grades were doing just fine. Nothing spectacular. They were good enough. You didn't even take off your shoes to put on your slippers. You remained at the entrance, thinking on how to answer her.

"Well?" She huffed.

"I didn't start it," You started looking down to the floor. "Some girl randomly came at me and I defended myself. That's all."

"Clearly not. Why would some girl just attack you out of nowhere?" Hyosung scoffed. "There's something you're hiding from me." She stopped crossing her arms and placed her hands on her hips. Biting your lip, you didn't want to tell her about the rumors. That was too much information. She would try to talk to the school and you might get taken out. That can't happen. The boys have been so great to you and you're not ready to let them go.

"I didn't expect her to try and fight me. That's what I mean by random." You shrugged as she rolled her eyes.

"But why?" She demanded to know.

"...She thought I was dating the guy she wanted," You admitted seeing her raise a brow.

"And why would she think that? Were you?" Hyosung stepped closer as you narrowed your eyes at her.

"No!" You raised your voice in frustration. It was so rude of her. She didn't even believe you.

"Then why—"

"Because I'm friends with him! That's why! She got angry and attacked me!" You screamed. "I did nothing wrong! You know I wouldn't start a fight so stop acting like I would!"

Hyosung was taken back by your outburst. At this point, you were fuming with rage. You didn't mean to get so heated. Talking to your sister always led to fights for some reason. The two of you got along when you were younger. It was easier then when the two of you lived under the same roof with Mom and Dad. Now she's constantly gone, and it feels like the two of you are strangers. That's why it's bothering you so much that she's acting this way. You know what you're doing so she has no reason to get involved. Hyosung blinked in shock before finally collecting herself.

"I am older than you, Kwon (F/n). You need to respect your older sibling who pays for the bills, feeds you, and houses you," She said as if you were an ungrateful child. Maybe you were, but she wasn't perfect either.

"First of all, Mom and Dad still help you pay for this place. You don't feed me. You don't have the time to, so I make my own food or buy it myself," You stated. "I get you're older than me, but don't act like you're right about everything."

"(F/n)..." Hyosung took a step closer. She was clearly upset and so were you. You were losing patience with her. All you wanted to do was go to bed. "I'm not going to call Mom and Dad, but I'm not letting you go without an apology."

"Are you serious?" You said, shaking your head in disbelief. She just wasn't someone you could respect at the moment. "Goodbye." You turned around, pushing the front door open.

"Kwon (F/n)! What are you doing!?" She tried chasing you but stopped at the front entrance. She didn't have her shoes and you were already down the stairs. Hyosung wouldn't be getting her apology any time soon. She kept calling out for you, but you were running away.

Her voice couldn't be heard anymore. You had no idea where you were running to. Slowing down, you took out your phone to text Jimin. If they were at the warehouse, then you were willing to run over there. A part of you wondered what they would think to hear that you had run away from home. It's not like your living situation was horrible. It was probably heaven compared to theirs. Not that you knew what their home lives were like. Typing to Jimin, you sent him a message on where he and rest of the members were currently at. He didn't take long to respond. Jimin let you know that they had stopped at a gasoline station that wasn't too far from where you lived. Fifteen minutes at most.

Jimin asked why and you told him to tell Seokjin not to leave yet. Since you knew their location, you began running at full speed towards the gas station. The streets weren't as dark and scary like they used to be. When you first moved here, you were terrified to even look out the window. You've grown accustomed to your surroundings. Plus, you hang out with gangsters and have seen some slightly horrifying stuff. Seeing the bright lights of the gas station, you panted heavily as you arrived. Namjoon was putting gas in the car while Seokjin was inside, waiting for change. The rest of the first years were inside the store looking for snacks. Hoseok was in the car and you couldn't find Yoongi.

Perfect. Somehow you managed to arrive just in time. As you regained air in your chest, you could see your breath in the cold. It made you rub your arms for warmth as you got closer to the gasoline station. Namjoon still hadn't seen you and you were about to say something until you saw Yoongi come from behind the gas station. Something was suspicious since he wasn't alone, he was talking to someone. You watched him as you saw a girl come into view. It was the red lipped girl. Why were they talking? She looked like she was whining to him as he smoked a cigarette. He tossed 5,000 won in her face. She gave him a pout, but Yoongi was no longer paying attention to her. Finally, she walked over to her own car and left.

"(F/n)?" Namjoon's voice made you jump.

"Oh! Hey Namjoon!" You smiled at him. He looked puzzled to see you which was understandable. They did barely drop you off.

"Didn't we leave you at home?" He chuckled as he closed the gas tank.

"Yeah...I don't feel like being at home right now." You sighed to see him quickly glance at you with sympathetic eyes. It was almost overwhelming. "N-Nothing bad happened. I just don't want to be home. Trust me, it's fine."

Namjoon slowly nodded as the first-year boys came running out of the store with junk food in their hands. Jungkook was slowly following after Taehyung and Jimin with a bag of banana kick. Though he wasn't as energetic as them, he still had a large grin on his face that warmed your heart. It was good to see him getting better. He hasn't recovered, obviously, but you're happy that he'll be back to the old Jeon Jungkook. Jimin and Taehyung slowed down as they saw you standing behind the truck. They cheered in excitement while Seokjin came out with a cocked-up brow. Yoongi came from behind them, annoyed that you were back. You still hadn't forgotten who he had just spoken to.

The youngest boys huddled around you with a bunch of snacks. Namjoon smiled softly and Seokjin laughed at their behavior. Yoongi jumped in the back and so did Namjoon. Taehyung kindly offered you a chocolate bar and Jimin wanted you to take his instead. They were so cute. Jungkook was happy to see you and asked for you to sit next to him in the truck. This caused a reaction in Taehyung where he immediately turned to Jimin who was frowning. The boys began bickering about who you would get to sit next to. Jungkook said that he deserved to have you next to him since he was hurting and Jimin wanted you next to him because apparently Jungkook could throw up any second. That might have been true.

"Just let her sit in the middle of you two!" Yoongi growled. "Get in the car already."

Taehyung hurried in, squishing himself against the car door. Jimin sat next to Taehyung with you at the right of him. Jungkook sat next the car door with you to the left of him. All four of you could fit in the back but it was a little cramped. You didn't mind at all though. The car ride was fun with the boys. Seokjin drove around the town, dropping everyone off one by one. Hoseok was the first to be dropped off, then Namjoon, Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook. Namjoon told Seokjin to leave you at the warehouse for the night. The eldest didn't question it but he did give you a bewildered look through the rearview mirror. Yoongi stayed in the back, silent throughout the whole ride. He must be shivering out there.

Seokjin drove up to the entrance of the large warehouse. He parked the car and exited out with everyone. He was only dropping the two of you off. He was going to go back home wherever that may be. Hugging your body for warmth, you entered the warehouse right behind Yoongi. He walked over to the closet, pulling out blankets that were kept here. Did he always stay here? Seokjin didn't look worried at all. The black-haired male set his keys down on the fold up chair in front of the couch and went to the back. Sitting down on the dirty green couch, you prepared for a long cold night here. As you laid down, Seokjin came out from the back with a box and started walking out.

"Bye (F/n). I'll see you tomorrow at school, okay? Get your beauty sleep." He winked at you playfully. "Good night!" He shouted for both Yoongi and you.

He carried the box off without a care. Yoongi set down the heavy blankets on the table before looking at you. The mood instantly became awkward for you. He hated you and now the two of you were spending the night alone in this huge place. You wondered if you should make the most of this and ask him some questions. Maybe the two of you can start getting along, possibly becoming friends? That sounded like a nice idea. It would certainly help lift the tension. Giving Yoongi a smile, he only scoffed. Great start. How were you going to become friends with him like this?

"Aren't you going to get a blanket?" Yoongi asked. Not in a concerned way. He meant it in a way that said you were stupid if you didn't grab one.

"Y-Yeah. I just don't feel sleepy yet." You looked at him as he unfolded a blanket. He wrapped it around his body for warmth.

"Don't hope for late night talks." He began walking towards the back, but you shot up into a sitting position. You didn't want him leaving already. It was too soon. The both of you just stared talking to each other.

"Do you usually sleep here? Why don't you go home?" You questioned. "I'm sure it's more comfortable there."

"Why aren't you home?" He snapped. Flinching at his words, he sighed heavily at your response. He didn't want to hear you start apologizing profusely so he decided to admit a little something about himself. "This is my home. I've been staying here for more than year."

"Oh...okay." You nodded. "I had a fight with my sister."

"I don't care."

"I know. That's why I told you," You said to see him turn around to look at you. He didn't ask or question why. Yoongi seemed to understand telling someone who didn't care. It was off your chest, but you didn't have to worry about them getting concerned. Yoongi walked back towards the table to grab a blanket. He tucked it under his arm as he walked over to you. He threw it in your face, not waiting for you to say anything. "Ah! T-Thank you."

"God." He scoffed once more, finding you ridiculous. You watched the mint green haired male start walking towards the back room again. The memory of him talking to that red lipped girl was still in your head.

"Hey Yoongi!" You yelled out to hear him groan.

"What do you want? I gave you that blanket, so you would shut up and go to bed already." He glared at you. It made you want to bite your lip and do what he originally wanted you to do. On the other hand, you wanted to question him about that and the want to do that was stronger. He once told you that confusing statement. Did he know about the rumors already?

"I saw you talking to a girl with red lipstick. Is she your girlfriend?" You tilted your head to see him quickly make a disgusted face.

"F*ck no. It's none of your business."

"Are you sure?" You persisted, watching him get annoyed with all your queries. Yoongi officially turned to face you, no longer trying to sneak off into the back of the warehouse. He made his way to you again with scowl.

"You really want to know?" His facial expression growing dark. "Because I can tell you right now. I think you already know who she is."

"I-I don't know her. I don't even know her name." You repeatedly glanced away from his dead eyes.

"Bullsh*t. I wouldn't have given her 5,000 won if she didn't do her job right," Yoongi said, making you raise your head. What did he say? You were going to ask him what he meant by that, but he was already explaining himself. He smirked at you evilly. "I told that big mouthed b*tch to spread that little rumor about you. About how you're our toy, the gang's slut."

"W-What? Why would you do that?" You felt like breaking down into tears. This was too much to handle. Why was Yoongi doing this? Going out of his way to make your life harder made no sense. He was the root of the rumor? It made your heart almost stop pumping blood. All you do is attempt to become his friend and bite your tongue whenever you want to yell at him.

"Because. Maybe I wanted you to get the hint." Yoongi lowered his voice in a tone you weren't too fond of. He brought his hand to your face, dragging his finger along your jaw line. It was just the two of you alone in the warehouse.

"Stop that!" You smacked his hand off. "Hint?"

"What if the gang wants to use you for sexual pleasure? Do you still want to be friends with us?" Yoongi took off his blanket. Opening your mouth to speak, not a single word left your lips. He rendered you speechless again. You didn't know what to think about the scenario. It was surprising to hear it was him who started it but at the same time you should have figured that out. Then one moment he's hating you and then the second he's lusting after you? What's the truth? Was he teasing you just for fun? He's sick.

Yoongi placed his knee on the couch at the side of your leg. At first, you didn't understand what was going on until he already had you trapped. He held tightly onto your wrists as you wriggled underneath him. The male only found your attempts for freedom amusing. Yoongi muttered very disturbing things as he eyed you down. Whimpering softly, you closed your eyes as he brought his face closer to yours. Once his forehead touched yours, you were about to break down into tears. But he laughed and pulled away. He was joking around. Staring at him, you were beyond shaken up by what just happened. You thought he was going to do something to you.

"F*ck, you're easy you mess around with." He laughed, standing up and away from the couch. "Did you actually think I wanted you like that?"

"I—" You found your voice only to be spoken over.

"Min Yoongi!" A male voice hollered. The both of you turned your heads to see Seokjin at the entrance of the warehouse. Yoongi frowned to know he had been caught messing around and by the eldest at that. Seokjin came storming in, picking up the blanket off the ground and shoving it into Yoongi's arms. The mint green haired male stumbled back as the eldest picked up the key's he had forgotten on the chair. "(F/n), let's go. You're not staying here."

"O-Okay." You got up, not denying Seokjin. You didn't know if he was going to bring you back home, but you knew you didn't want to stay alone with Yoongi. He most likely wanted you away from that guy. Seokjin grabbed onto your arm before glaring at Yoongi again.

"Don't let me catch you pulling that sh*t again. I may not be Namjoon, but I do have authority over you too." Seokjin gritted his teeth in anger. After that, he pulled you out of the warehouse without another word. He opened the passenger door for you and even buckled you in. He was very serious about taking you away from this place. "I'm taking you to Namjoon's. That's the second safest place."

The car was reversed out from the warehouse. He put it back into drive, stepping harshly on the pedal. Seokjin was going well past the speed limit and it made you feel nervous. He didn't say anything about what Yoongi did. You were still mystified on what had just happened back there. A lot of emotions spun around wildly inside you as thought back on it. The guys liked him, but you had a feeling that their friendship with you would hurt their friendship with him. Yoongi didn't seem to have anyone else but them so you had no idea why he was doing these kinds of stunts. Seokjin slowed down at he drove into a neighborhood. He parked in front of a small house, telling you to get out with him. You stood behind him as he knocked on the front door. It took a few seconds, but Namjoon finally opened the door.

"Kim Seokjin?" Namjoon was surprised before noticing your small frame. "Kwon (F/n)? Weren't you staying at the warehouse?"

"I don't trust Yoongi. He didn't like the idea of having (F/n) around so I brought her here." He lied, but Namjoon nodded his head. The tall male stepped to the side and that's when Seokjin patted your shoulder. He gave you a light push inside, saying goodbye to the two of you. Stumbling inside, you faced them as Seokjin gave you a flying kiss before the door was closed.

Namjoon smiled at you and told you to follow him. His house was about the size of yours. It was warmer than the warehouse and cozier feel than your apartment with your sister. Staying behind him, you took a look around his house in awe. This was the first time you've been at any of their houses. Namjoon didn't look the least bit worried to have you around. All the pictures in his household were either of him or someone you assumed to be his Mom. There was not a single picture of a father in his life, so you knew that it'd be wise not to mention that. Some photos on the wall were of a young Namjoon receiving academic awards that you could never even get in your entire life. You had to be a genius to receive awards like these. It made you realize just how little you knew not just about Namjoon, but with the other members.

By the time Namjoon stopped walking, the two of you were at the end of the hall. He opened a door that led to a small room. It was mainly for storage space but there was enough room for someone to stay in it. He told you to wait as he looked for a heavy quilt for you to sleep on. You waited in front of the room, not wanting to enter until he did. You didn't want to be rude. It was so kind of him to let you stay here and it made you feel bad. You only had a fight with your sister and now you were using the kindness of your friends to continue the fight with your unnie. As Namjoon started coming down the hall with a quilt, you were about to apologize until a woman came out of the room right across from you.

"Namjoon-a, who was at the—?" She asked before her eyes met with yours. You gave her an awkward smile as Namjoon came.

"Eomma." Namjoon gave her a nervous smile. "This is (F/n), she's just a friend who needs a place to stay for tonight."

"I'm sorry for intruding." You bowed. "It's okay. I can leave."

"Oh, it's okay," She said. "I would have appreciated it if you asked me beforehand, Namjoonie, but it's okay."

"Thanks." Namjoon grinned as he stepped into the small room. He set down your quilt and you offered to do it yourself, but he insisted. That was your only way to not be standing in the hall doing nothing! You gave his Mom a friendly smile as he set it up. She began talking to you, asking the usual things a curious Mother would care about. She asked for your age, year, the classes you took, and how you met her son. You answered her as best and respectfully as you could. You had to fib a little on how you met Namjoon, but it's not like telling her through Jimin was a complete lie. "There. All set up."

"Thank you so much. You really didn't have to do that," You told him as he rubbed his neck. You stepped into the room and sat down on the soft quilt.

"It's not a problem." Namjoon slowly closed the door, leaving a few inches open. "As long as you're safe here."

"I appreciate it a lot." You bowed your head towards him as he chuckled.

"Good night, (F/n)-ya." He gave you his gorgeous dimple grin before completely closing the door. You said the same to him and his mother. Letting out a sigh, you got under the quilt and got comfortable in the room. As you closed your eyes, you overheard the two speaking outside the door. It was really easy to hear them through the thin walls and you tried your hardest not to giggle at Namjoon's embarrassment.

"Is she your girlfriend? You can tell me the truth," Ms. Kim said.

"No, Eomma! She's really just a friend," Namjoon got defensive.

"Oh, that's a shame. I really took a liking to her," Ms. Kim admitted. "You should date her."

"Eomma," He groaned at his mother's embarrassing words. So cute. That's good to know she approved of you, but you were just friends with her son. That alone made you super happy.

Chapter Text

Ch.13

The sun was rising higher in the sky as the afternoon came. Clouds were spread across the sky, not greying the scenery down below. The air was warm in the little shop you were currently at. Servers were smiling, not many people were inside, and a lot of the colors inside the place were red. Namjoon had invited you to a porridge restaurant to eat. His mother kindly made breakfast for you, so you ate with the Kim's in the morning. Since she was so thoughtful, you washed the dishes for her. She was really impressed and kept muttering things to Namjoon. By the time the two of you were alone, his face was bright pink.

He made sure to take you out of the house to avoid his Mom's comments. In your opinion, he had a really nice Mom and his home was enjoyable too. It was hard to believe he was a gang member. It made you wonder if his mother was aware of that. There was no way you'd tell her or even ask. That's a horrible idea. The night was calm, and you slept well. Hyosung never called you or texted you. It left you a little upset that she didn't do much to get you to come back. Luckily, Namjoon cheered you up by taking you around town. It took your mind off things. There was no school today so the two of you were free to do whatever.

That's how you were in this porridge shop with him. Apparently, he really liked the food here, so he brought you by. A server in a red apron came by with two hot bowls of porridge. She lightly set them down in front of the two of you before bowing, saying 'enjoy your meal' and walking off. Namjoon excitedly began to eat his bowl. Despite it being hot, he continued to eat. Giggling at how hungry he was, you thanked him for the meal and began to eat yours. Namjoon paid for the food even though you offered to pay. He said he was going to treat you since he was older. Either way, you were grateful for the food.

The both of you ate calmly and talked about school. Namjoon made sure that you were doing well in school. Ever since you've been hanging out with them at the warehouse, you've been doing your homework later. The boys slack on their school work because they don't care or just because they don't have the time. Now that you come home late, you rush through homework. It's hard to care about homework once you've been messing around all day with the first years. The older male told you to keep working hard despite SuChin not being the greatest school. You nodded your head and decided to ask him about his grades. He had a bunch of awards hung around his house.

"What about your grades?" You asked before eating a spoonful.

"...eh, could be better." Namjoon shrugged. "They're good I guess."

"You guess? I saw a lot of awards," You muttered to hear him chuckle.

"Those are old." He shook his head. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"But you were sa—" You frowned.

"I want you to do good. You're not one of 'us' if you get what I mean." Namjoon lowered his voice, his eyes shifting around the shop. No one was hearing the conversation between the two of you. Letting out a sigh, you nodded.

The two of you began eating again. You wondered if Namjoon being in a gang was the main reason he hasn't put his full potential into school. Or he stopped caring. His mother seemed to enjoy his good characteristics and praised him on them, but never pressured him to do better. That was nice. Soon, the both of you finished your meals and stared at the empty bowls. You were incredibly full, and you could see why Namjoon really liked this place. The food wasn't too expensive, and they really knew how to fill you up. Before you could get out of your seat, Namjoon's phone began ringing. He pulled it out and made it a video conversation. Who was it?

"Hey Hoseok." Namjoon smiled at his best friend. You couldn't see what Hoseok was doing, but you could imagine by his voice. He was probably waving at Namjoon with a lot of enthusiasm.

"Good afternoon! What are you doing?" Hoseok asked as Namjoon glanced at you.

"Say hi." He turned his phone to face you. Hoseok was grinning and gasped to see you hanging out with the purple haired male. No first years were around or any other member, it was just the two of you.

"Hi." You waved nervously. He was probably already getting ideas that weren't true. Namjoon's Mom was already rooting for a side. It was an interesting feeling to be approved. Too bad you didn't feel the need to date. Hoseok laughed, the video occasionally slowing down.

"Kwon (F/n) on a date with Kim Namjoon!" He cheered.

"That's not it." You crossed your arms with a huff. Namjoon turned the phone back to him, shaking his head at Hoseok once again. The two of you haven't even been friends for that long so you couldn't imagine him as a boyfriend. It was too embarrassing to think about. You were still getting used to having male friends.

Namjoon continued to talk to Hoseok who was just out grocery shopping for lunch. Then they landed on the topic of changing their hair color. Moving your chair to sit next to Namjoon, you waved at Hoseok another time. His infectious smile could even get to you through a screen. For today, the two wouldn't be going to the warehouse. They didn't discuss their plans out loud, but you knew they would be doing at least one thing gang related today. Hoseok already had something planned with Namjoon at 17:00 so you could only imagine. At the mention of this, Hoseok and Namjoon both looked at you. Confused by their attention, you kept glancing between the boy in front of you and the one on the screen.

"Do you have anything you have to do today?" Namjoon asked. You could make up with your sister, but that wasn't going to happen in one night. One thing you knew for sure was that you were returning home tonight. Other than that, you had nothing else planned.

"Wanna join us?" Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows, struggling to hold back his excitement.

"Sure." You agreed to have them cheer. Today is going to be fun.

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taehyung and Jungkook were already at the warehouse with Yoongi. I knew the second years wouldn't be coming today since they had to deal with a couple security cameras that I noticed on our last deal. They didn't belong to a business but were just someone's home security system. When I saw them, I used the black spray paint Taehyung sometimes carried around to ruin the lens. Namjoon and Hoseok were going to handle it even further just in case. Hoseok would distract the owner of the house while Namjoon would dismantle them and destroy the memory. He was good at breaking things, so I believed they would do well. Hoseok had a talent for getting along with people he's barely met.

Walking down the long dirt path, I could see the huge warehouse in the distance. It wasn't too far away from me. As I came closer, I saw Seokjin's black truck parked in front of the warehouse instead of in the back. It was a little strange to see, but nothing unsettling about it. I made my way around the truck, getting close to the entrance of the building. That's when something caught my attention. A flyer was attached to the windshield wiper on Seokjin's car. It was violently flapping back and forth in the wind but kept a fight to stay in its spot. Curiously making my way towards the blue paper, I pulled it off and read what it was about. I made sure to glance at the door again, but none of the members came out so I looked back at the paper.

My heart started beating quickly as I saw the words 'dance' and 'free' on the paper. It was offering one free dance class for beginners at a studio. Elation ran through me as I reread the flyer over and over again. There was no catch at all. It was just advertising a new dance studio in the area. Euphoria officially had a new meaning for me as I clutched tightly to the paper. Was this a sign? My cheeks were hurting from how hard I was smiling. (F/n) was incredibly supportive of me and I felt like giving it a chance. If I didn't have her, I would have probably sighed wistfully at this. I'm still going to show this to her and ask her about going. She's going to tell me that I have to go, and it would be nice. I needed that last little push from her.

"What are doing you?" I heard Yoongi's voice behind me. I panicked as I quickly folded the flyer, shoving it into my back pocket. The flyer was needed to be given a free class on one specific day that was at least still a month away. It gave me time to come up with an excuse to not show up the warehouse that day. Looking back at Yoongi, I gave him a crooked smile.

"Nothing," I said as his eyes narrowed down on me. He's usually really friendly and nice, but I knew what he was pissed about. Besides (F/n), there is someone else that knows about my love for dancing. Except they weren't supportive.

"I know what that flyer was. I'm not f*cking dumb." Yoongi scowled as my eyes fell to the floor. "Are you still into dancing?"

"...Yoongi hyung—" My hands tightened into fists as I mustered up some courage to talk back to him. In the end, I couldn't.

"Why are you trying to leave us? We're a family here. I told you not to in the beginning and then (F/n) shows up telling you to continue dancing." Yoongi looked down at me.

When I first joined the gang, the money was supposed to help me do dancing at a studio. I still want to do that. The problem was that Yoongi found out my plans with the money and that I was going to leave right when I had enough to last me a year or two. He broke down my confidence about it, so I stopped chasing that dream. (F/n) revived it and I didn't want to let it go again. I knew it made Yoongi angry, but I wasn't too sure on why. We were family, but why couldn't he support me in this? He wouldn't let it happen. Now I was going to do the dance class whether he liked it or not, but I still needed (F/n)'s acceptance. It was something that I began to crave for which I knew was wrong.

"Is that why you don't like her?" I asked. No one in the gang was oblivious. We could all tell he had a distaste to her. He was practically shouting it every time she showed up. Everyone had their own ideas on why he hated her, and this was mine.

Before he could open his mouth, Seokjin came rushing out of the warehouse. The look he was giving to Yoongi was nothing like I had ever seen. It was so intense that I felt the need to step away. Taehyung and Jungkook came running out but stopped at the entrance. They didn't go any further as Seokjin forced Yoongi to turn around. (F/n) wasn't at the warehouse so I knew something was wrong. It was only noon. That could be a reason why the eldest looked so upset. Backing up from them, I bumped into the truck and stayed leaning against it.

"I wasn't done talking about last night!" Seokjin glared at Yoongi. "I don't know whether to tell Namjoon or not."

"I was just messing around," Yoongi uttered only to have Seokjin let out a giant laugh. He didn't buy it or accept the mint green hair's excuse. Looking over at the two young ones, they were just as confused as I was.

"Stop it! You're going to listen to me, okay? Let the younger ones hear the bullsh*t you pulled!" Seokjin pointed at all of us.

Yoongi shoved his hands in his pockets, waiting for the black-haired male to just teach him his lesson already. Raising a brow, I wondered what he meant. Was whatever Yoongi did the reason (F/n) as not here right now? My blood began to boil at the thought of him doing anything inappropriate to her. It was hard to describe the protectiveness that I had formed over (F/n). I didn't even like Jungkook getting close to her. Even if he was barfing continuously, I still didn't want her giving him a comforting hug. Besides, Jungkook was getting better. Taehyung and Jungkook walked closer as the scene unraveled.

"Fine..." Yoongi scratched the back of his head.

"Remember that rumor of (F/n) being our slut?" Seokjin looked at the three of us first years. He looked like he was going crazy. "He did it! Min Yoongi confessed to (F/n) last night and proceeded to harass her!"

"What!?" Jungkook and I took a threatening step towards Yoongi. Taehyung tried to find the right words to speak, but couldn't his mouth was gaping in shock while Seokjin gritted his teeth.

"I didn't do anything, but corner her!" Yoongi growled. "Why did you just watch until the end? If you cared about her then you would have stopped me from the start!"

"Doesn't give you the right!" Seokjin was about to push Yoongi back until we heard loud booms bursting in the air.

We all crouched down to the floor, covering our ears at the sudden noise. Jungkook rested against me as he tried to handle the loud noise and his withdrawal symptoms. The two third years were still baring their teeth at each other, waiting to attack. Taehyung was squinting his eyes as he looked up at the sky. What was he looking at? I turned myself to face what he was seeing and noticed fire crackers getting shot into the air. They couldn't have been legal. The wasn't the problem. The problem was that we didn't have any neighbors. Our warehouse was on a completely vacant street. It was frustrating to see this happening. Whoever was doing this clearly knew about our existence.

We slowly all stood up, removing our hands from our ears. The loud noises weren't pleasant to hear in the least. We could see the people doing this now though. It was a group of five guys running around in the field across from the warehouse. There were several sheds in the field, so I put two and two together. They were probably taking shelter there as we did with this warehouse. One guy with a black hat ran out of the shed to throw a bottle high up in the air. Before it could land on the ground, he raised up a gun and busted it. The glass shards dispersed across the field as all of them cheered. That one with the gun slowly brought the gun down with an off-putting smirk. He brought down the gun up to our eye level. He spotted all of us. I would have been panicking to have someone armed aiming at us, but he was clearly pointing at the mint haired green male in the middle of us.

"Hey there, Min Yoongi! Did you miss me?" He shouted loud enough for us to all hear. He cocked the gun and brought his finger down to the trigger.

Chapter Text

Ch.14

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yoongi gave a cold hard stare at the guy across from us. Seokjin had calmed down from the rage he had felt earlier. He was angry with Yoongi, but not enough to want him dead. Jungkook had his arm wrapped around his stomach as he held himself against the truck. I could see it in his eyes how conflicted he felt. He was still in no condition to fight, but he wanted to protect his fellow member. How though? They had a gun. Taehyung was still at a loss for words. Too many things were happening that I was almost in the same boat. The questions running through my head were giving me a head ache. Yoongi displayed no fear on his face despite having the gun ready to kill. All the guy had to do was pull the trigger.

"F*ck off." Yoongi scoffed.

"What? Don't remember me?" The male lifted the gun into the air and shot a bird. All of us let out a breath of relief to not have Yoongi be the one with a bullet in him. It was still a little disturbing to watch the bird's body fall down. Seokjin muttered my name as well as the other first years. He told us to stand behind him. The situation was still unclear. Jungkook almost refused to hide, but he had to follow orders.

"Jeon Jungkook!" Seokjin shouted in a whispered hush. Jungkook looked down as he came behind the eldest. Yoongi kept his hands in his pocket as he calmly stared at the others. Who were they? How did they know Yoongi?

"It's been a while. I've got a gang of my own now. It's funny seeing you in a group." The guy chuckled. "I remember you hated working with others. You would only help groups if it helped you, you wou—"

"Shut up!" Yoongi stuck his middle finger out. "That was years ago! Don't come here talking like you f*cking know me."

The guy wearing the hat widened his eyes. He wasn't surprised by Yoongi's words in the slightest. He was just pretending to be offended. Taehyung was looking over Seokjin's shoulder while I held onto his arm. Jungkook was resting against Seokjin, making sure the situation didn't escalate. A part of me knew he would try to forget his pain just to defend Yoongi. I wasn't going to let that happen. I wanted to run off and hide. That's what I was good at. It sounds like I don't help, but I'm the spy that checks out the area before they do. Sneaking around, finding things and making sure that my members will be the winners if things go south.

Yoongi turned to look at us with tired eyes. The fight that was about to happen was gone. Now he had to deal with this. He started telling us quickly in a low whisper that he knew the guy in the hat from before the gang existed. Right away, Yoongi told us not to trust him or anyone associated with him. We all nodded since Yoongi has practically grown up on the streets. He's been involved in criminal activity long before he met Namjoon. He's had it the roughest out of all of us. That's why he stays in the warehouse. It's literally his home and he keeps watch over it. Even though he's never mentioned it, I figured he appreciated the warehouse as much as Taehyung did.

"Keeping secrets from me?" The guy came over, tucking the gun in his back pocket. He slung his arm over Yoongi's shoulder. "I'm Myon. I knew Yoongi back in the day and that's all you need to know."

"Get off me." Yoongi shoved him off.

Myon raised his hands in the air, finding the situation humorous. The rest of us were still shaken up by the gun. We've had situations where we've had to deal with them before but those were during deals. The part of our town where the warehouse sat was considered the safest. That may have not meant a lot, but it did mean you wouldn't see drug addicts walking around or rivaling gangs constantly leaving dead bodies. We had it lucky here and we didn't want that to change. If Yoongi didn't trust these guys, then we were going to take his side no matter what. He did have his own issues to sort out, but we all did. Maybe not as messed up as his though.

"Fine, calm down." Myon grinned. "Look. I just wanted to introduce myself. Sorry if I made a bad impression with all the noise. We're your new neighbors!"

"What?" Taehyung looked at Yoongi to make sense of what was going on. We were all lost.

"My gang and I are going to be huddling in those little sheds across from your place. Hope you don't mind." Myon walked up to Taehyung. "We might make a lot of noise."

"Why the hell would you come here?" Yoongi pushed Myon protectively away from Taehyung.

"Why so angry, Yoongi? I just thought you'd be happy to see a friendly face." Myon shrugged as Yoongi began to snarl.

There's only been a one other time I've seen Yoongi look like a vicious animal. At that moment, everyone from his group came rushing over to our side. I began to understand gang wars and why they were always so hostile about territory. It was pissing me off to see them coming onto our land. They shouldn't mess with us here. Jungkook stopped leaning against Seokjin and came in front of him. He was ready to pick a fight with the other members. Taehyung and I backed Jungkook up to Seokjin's dismay. We weren't going to let him fight alone if Myon's people couldn't control their temper. We'll make them walk back to wherever they came from with their tails between their legs.

"Something wrong?" One with a ripped flannel spoke.

"Not at all. The fun is just beginning." Myon stared at all of us. "This is Woohyun." He pointed to the one wearing the flannel. The others lined up in confusion. They probably didn't expect to be introduced. "Mysung, Kanghoon, and Seungjo."

"We didn't ask." Yoongi sighed to have Myon pout.

"Aw, you're not gonna introduce your little friends?" Myon looked at us with giant grins. His eyes sent me a different message. It almost made me want to hide behind Seokjin again.

Luckily, we didn't stay out too long. Seokjin forced us into the car to my surprise. I thought he would have made us gone into the warehouse. Yoongi tried his best to handle the new gang. He faked a friendly tone and got them off our property. He politely told them off or at least I like to think he did so. We waited in the car until he opened the passenger door. He took his seat and buckled up without saying a word. Seokjin didn't ask either. Jungkook, Taehyung, and I were shifting around in our seats. Who were those people? There's no way Seokjin knew about them, but how come he was acting differently? They were older than us, so I thought we should just trust them if they chose not to speak.

Seokjin drove the car past the speed limit. Our bodies were flying with every turn he took. Namjoon wasn't going to be coming over to the warehouse today. Taehyung whispered the idea to us when the three of us were squished against the right side. Jungkook agreed with the idea that we were being brought to Namjoon when Seokjin suddenly brake. All of us flew forward, losing oxygen as our seatbelts held us back. The two in the front were fine, but we were taking a beating. Our conversation was more grunts than actual talking. We started coming down Namjoon's street and I noticed three people walking in the same direction. They were close to Namjoon's house and that's when Jungkook got excited. It was our leader with Hoseok and (F/n). They all had bags in their hands. Once the truck slowed down, they all looked at the truck curiously. Immediately, my eyes connected with (F/n)'s as the truck came to a stop.

Reader's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Namjoon and Hoseok brought you along to some messed up gang activity. They told you to wait outside the guy's house as they did who knows what. They invited you but were still very secretive about their actions. The most you got was Hoseok asking 'broken?' and Namjoon replying 'easy'. Whatever that meant, you weren't so sure you wanted to know. After their job was done, the three of you went to a store. The two boys immediately went to check out the hair dye aisle. They chose the colors they wanted, and you grabbed the ones you remembered the first years mentioning. If they didn't want to change their hair color anymore then that's okay.

Today has been fun with the second years. You never really got to spend time alone with them. Now you could confidently say that they were your friends without feeling unsure. Saying the first years were your friends was easy, but the others got a little complicated. They were friendly to you and that's as much as you had. Namjoon and Hoseok were the closest of friends so it was really nice that they didn't mind having you around. It felt super cool hanging out with them. The three of you were chatting like longtime friends together as you walked over to Namjoon's house. Behind you guys, you could hear a car's engine revving. The tires began to slowly scrape against the asphalt which caught everyone's attention. Everybody looked up to see a black truck slow down. It took you a few seconds to realize who it belonged to. Next thing you know, you were staring back at Jimin with a smile.

"The kids are here!" Hoseok laughed as Namjoon sighed.

"I had the day off today." The purple hair groaned. Seokjin turned off the car and everybody jumped out.

The older members had serious expressions while Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin looked excited to see you. They rushed over to see what was in the bags and got excited to see hair dye. It made you happy to have them gushing over the colors. Jimin got excited to see blonde, Jungkook liked the idea of going for a lighter brown, and Taehyung was set on making his hair grey again. Hoseok came over to the young ones, making sure to call dibs on the color red. Namjoon wanted pink. It was already so cute to see them excited over colors. You knew they would all pull it off. Yoongi raised his head, seeing the members holding boxes of hair dye.

"Did you get blue?" Yoongi asked and Hoseok nodded. "Mine."

"I'm staying with black." Seokjin shrugged.

"So, what's with the home visit?" Namjoon asked. We were all standing in front of his home, but he refused to go inside. His Mom was probably inside. You realized something about the gang had to be urgent enough to come to Namjoon about it.

"Ugh, these guys I used to know made a gang. They decided to make the place across from the warehouse their hide out." Yoongi scratched his chin. Namjoon took in a deep breath, thinking over the situation.

"Not a problem," Namjoon concluded. The young members stopped talking about hair dye and stared in shock at their leader. "We're not gonna fight about territory. As long as they stay out of our way then we're good."

"Namjoon hyung, they have guns." Jimin walked over to Namjoon with a quiet voice. Your eyes widened at the mention of such a weapon. Taehyung frowned while Jungkook nodded. Hoseok raised his brows and looked at Namjoon again for a new answer. This had a high chance of becoming a problem.

"...We're not that violent of a gang. We'll defend ourselves if we have to, but for now just stay wary of them," Namjoon ordered. Everyone nodded whether they agreed with his approach or not. Taehyung didn't seem so happy about a gun being across from the warehouse.

"Can we get guns?" Jungkook asked. You almost screamed 'what!?' out loud as your jaw dropped. One moment he's doing steroids and the next he thinks he's ready enough to hold a gun? He was still dealing with symptoms! Jungkook's acne had disappeared and he looked physically better, but that wasn't the case. He was still a bit weak and his stomach had issues at times.

"Look Jungkook, I don't think you're ready for something like that. You're still recovering." Namjoon rested his hand on the youngest's shoulders.

"I know, but I can't defend us with fists when they got bullets." Jungkook frowned. The older members agree with Namjoon's approach to this. Jungkook still needed some maturing to go through to see their point of view on things.

"We got knives. That's enough for now, but you told me you preferred to fight with your bare hands." Namjoon crossed his arms. "I know guns are intimidating, but I don't think so. I'll think about getting guns."

"I know a guy," Yoongi quickly added. Jungkook began to smile as Namjoon let out another sigh.

"Doesn't mean we will." Namjoon made it clear and Jungkook said he understood. The gang got closer together, whispering things about what had happened earlier at the warehouse. It made you happy to have stayed the night here instead of over there. You did wish to know what fully happened at the warehouse. They only mentioned new gang and guns and you hated what your imagination was coming up with. Eventually, Namjoon raised his head from the huddled group to look over at you. His bit his lip before making his decision. "Seokjin, drive (F/n) home."

"Already?" You furrowed your brows.

"We'll talk more later. You should go home now." Namjoon pursed his lips as Seokjin twirled his keys. The black-haired male mouthed a 'c'mon' as he nudged his head towards the direction of the truck.

Letting out a heavy sigh, you hugged all the boy's goodbye except for Yoongi. You were about to until he gave you a cold look and you remembered last night. Giving him a quick glare, you hurried off into the passenger's seat. They all waved at you as Seokjin pressed on the pedal. Yoongi didn't bother to turn around to watch you leave. You would have imagined the stunt he pulled affected the group, but they have other things on their minds. A new gang is causing trouble. Hopefully, they don't do any harm to the boys. Especially to the warehouse. It means a lot to Taehyung and you've grown a strong liking to the place too.

The ride home wasn't too long. By the time you arrived at your apartment, the sun was already setting. Seokjin and you didn't talk too much during the car ride. He was mainly focusing on the road. He must have been thinking about the new gang too. It felt like drama wouldn't stop coming into your life. The friends you made seemed to bring it around with them and it was problematic, but you wanted to stay by their sides. It was egotistical to think so, but you felt like some of the members have grown dependent on your presence. You knew for sure that you've grown dependent on them. Not for car rides, places to stay when you've had a fight, or protection against crazy people. You needed them for the silly conversations, their smiles, and the care they gave you.

"Apologize to your sister. I know you probably have good reasons to be upset with her but do it." Seokjin grabbed your hand after you unbuckled yourself.

"What?" You broke out of your thoughts. "How did yo—?"

"I over heard you talk to Yoongi, didn't I? Now do as I say and go apologize. Trust me." Seokjin squeezed your hand.

"Fine...only because it's you." You giggled. He grinned and raised your hand to his lips. He kissed the back of your hand like it was nothing. Your face heated up from his actions.

"And tell me if Yoongi ever gives you another problem. I'll make him listen." He winked as you silently nodded. Seokjin rolled his eyes, unsatisfied by the little nod. "Come on. Say, 'You're my hero, Seokjin oppa!'" He said, proud of himself for making his voice higher for your lines.

"No way!" You hopped out of the car. Gosh, you must look like a tomato. He was so bold! Seokjin pouted as you came around to his side. "Thank you for the ride."

"Oppa~?" He leaned in close to your face.

"No!" You squealed, running up the stairs to your apartment. Seokjin only gave you an amused smirk at your reaction. He knew you wouldn't call him oppa. That was way too embarrassing. He waved goodbye and drove off. You were still thankful that he had your back. You just hoped they wouldn't turn on Yoongi since they've known him longer. 'See!' You thought to yourself, 'I'm kind to you, Yoongi'.

Entering the apartment, you made sure to call your sister's name. She wasn't here. It was to be expected but you just wanted to make sure. She did appear randomly after the fight happened. You'd rather have her know about the fight than you being friends with gangsters. Putting on your slippers, you hurried off into your room to pull a piece of paper out. Hyosung won't arrive home until midnight, so you decided to write her a note. If you wrote her a note, it'd be easier to get all of your thoughts out onto the paper. You wouldn't be interrupted, and you'd be able to get everything out. Seokjin would be proud.

Once you finished the long epistle, you brought it over to her room. She didn't mind you entering your room which you always found interesting. Her room was plain with not many decorations on the walls or items around. If someone walked into your room, they'd probably be able to figure out who you are as a person. Hyosung had nothing to hide. Setting down the letter on her bed, you quickly walked out of her room and closed the door. This way she'll read the letter on her time and hopefully it can open the door for the two of you to make up. You didn't want to continue this fight with her, so this was in your best interest.

Slipping into your room, you jumped onto your bed to call it a night. It was a calmer day today. A lot more relaxing then watching a drug deal, getting in a fight, and finding out who spread those rumors about you. Life could be so draining sometimes. You closed your eyes and slept through the night. It was the best sleep you had in weeks. When you woke up, you were getting ready for school right away. Uniform on? Check. Breakfast? You exited your room to spot something on the table. Curiously walking over to the item, it was a plate of food that was wrapped with cellophane. On it was a yellow sticky note with pink ink. Plucking it off the food, you read it and felt the corners of your lips lift up.

'I accept your apology and want your forgiveness too. Here's breakfast to let you know that I will change,' it read. It meant alot to you. Looks like you'll be making her dinner to let her know you accept her apology too.    

Chapter Text

Ch.15

It was another day at school. This morning, you had woken up to a nice surprise by your sister. It was safe to say the two of you made up with each other. Of course, there are still a lot of things the two of you could patch up. Everyone was out for lunch. Jimin and you made your way through the cafeteria to join the gang outside. Taehyung was eating his noodles happily and you wanted to express how happy you were to Seokjin today. If it weren't for his advice to just swallow your pride, then you probably wouldn't be feeling as great as you did now. Breakfast was really good and all your classes have been a breeze so far.

Sitting down on the floor, you sat next to Taehyung with Jimin on your right. Jungkook already had his face stuffed by the time you showed up. He gave a small pout to see you sitting away from him. You gave him a smile since he looked so cute. Sometimes Jungkook reminded you of a cute little bunny. He's been recovering well and the symptoms were slowly subsiding. Jungkook used to be constantly sweating, vomiting, feeling nauseous and refused to eat. It made him weak and he was always tired then he soon found himself losing weight. Now, he was healthily returning to his weight and getting his strength again. Everyone still recommended that he didn't push it. Jungkook smacked Taehyung's shoulder and with a full mouth told the silver hair to switch spots.

It took some convincing, but Jungkook got to sit next to you. Jimin had a slight frown of disapproval to see the young one try and get next to you. Though you didn't mind sitting next to Jungkook, you did feel bad for Taehyung who didn't purposely sit next to you. Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok came outside with their food. They all sat down across from the four of you. Immediately, the second years began to eat their food without hesitation. Seokjin took his time to open his box of food that sent a delicious aroma through the air. Raising your head, you watched the eldest pull out a napkin before he looked up to see you staring.

"Has my handsomeness finally captured you?" He gave you a stunning smug grin.

"I thought it already did." You giggled to have the two boys next to you quickly look up in your direction. "The bullet boys always cheer me up." You tried to stifle a giggle as Taehyung gasped in delight. Jimin started cracking up too while Jungkook face palmed.

"Good." Seokjin smirked, bringing up a piece of meat to his lips before winking at you.

"I wanted to thank you for what you told me to do last night. My sister and I are on good terms again," You said, catching his attention. He stared back at you for a while before smiling.

"...well, that's even better to hear." Seokjin's eyes fell to the ground. "Family is important and apologies are really necessary. Only when they deserve it though."

"Yeah." You shrugged, furrowing your brows slightly. None of the members showed any emotions when he said that. The most was Hoseok giving Seokjin a cookie to make the black hair's smile grow bigger.

Today, all the boys had new colors except for Seokjin. His hair remained breath takingly dark while Taehyung made his hair grey again. The color was starting to fade so Taehyung made it return to what it originally was. Jungkook's hair was light brown now with a few blonde highlights to make his hair appear brighter. Jimin's hair looked completely bleached and he even gave it a different texture. His hair used to look casually messy and wavy, but now it was fluffy and curly. Namjoon's hair used to have purple hair that was fading beautifully, and he now had adorable pink hair that suited him perfectly. The color wasn't threatening as the word 'gang', but he could still look intimidating if he wanted to. Hoseok used to have a fading pink and then decided to dye his hair completely red.

Personally, you were too afraid to let go and dye your hair. The school could care less, but your parents would certainly mind if you changed your hair drastically. The colors were gorgeous and dyed hair always looked nice. You just couldn't imagine changing your hair color and worrying if it'll ever return to its natural, healthy self. At that moment, Yoongi pushed open the door to come outside to eat with the rest. When he walked over to the group, everyone noticed a tall male in the cafeteria who was eyeing Yoongi. His uniform was sloppily put on and he looked like another dangerous student. Yoongi sat down with a new look as well. He used to adorn a mint color, but it now it was an electrifying blue.

"It's him," Jungkook muttered.

"Who?" You asked, looking at the male again. He saw everyone in the gang looking at him and made sure to leave. Before he completely disappeared, his eyes made contact with yours and it sent a shiver down your spine. He was terrifying.

"One of the members in the new gang," Jimin whispered. "I didn't know he went here. His uniform says he's a third year."

"You don't have to whisper." Yoongi sighed. "Woohyung, he's their maknae. Don't interact with any of them."

"You never told us about your old friends." Taehyung pouted. Yoongi already looked so done and exhausted. He stared at everyone, but you. The two of you haven't talked since he admitted he was the root. Yoongi tossed his chopsticks back into his plate, his glare tearing Taehyung apart.

"They're not my f*cking friends. They never were, especially Myon." Yoongi pointed his finger at everyone here.

Hoseok instantly asked for the full story of what happened yesterday. Last time, they were all being so vague so you internally thanked Hoseok for wanting to know again. If it had been you who had asked, they wouldn't have told you. They still could be secretive with their gang activity despite you being close friends with them. The older members say it's to protect you and the young ones say it's so they don't ruin your innocence. Either way, thanks Hoseok. You listened in as the first years told the story, repeatedly talking over one another. They were outside when they heard a loud bang to see the new gang. That's when it all went down.

They were very vague about the beginning of their story. It got more detailed once the gang came in. Apparently, Myon is the leader of the new gang who is strangely outgoing. Jungkook told you not to trust him even if he comes off as friendly. Jimin and Taehyung quickly nodded their heads. Seokjin didn't add too much the story. He mainly let the others tell it. You did want to hear his version of it since Taehyung's words couldn't always be trusted. As he said, Myon was a giant with sharp teeth. That description got him another smack from Jungkook. It made Jimin laugh and you couldn't help but smile. You had to remind yourself that Taehyung getting smacked shouldn't be funny.

Namjoon sat with his arms crossed, his eyes staring down at the ground. His expression let everyone know he was busy in his thoughts. None of the members spoke until he made up his mind about the situation. He said it wasn't a big deal, but it was starting to look like it would become one. Woohyun goes to SuChin and for some reason went out of his way to follow you guys here. He watched until his cover was blown. Not that he was that good in hiding. Jimin could do it better. Sometimes you would be in physical education class and you wouldn't be able to spot him. Then next thing you know, he was right at your side and was only hiding nearby.

"It's a little frustrating to hear about the gang." Namjoon looked up. "But I think the real problem is that they're trying to pick a fight. I don't want to get involved in the sh*t they want to pull us into. We've never been about that. We just want to get money and do our own things. Getting stuff like this is just part of it." He pointed to the prominent scar on his cheek. All the members silently agreed, remembering the night he received that cut. The memory flashed in your head quickly as you recalled the night you discovered they were a gang.

"What does that mean we do?" Yoongi asked, picking up his chopsticks again.

"Well, you know them even if you don't get along with them. You're familiar with how they work so we're all going to be extremely alert. The warehouse used to be a place we could relax, but now treat it like we're doing a deal there," Namjoon said to receive quiet protests.

Taehyung frowned. Hoseok shared the same displeasure about the idea. The warehouse was supposed to be a happy place or at least one where they could be themselves without getting judged. They could escape their problems without the hassle of other students watching or nagging parents. It was one of the main reasons you took such a quick liking to the place. You could never feel alone in that giant place. It could resemble a playground to you and the rest of the first years. Maybe a hangout place for the second years and a home for the third years. All in all, that place made everyone family. There were fights, but things would return back to normal after talking about it. You hadn't confronted Yoongi, but you were certain Seokjin did for you.

"Jimin and I can make sure they mind their own business," Hoseok suggested to get an approving look from Namjoon. Jimin gave a quick nod at his new assigned job.

"Taehyung can watch over Jungkook to make sure he doesn't push himself." Namjoon looked at the grey-haired boy.

"What? Why me!? He doesn't listen to me!" Taehyung whined as Jungkook stuck out his tongue.

"Seokjin is gonna be our temporary muscle," Namjoon stated. Jungkook stopped messing around with Taehyung to scoff at the news.

"Oh, okay." Seokjin laughed in amusement. He looked over at the brunette with a small smirk, saying, "Stop throwing up so I can get a new job."

"You're mean hyung." Jungkook gritted his teeth. "I swear, I'm fine. I can take those guys any day. Especially if I had a gun."

"Enough with the gun." Namjoon groaned to make the youngest shut his mouth. Hoseok gave the young members a look that told them not to upset their leader. You remained quiet through the whole thing, hoping that they wouldn't hold back information because of your presence. If they continued to ignore you then you would be in this with them. Sometimes you felt so conflicted. One moment you want them to stop being gangsters, the next you want to help them fight against another gang. "We're not going to make this a big rival war. We're going to be as peaceful a we can until we have to become violent. Let's hope it doesn't come to that. Tonight, we're investigating." Namjoon scanned each member's face before his eyes landed on you.

"I co—" You quickly opened your mouth, but he was already shaking his head.

"No, it's not safe. You're going to stay away from the warehouse so just go home." Namjoon didn't hesitate to shoot you down.

Any further attempts would only make him angry. When Hoseok gave the look to the first years, that included you. Even though you considered yourself more mature out of all of them, you were positive the older members knew better than you. But the thing is! You really wanted to go to the warehouse and have their back to confront the other gang. Yoongi gave you a cold glare out of the corner of his eyes before focusing back on Namjoon. He told the pink haired male the information he should know about the new gang. They play dirty, they're full of lies, and make you want to do something more illegal than selling drugs and vandalizing city property.

Their plan for tonight stopped there and you knew it was because Namjoon had finally acknowledged your presence. He didn't want you there at the warehouse which was understandable. He was just looking out for you and trying to protect you. Except you didn't want to be sheltered. Namjoon could occasionally be rude when telling you to back off from gang related things. He wasn't like Yoongi, but similar with the blunt part. Though he told you to just go home, you had different plans. The rest of the first years gave each other side glances. It looks like you were all on the same page.

After school, the plan was in action. Jimin guided you to the parking lot where Seokjin's truck was parked without you getting caught. Taehyung made sure to be the distraction in the plan. He would catch everyone's attention at the entrance by picking a 'fight' with Jungkook. The two were currently yelling at each other over who was Mr. Pyo's favorite. Out of all the choices, of course. There was a tarp in the back of Seokjin's truck. Jimin helped you hide under it while making it natural. He was a pro at stealth and quickly taught you a breathing technique to receive enough air without getting caught. D*mn, these boys really didn't play around.

At this time, Jungkook pushed Taehyung onto the ground. Students were crowding around in confusion by the time Jimin popped in. Taehyung's acting skills were a lot more impressive than Jimin expected. Especially since they were fighting over who was the grumpy teacher's favorite. Jungkook was panting and fell forward onto the ground. That part wasn't planned. The rest of the members showed up, puzzled by the first years yet again. Jimin worriedly picked Jungkook who suddenly had a wave of fatigue hit him. Taehyung continued acting on the ground despite being equally worried for the maknae.

"Get off the f*cking ground and let's go." Yoongi plucked Taehyung off the ground, pushing him towards the truck. Seokjin shook his head as he walked over to his truck. You were peeking your head to view it all and instantly hid under the tarp with Jimin's advice in mind. Hoseok and Namjoon were scolding the two youngest ones for doing something so stupid. It was making their leader regret putting Taehyung in charge of Jungkook because instead of taking care of him, he made him collapse.

The engine of the car turned on. Next thing you know, the truck was moving and the voices of the members got louder. The second years entered the truck while all the first years came into the back with you. As they came on, it sounded like Yoongi tried getting in the back with them. They all started telling Yoongi to get lost and you scrunched your face tightly under the tarp. They sounded so obvious, but only because you knew. Yoongi was forced to get inside the truck with the others before Seokjin started driving again. The ride isn't supposed to be long, but it felt like centuries under the black trap. The heat from the sun was beating down on it, making you sweat profusely. It didn't feel nice to have your clothes sticking to you and not getting any of the fresh breeze the young boys must have been receiving.

That's when the truck slowed down and came to a stop. Did they park? Someone smacked the tarp, hitting your hip to let you know that they had arrived. You did not agree to that being the method. At least they didn't smack something else. The boys began snickering and you were ready to jump out of the tarp to hit them. You'll teach them about respect! The older members got out from the truck, slamming the car doors harshly. Immediately, you heard Taehyung say 'we have company' in a tone that let you know the other gang was here.

Lifting the tarp off your body, you quietly slid it off and enjoyed the cool air touching your skin. It was refreshing after baking. Jimin closed the tailgate, his eyes never leaving you until he walked to the side of the truck with the others. You heard multiple footsteps come closer while the 'bullet boys' didn't move an inch. You wanted to see everything happen in front of you, but you couldn't blow your cover. Since you got this far without getting detected, your heart wasn't racing with too much adrenaline. In your opinion, you were very safe with Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook having your back.

"Yoongi! Is this everyone?" A voice asked with overwhelming enthusiasm. You assumed this was Myon, the untrustworthy leader of the new gang. "Seven members in total, huh? That's a nice amount. Must feel like a family, right?"

"What do you want?" Yoongi practically growled.

"Calm down," Namjoon's voice instructed the blue hair. No one questioned Namjoon's order over Yoongi and that's when it must have clicked in Myon's head. It sounded like he was having a heck of a time.

"Oh! Yoongi, you aren't the leader?" Myon laughed in disbelief. It was easy to see how he was mocking Yoongi but tried to pass it off as nothing. "You never listened to anyone before! What happened? Did you become his b—"

"I'm the leader, Namjoon." The pink hair interrupted.

Slowly lifting your head, you witnessed the sight in front of you. The adrenaline was rushing through your body again. Namjoon was standing in front of everyone with his right hand slightly hovering over Yoongi to hold him back. Behind those two were Seokjin and Hoseok. All the first years stood in the back watching with frowns. Yoongi was grinding his teeth, tightening his fists so tight that his knuckles were turning white as milk. The other gang stood opposite of your boys. Myon was in the front, wearing a hat and a sleazy smile. Woohyun was standing right next to him, his brown hair curly hanging above his face. The rest also terrified you to the core. Unlike your 'bullet boys', they actually looked what you assumed gangster would look like.

"Namjoon? Never heard of you before. You all look new." Myon shoved his hands in his pockets. "Yoongi has always been a street rat though."

"F*ck you." Yoongi tried taking a step forward, but Hoseok grabbed his jacket to hold him back. Namjoon was getting frustrated with Yoongi's short temper. How were they supposed to handle the new gang if Yoongi is the main one causing problems on their side?

"Stop it, Hyung," Hoseok whispered as the first years stepped closer.

"Go back in the warehouse if you're going to be like this." Namjoon sighed to have Myon bending over in laughter. It seemed like Myon was the most familiar with Yoongi compared to the others. Whatever he found amusing, Myon was getting on your nerves. Just staring at his face was enraging you. Now you understood by what Yoongi meant.

"Wow, you really have Yoongi under control!" Myon grinned as Namjoon shook his head.

"There is no 'under control'. Look, we just want you guys to understand this is our property and not to bother us." Namjoon crossed his arms, changing the atmosphere around the male who wore a hat.

"Is that how it's going to be? I really didn't want that to be us. We just wanted to be friendly neighbors!" Myon whined, but no one was buying it. His members didn't look interested in being good neighbors anyway. "What? Are you hiding something in that warehouse? A weakness?"

"There's nothing to hide. The warehouse is just ours so don't intrude." Namjoon was doing his best to keep his patience. He was really good at dealing with difficult people from what you've seen. It felt like he truly was a born leader. Everyone stood their ground against the other group as Myon eyed them all intensely. His eyes looked wild as if he was trying to get them to break, but they wouldn't. You hated him already and your blood ran cold once his eyes suddenly found yours.

"Oh? We have a guest." Myon pointed you out, having all the members look at you with shocked expressions besides the first years who were terrified. Namjoon was furious but masked it well. His nostrils flared as you instinctively looked at the first years on what to do next. This was a bad idea from the start. Why did you do this? "Who is she?"

"Get her in the warehouse." Namjoon stopped looking at you but noticed none of the members handling you. "NOW!"

Jungkook hurried to open the tailgate with his head down. Taehyung and Jimin got into the bed of the truck and pulled you out. They brought you inside the warehouse as the older members were still in shock that you were here. Namjoon didn't bother to look at you after seeing you once. Myon was licking his lips, excited on his new find. Yoongi probably hated you even more now. Soon you were forced into the warehouse, each of you terrified to be scolded by Namjoon and the other elder members. You definitely didn't help them like you wanted to. You should have gone home, but it's too late to regret. What's going to happen now?

Chapter Text

Ch.16

Jungkook sat to your right while Jimin, and Taehyung were on your left. The four of you squished onto the green couch together as you waited for Namjoon to come inside. He was dealing with the new gang and you weren't looking forward to being yelled at by him. The two of you were just starting to become friends! You wanted to prove that you wouldn't bother the gang and drag them down. In the end, you're blind to your actions and prove Yoongi right. It made you feel like jumping off a cliff. All of you have been waiting for a while, not hearing much of the conversation with the other gang. Yoongi was probably still angry at Myon, Namjoon was probably furious at a lot of people, and then Seokjin and Hoseok were most likely confused by everything. It was a lot to take in.

Soon, the voices became quiet and you heard the sound of footsteps instead. All the boys lifted their heads in anticipation while you continued to look down at your feet. Gosh, your heart was pounding so hard against your chest. It wasn't like Namjoon was going to hurt you or anything like that, but you still felt terrified. Pink hair or not, Namjoon could be terrifying when he wanted to be. Right now was a prime example. He stormed into the warehouse with his hands deep in his pockets. He looked annoyed from handling Myon and so you weren't too happy to be talked to after that. Yoongi had a small smirk on his face, waiting for you to be told to get scolded in front of everyone. Seokjin and Hoseok spaced themselves out a bit, not standing behind their leader which helped make things not so intimidating.

The pink hair didn't sit in the chair in front of the couch. He remained standing tall, eyeing you all down. Taehyung was starting to break down and was going to spill everything until Jimin pinched him. The four of you weren't trying to hold information from Namjoon, but you didn't want him to get angrier. Who knows how he'll react to find out that you've been in the back for a while? Jimin taught you some techniques that maybe he shouldn't have shared. Biting your lip, you glanced at Jungkook who was glaring at the ground.

"Look at me, Jeon Jungkook." Namjoon sighed. Jungkook closed his eyes before finally begrudgingly facing his hyung. Everyone shifted uncomfortably on the couch, wanting the scolding to be over with. "Why are you here, (F/n)?" He questioned, plain and simple.

"...well I—" You stammered, but he wasn't finished. He continued to throw things in your face as he paced back and forth.

"You came here after I told you not to. Somehow you're here anyway!" Namjoon scoffed. "And I know d*mn well that these three boys helped you in coming here. All of you went against my word."

"You're only mad because she got caught!" Jungkook barked back to get a shocked expression from his older members.

"No, I'm mad because her coming was dangerous! Now the others know she exists and she has close ties with us!" Namjoon raised his voice at the youngest. "Not because she suddenly popped her head up! When you mature, you will understand that this is serious! This isn't a game of hide and seek!"

"You should know better not to speak to Namjoon like that." Seokjin crossed his arms, narrowing his eyes on the brunette next to you.

"Show him respect. You entered this gang and he has taught you so many things. You could still learn a lot from him." Hoseok scoffed. Jungkook gritted his teeth but calmed down from his fit of rage. Yoongi didn't say a word. He kept a judgmental glare at everyone on the couch. You were surprised at Jungkook's little outburst for you. Of course, you appreciated the fact that he wanted to defend you, but you had to side with the older members.

Each member that sat with you on the couch felt injustice. They only wanted to bring their friend along as long as she wasn't caught. That's what was supposed to happen. The gang wouldn't be too mad if you suddenly appeared later in the night. Curiosity killed the cat though and this wasn't the satisfaction to bring it back. You'd rather stay dead. Swallowing hard, you glanced at the two boys on your left. Jimin was feeling extreme guilt while Taehyung looked like he was going to blow.

"Don't yell at us!" Taehyung huffed. "We made a mistake. We can admit that, but we didn't do anything horrible."

"Tell that to me again if (F/n) gets dragged into this," Hoseok retorted. Immediately, Taehyung shrunk again wishing that he hadn't spoken.

"Why do you keep shoving yourself into our problems? You heard no, but you're too stupid to understand that." Yoongi's voice caught your attention. Turning to face him, his eyes connected with yours. Who else would he be talking to like that? Your lips parted with no audible sound coming out. This was most of your conversations with the blue hair.

"Min Yoongi!" Seokjin shouted loudly from across the room. It made Yoongi and Hoseok flinch while Namjoon raised a bewildered eyebrow. He really was making sure that Yoongi didn't attack you anymore. Even now when you put yourself in clear danger. The blue hair tugged his hood over his head and marched away from everyone else, grumbling how the first years should be the ones getting scolded. As if that wasn't happening already! Namjoon shook his head at his unfriendly member before looking you all in the eyes. He was still serious, but it changed slightly.

"From now on, Hoseok will watch over all of you until the rival gang problem is solved." Namjoon crossed his arms to spark outrage amongst the first years. "That's what we're calling it for now. They're not actually our rivals."

"We're getting a babysitter!?" Taehyung whined as Jungkook appeared panicked.

"Yah!" Hoseok shouted in the middle of the chaos. "Why do I have to take care of them?"

"You can question Namjoon, but we can't?" Jungkook muttered with a childish pout. Everyone ignored his behavior and focused on the conversation between the second years.

"Because I can trust you, you get along with the first years the most, and Seokjin is going to be busy with Yoongi and I," Namjoon explained. Hoseok couldn't think of anymore protests. He gave a small frown to know he was now in charge of handling the four of you.

"I'm sorry, Namjoon-nim." Jimin bowed. This was the first time he had talked since Namjoon began scolding everyone. Taehyung and Jungkook were confused at their friend's actions meanwhile you followed suit. You lowered your head with him.

"I'm sorry too, Namjoon sunbae." You stayed down with Jimin.

The two of you didn't raise your head until Namjoon finally told you two to lift your heads. Though he accepted the apology, it was still required of Hoseok to watch over everyone. Once Jimin and you looked up at them, you could see the smiles on the older members. At least you were able to receive their respect and you really admired Jimin for bowing first. He didn't make excuses for himself but owned up to his actions and so you did too. That's what Hoseok meant by Jungkook could still learn more and Taehyung occasionally was immature since he was the second youngest of all the boys.

Then it was set. Starting tomorrow, Hoseok would be watching over everyone to make sure they didn't do anything else that was stupid. Despite Jimin and you having a better chance of not doing anything dumb, the two of you weren't out of the clear. The both of you did think hiding in the trunk was a good idea. Namjoon had enough for today and told Seokjin to drive you home. Letting out a sigh, you got up from the green couch to let all the members stretch out a little. The boys wanted to ride home with you, but Hoseok said no. Looks like he's starting today. Hoseok wanted to stay with Namjoon and Yoongi which meant the first-year boys had to stay at the warehouse. What luck.

Seokjin waited for you to exit the warehouse. He led you over to the truck, keeping a watchful eye on the sheds across from the gang's hang out. It used to be just another field with long, unkept grass and abandoned sheds. Now it hid a dangerous group of men who had a strange interest in Yoongi and the rest of the gang. Hopefully, the boys would be safe and this wouldn't escalate to anything. As long as they were safe, that's all that mattered. Seokjin quickly drove out of the area and floored it towards your apartment home. He didn't have to go this fast but chose to. It was a wonder how he didn't get pulled to the side by cops.

He finally slowed down once arriving at your place. During the whole ride, he made sure to tell you that Namjoon wasn't upset but disappointed. It felt like a parent trying to cheer you up and make this a lecture. You told him that and he instantly disagreed, saying he was too young and handsome to act like a parent. Something about telling him he acted like a parent irked him though. He laughed it off though and tried to play it like he was fine. It made the ride a little awkward and no one spoke until he dropped you off. Getting out into the cold air, you tightly wrapped your jacket around your waist. He gave you a wink as he said goodbye and you waved at him for as long as you could. The older members seemed to have so many secrets.

*~*

Math class had just finished, and Mr. Pyo apparently heard about the fight that went down between Jungkook and Taehyung. It was safe to say the fight didn't flatter him in the least. He only pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing during most of the class. Especially when Taehyung raised his hand multiple times, asking for confirmation that he was indeed the favorite. Students chuckled and some ignored the supposed gang member. Jungkook mainly laughed and only joined in on the joke once. Besides talking a lot with his friends, he wasn't that outgoing with others at school. He was trying to improve on that from what you heard from Taehyung.

Jungkook, Taehyung, and you stood in the hall talking. The three of you were waiting for a certain blonde to show up. Jungkook sat down on the window sill with you. Taehyung was currently asking how he felt today since he's officially been clean for three weeks. Steroids were out of his system and he has been weaned off as fast as he wanted. Jungkook stated the symptoms weren't as strong as they used to be. He wouldn't be having strong stomach problems, but he would feel fatigued easily. He kept saying how he wanted to work out again without feeling light headed from lifting one weight. You gave him a big hug for being clean, ignoring the looks some students gave you. Jungkook looked away from you, his face red as a rose.

"Where's my hug?" Jimin's voice asked. You pulled away from Jungkook to giggle.

"Come here." You opened your arms wide only to have Taehyung quickly wrap his arms around you. "Oh! Hey there, Taehyung."

"Thanks for the hug, (F/n)-ya. You're so cute!" Taehyung laughed as Jimin smacked his back.

"I want to hug her!" Jimin hissed. Jungkook's grin kept growing bigger to see Jimin get upset. It's like he enjoyed Taehyung beating Jimin in winning your affection. As this went down, someone else added themselves into the conversation.

"Can I get a hug too?" Hoseok asked excitedly. Taehyung immediately released you in shock. The four of you almost forget he would be watching you all from now on. Giving Hoseok a nervous smile, you kept your arms wide for him. Jimin took his chance and refused to share you. Hoseok luckily didn't mind and considered it a group hug. Taehyung gave Jungkook a worried expression while you gave Jimin an 'oh well' smile. Soon you were finally released from both boys. They were quite the huggers. "So what are you guys doing?"

"...just talking." Jungkook shrugged.

"You guys are a lot more boring than I thought." Hoseok crossed his arms, already done watching the kids.

"What!? We're so much fun! Why do you think we're boring?" Taehyung frowned. "We were annoying Mr. Pyo earlier!"

"You can't keep anything to yourself." Jimin shook his head.

"Mr. Pyo was never any fun." Hoseok chuckled. "What'd you do?"

"We interrupted his class," Jungkook stated to get a big laugh from his hyung. At first you thought the red head found it hilarious that they were bothering his old teacher. Instead, it was the opposite in a way.

"That's so weak. You guys need to up your game!" Hoseok gave all of you a devilish grin. "I stood up on my desk in his classroom, singing a song off-key."

"That's so embarrassing." Jimin covered his face, feeling second-hand embarrassment while Hoseok shook his head. Taehyung had his mouth open in shock. Both him and Jungkook had admiration in their eyes. The most they do to bother Mr. Pyo is talk too much, but nothing like that.

"Really? It was so much fun!" Hoseok then began telling the boys about all the pranks he pulled on Mr. Pyo. You never knew this about Hoseok, but he didn't seem to have the best reputation with teachers. It wasn't just Mr. Pyo he messed around with. All his teachers from first year were victims and he's still giving his second-year teachers a hard time.

Mr. Pyo had a bucket fall on him full of flour. It got Hoseok suspended, but he claimed it was worth it. That was new to you. People are actually punished here for their actions? Taehyung asked Hoseok a lot of questions, even going to the extent of pulling out a notebook to write down notes. Jimin cracked up at how serious Taehyung was. Jungkook joked that this was the first time he saw Kim Taehyung writing down notes. You shook your head but let them have their fun. Mr. Pyo's class was going to become a lot more entertaining.

Everything wasn't so bad during the break. Everyone was nervous at first to have Hoseok around, but all worries were washed away. They all loved Hoseok anyway. They were just nervous at the 'babysitter' part he had to do, but so far he's just been having fun with you guys. You've never hung out alone with Hoseok. Come to think of it, he's the only member you've never had a conversation with alone. There's always someone else with you so you were excited to get to know him. He already left you with a great impression with how bubbly and humorous he was. It was no surprise that the youngers boys loved him.

Hoseok may have been having fun with you guys, but he was still doing his job. That eventually came to realization once he suddenly popped up once again around lunch. He followed Jimin and you to meet up with the rest outside. He then proceeded to walk everyone to their last class. It would have been fine, but he was shouting like a train conductor in the halls. Taehyung did join him in the 'chuga chuga' sound effects. Soon all the boys joined in and you quietly did it with them. That was sort of fun. Just the slightest bit embarrassing, but that's okay.

The next day, Hoseok was already waiting near the window where young guys always gathered. He made sure to ask Taehyung if he had pulled new pranks. Taehyung then told him about the hairy prank he did today that got him detention and Hoseok didn't hesitate to extol him. Jungkook was given a water bottle by his hyung and once Jimin came, Hoseok made sure to compliment his looks. He made them all feel happy and didn't leave you out of the circle. He gave you a (f/c) flower and said it reminded him of you. It was incredibly flattering, and you were getting happier to see him during the breaks. What a beautiful ball of sunshine he was!

This was around the time that things started to go south. It had only been three days since he had become the babysitter of the first years. Hoseok was really fun until Taehyung invited you to the warehouse tonight. The red head shut it down immediately, telling you that it still wasn't safe. Jungkook said he would be your protection but that wasn't good enough. Taehyung kept whining all day, but Hoseok wouldn't budge at all. This left a sour taste with the two boys. Jimin missed you at the warehouse too with the others. He on the other hand told them that it was okay. They still had you at school and could hang out with you out of school. It didn't have to be at the warehouse and he was right.

Jimin would soon reach the end of his rope. It's become a habit to dance towards the end of physical education. You would perform a quick dance you learned and Jimin would do it ten times better. Though it sounded awful, it made the both of you happy. He was happy to dance and have someone he could talk to about this. Then you were happy to support him and watch his beautiful movement. Today, Jimin tried to show you some kind of paper, but was stopped when Hoseok came onto the field. He hid it like his life depended on it. You raised a brow to see him almost turn as pale as a ghost. You also wondered why Hoseok was out on the field instead of his usual class?

"I ditched!" Was all Hoseok said. He was happy to run around with you guys, but you wanted him to focus on his own classes. It was frustrating that he didn't care too much. Finally, Ms. Lee chased him off with threats on giving him detention for skipping. She didn't like the paper work so Jimin and you knew it was all bluffs.

Either way, Jimin got annoyed faster than you thought he would. Hoseok would continuously show up towards the end of class. Right when Jimin was getting ready to dance, Jung Hoseok came out of nowhere with a lot of energy. He was lovable, but quickly becoming overwhelming. You weren't going to say anything. Hoseok was just doing his job. Just a little intensely. Jungkook then tried sneaking you into the truck which got Hoseok mad. That plan wouldn't work again. Now all the boys were done with their hyung. So far, the opposing gang hasn't done anything to you. They were just being protective.

Today was different though. When you got up from your desk, Jungkook and Taehyung refused to let you leave the classroom. That's when the door slammed open and in came in a panting Jimin. He closed the door behind him and met in the middle with the other boys. Mr. Pyo stared at them in frustration. Suddenly his classroom became the hiding place from Hoseok. You joined them in their huddle. They were a lot more serious than you expected them to be. Taehyung kept glancing over his shoulder towards the door, nervous for Hoseok to appear.

"We have to do something about Hoseok," Taehyung muttered.

"I want (F/n) at the warehouse!" Jungkook huffed.

"Yeah, I kinda miss the place..." You frowned.

"He's everywhere! I can close my eyes and I'll still see him." Jimin groaned.

"One minute, he's a lot of fun! Then the next, he's telling us what to do!" Jungkook threw his hands in the air.

"I respect hyung a lot, but this has become too much." Taehyung looked suspiciously over at the door.

"I agree. Hoseok is fun, but Namjoon put him in a position of power." Jimin crossed his arms.

"We need to come up with a plan." Jungkook hopped onto a desk. Mr. Pyo was glaring at all of you. He wanted you guys to leave, but that wasn't going to be happening any time soon. Taehyung and Jimin nodded. They only wanted more space from their hyung and to have you around at the warehouse again. Sadly, you were with them on this. You couldn't tell if it was a bad idea or not this time. Maybe if you were more careful, then things would turn out better. "We're going to get Kwon (F/n) back at the warehouse!"

"Yeah!"

Chapter Text

Ch.17

The plan wasn't genius. It wasn't terrible or anything like that but calling it smart would be stupid. This was going to get all of you in more trouble. You tried bringing that up to them, but they said it didn't matter anymore. This plan would apparently teach the older members that the first years don't need a babysitter. Anything to get everyone their freedom back. Taehyung and Jungkook didn't want to get scolded again while Jimin and you wanted privacy. Hoseok had no idea that any plan was in motion today. The day the four of you came up with a plan, Hoseok searched everywhere but Mr. Pyo's classroom. He figured all of you would have left already and didn't see why Jimin would go in there. He was absolutely clueless.

Taehyung mainly came up with the plan while Jungkook and Jimin added a few things. Sadly, you didn't participate on their shenanigans. That was sarcasm. They wouldn't change their minds about this plan. You wanted something that would actually help you be welcomed back into the warehouse. This was going to possibly get you banned. It was too late anyway. Jungkook and Taehyung gave each other a nod as class ended. Jungkook was going to walk with you to the usual spot while Taehyung would cause something in the hall. Hoseok would handle him, not noticing that Jimin hadn't arrived. Every day, the school's janitor enters the campus after the first class. Jimin was going to steal his keys to open and lock any doors on campus.

There was no need for the plan to be this extra, but Taehyung insisted. Once Jimin got the keys, he would give them to Jungkook to protect. That's when Jungkook pulled you out of your seat towards the window sill. He sat next to you with his arm over your shoulder. It was a little embarrassing since it was just the two of you in the hall this time. No Taehyung or Jimin standing by. It made the two of you appear like a couple. What are you thinking right now? You're supposed to be focusing on this ridiculous plan! Shaking off those weird thoughts, the two of you soon heard Taehyung's screaming. Mr. Pyo was coming down the hall with Taehyung attached to his leg like a child. Hoseok was trying to handle the situation, but Mr. Pyo didn't want to see either of them.

"Mr. Pyo, I have Daddy issues!" Taehyung cried out, scrunching his face like he was in pure agony.

"Get off me or I'm giving you detention!" Mr. Pyo shouted.

"Do you remember me, Mr. Pyo? I'm Taehyung's friend! I don't know why he's acting like this," Hoseok said to get a glare from the adult.

Jungkook let out a snort at the scene. Hoseok was trying his best as the babysitter. He didn't sign up for this, but it had to be done. While Hoseok handled the troubled Taehyung, you randomly heard a disapproving grunt. Turning your head from the direction the sound came from, you saw Jimin staring at the two of you unhappily. Jungkook only raised his brow and snatched the keys that were in Jimin's fist. You patted the spot next to you and Jimin quickly took you up on your offer. He even made sure to push Jungkook's arm off to hold you. Why were these two acting like this all of a sudden? They were fighting and so you just stood up from the window sill. It got them to stop and worry about where you were going now. They were unbelievable.

The plan was still in motion. Jungkook frowned once Jimin took your hand, loudly announcing that you two had to go to physical education together. Shaking your head, you told the maknae goodbye before getting pulled away. From here, the plan would only get worse. Jimin was fully alert for the next steps while you didn't care anymore. He did admit that he found the plan stupid, but he couldn't think of anything else. Park Jimin was going to take the first route that he saw to get you back at the warehouse. It did make you appreciate the plan a little more. It also made you note how mature and logical Jimin was compared to the other first years. He still had a typical conscious compared to the other members. After physical education class ended, it was time to continue the plan.

Hoseok had appeared like planned. He was waiting for the two of you outside the changing rooms. Jimin and you gave each other a subtle glance as the red head happily waved. The both of you were going to act like how you normally did. Hoseok came with you guys outside of the cafeteria to eat with the other members. You made sure to take a look around your surroundings. Outside of the cafeteria wasn't like a balcony. It did lead to other parts of the campus, but it would take longer to travel from here. Each first year exchanged a secretive glance, smiling slightly. You hated to admit it, but even you were getting excited.

Lunch went by, but all the first years didn't leave early as usual. The third years were throwing away their trash inside and Namjoon went away to class. They didn't suspect a thing. Hoseok was getting a little impatient since he wanted to go to class but had to watch the kids. Taehyung finally stood up and you all followed suit. Jimin was the first to bolt inside the cafeteria, catching the third years before they completely left. Taehyung stopped holding the door open once him and you were inside. Hoseok had a grin on his face now that he could go to class now. Since Jungkook had the door closed on him, it gave him the moment to pause to pull out the special keys. He opened the door slightly and slipped inside with ease. Jungkook instantly closed the door on Hoseok, locking him out with the keys.

"Jeon Jungkook!" Hoseok's voice was muffled as he shouted. "Yah! Open the door!" He banged on the glass doors. Jungkook simply waved at him with a smirk. Taehyung and you turned your heads to see Jimin sliding his hand in Seokjin's pocket. Jimin is good at being sneaky, but the eldest moved slightly. Not enough for Seokjin to take notice but for Yoongi to realize what was going on.

"Run!" Taehyung shouted. Jimin had the keys for the truck and bolted out with everyone else. Jungkook stopped teasing Hoseok and pushed you forward. The older members were going to punish all of you.

"He has your keys!" Yoongi shouted to have Seokjin panic. "D*mn it, they locked out Hoseok!"

"What? How!?" Seokjin gasped.

"Get Namjoon!"

Adrenaline was pumping through your veins as you ran with the boys. Part of the plan was to skip all the classes after lunch. You guys were going to the warehouse now! Normally, you were never this fast but you were able to catch up to Jimin and Taehyung. Jungkook was in the lead, running with the car keys that Jimin had thrown at him. He was the fastest out of everyone, so he was going to start the truck. The four of you were passing the school gates. This was actually happening!? You almost wanted to throw your hands up in the air in delight until you heard feet pounding behind you. The three of you turned around to see Seokjin, Yoongi, and Namjoon chasing you. Namjoon was behind the third years and Hoseok was nowhere in sight. They still weren't fast enough to catch the three of you.

Jungkook was already in the car, turning on the engine. Taehyung jumped in the back while Jimin opened the door for you and him to enter. The two of you were panting, nervous to see the older members coming closer.

"Move the car!" Jimin yelled.

"I don't know how!" Jungkook replied back.

"Move out of the way." Jimin jumped into the front seat, not sure on what to do himself.

"Guys, hurry up! They're coming!" Taehyung shouted from the window in the back.

"I'm trying," Jimin said before randomly moving the stick shift in a certain direction and pressing the gas. The car lurched forward as Seokjin and Yoongi were less than ten feet away. "We're moving!"

The truck started moving quickly. The third years were shouting angrily as Taehyung stuck his tongue out at them. Jungkook gave you a stinging high five at the plan's success. You didn't actually think this would work. Your heart was racing, but you were somehow having fun. Still, you'd rather not pull another stunt like this again. Jimin was also trying to understand how to drive Seokjin's car while driving. None of the first years knew how to drive and it's not like you guys were legally allowed to. Only Seokjin was of age and Yoongi had to wait one more year. Right when Jimin was close to exiting the school's parking lot, a flash of red jumped in front of the moving vehicle.

"No!" Hoseok stood like a starfish. Everyone in the car was screaming at the top of their lungs at this point. Jimin slammed his foot on the brake pedal, making all first years regret their decision for not wearing a seat belt. Hoseok pulled a dangerous move, but so did all four of you. Not as crazy as his though. By this time, the rest of the members came to the truck to open the doors. They were glaring at every one of you intensely.

"What the hell!?" They all shouted. Taehyung was rubbing his forehead, pouting to have been caught. Jimin instantly began spouting out apologies towards his hyungs. Seokjin shook his head, pulling his keys out of the ignition. Namjoon, Hoseok, and Yoongi pulled all of you out of the car. Namjoon held you tightly even though you weren't going to suddenly make another break for it. Taehyung was screaming in Yoongi's hold. Hoseok was trying his hardest to keep Jungkook's hands behind his backs. After Seokjin got his keys back, he brought Jimin out with no real force. Jimin was willing and ready to be scolded.

"May I ask why you guys thought any of this was a good idea?" Namjoon questioned.

"To be fair, I never thought it was a good idea," You stated.

"We just wanted to bring (F/n) to the warehouse. I'm sorry." Jimin avoided making eye contact with anyone.

"Hoseok was also becoming too much." Jungkook tried escaping Hoseok's hold again.

"He was fun at first, but then he felt like an obsessive stalker who wouldn't leave us alone." Taehyung frowned to earn a chuckle from Yoongi.

"Like that excuses any of your actions." Namjoon sighed.

"We never said they would," Jungkook remarked.

"Look! If you guys want (F/n) at the warehouse, then let's bring her to the warehouse." Seokjin crossed his arms. He was no longer holding Jimin by the shoulders. Each older member loosened their grip in shock at the eldest's words. The whole point of keeping you away was for your safety. It was Hoseok's job to make sure this wouldn't happen. First years were also baffled. "Let's take her. If the other gang sees her then who cares!"

"Seokjin-nim..." Jimin spoke, but the black hair shook his head.

"No! You first years are ridiculous! (F/n) isn't permanently banned." Seokjin scoffed in disbelief. "All of you should be ashamed."

"Yeah, we're brothers so why would you go behind our backs like that? You trapped Hoseok and stole Seokjin's keys." Namjoon eyed everyone down.

"This is so f*cking annoying. Can't we just say that it's (F/n)'s fault!?" Yoongi raised his voice.

Everyone looked towards him in surprise. You didn't look in his direction, but in the opposite way. At this point, you were getting used to him hating you. It was sad to say that. It did make things easier though. If you accustomed yourself to being hated then Yoongi's words wouldn't get to you as much. They still hurt, but there wasn't much you could do. You wanted to stay calm for as long as you could. The last thing you wanted was to give him a reason to hate you, but it seems like you manage to give him plenty without even trying. It was so confusing to have any kind of relationship with him. Seokjin groaned in frustration.

"Are you kidding me, Min Yoongi!?" Seokjin growled.

"What!? You got a problem with me? Then just say it! We're fine until this b*tch—" Yoongi threw his hands into the air and you felt yourself snap.

"Don't call me that! You don't have the right to do that when you went out of your way to make my life hell!" You pointed to your chest. Only Namjoon and Hoseok didn't understand what you meant by that. They assumed that Yoongi was just mean to you. They didn't know about him being the source of the rumors. They didn't know any of that.

"You know what?" Yoongi marched up to you.

"Shut up!" Namjoon stepped in between the two of you.

Tension was forming in the gang and you felt like crying. Was it because of you? Did you destroy the tight relationships they all had with each other? The first years were so close knit and now it seems like Jungkook and Jimin fight for your attention. Seokjin and Yoongi can't get along once you're near them! Again, Yoongi's words were getting to you. Namjoon was getting frustrated with Yoongi for not being accepting of you, but sometimes you didn't know what to think. You were getting used to being hated by him, but that really didn't change anything. Before anything could escalate outside the school, all of you heard someone whistle in amusement. None of the members here were whistling though? All of you looked around to see a tall male come out from the bushes. His curly brown hair bounced with each step he took.

"What's going on here?" He stopped whistling, a smirk forming on his face.

"Woohyun." Yoongi growled.

"I've been meaning to ask for Myon. Who is that girl?" Woohyun tilted his head. "Sounds like her name is (F/n)."

"So?" Yoongi huffed in annoyance. Seokjin stood in front of you protectively and Namjoon took your hand. He pushed your farther back for protection. Soon you were hiding behind Jungkook as the scene went down.

"Why do you think?" Woohyun let out a quick chuckle. He was more straight forward than Myon and didn't bother with a façade. He was equally terrifying and their maknae. "I'm sure you get what I'm implying."

"Don't bother. You'll be wasting your time if you're growing an interest in her because of us." Yoongi shoved his hands in his pockets. "She's nothing, but annoying to us." Seokjin didn't defend you this time. He was being smart about his timing since Yoongi was actually kind of helping. They probably didn't believe him, but if he insisted that you were just a bother then why would should Myon's gang care about you?

"Sure." Woohyun laughed, leaning against the brick wall of the school.

"Just get lost already." Yoongi looked away, not caring for the conversation anymore. Each member glared at Woohyun. The curly hair finally lifted his hands and started walking away from where he came. A huge sigh of relief escaped everyone's lips to see him disappear. Yoongi turned back to face the only girl. You. "If you want to come to the warehouse then fine, but you're going to have to deal with gross shady motherf*ckers like Myon, Woohyun, and more. You're more than welcome!" He walked past you, his shoulder purposely hitting yours.

"Are you okay?" Seokjin placed his hand on your shoulder and you nodded.

"Everyone, get in the truck. We're going to the warehouse then," Namjoon declared. He looked at you as all members got in the truck. "I would tell you to stay at school, but not if you don't have any of these guys with you. Woohyun is going to make things tougher at school."

"Does that mean I get my own babysitter?" You joked to see those cute dimples of his.

"We'll protect you no matter what. C'mon, let's go to the warehouse." Namjoon rubbed your back as you got in the truck with everyone else. The first years all cheered in excitement to have you back. Somehow the plan actually worked. Even though this did put a bigger target on your back at school, the boys were going to make sure the other gang wouldn't touch you. That made you feel safe to return to the warehouse again and that was enough.

Chapter Text

Ch.18

The main thing you were hoping for was that school wouldn't call your home about skipping the last few periods. They called once about the fight and that got you into your fight with your sister. You really weren't looking forward to a second fight. Luckily, Namjoon assured you that they wouldn't call. Was it because a bunch of kids tended to skip after lunch? Sometimes how the school ran itself still surprised you. There were perks though. You got to have your hair down, wear makeup, and not have every part of your uniform be correct. Those were the nice things about the school. What sucked were all the awful students that went there. Giant gossips, girl's ready to fight, and people like Woohyun. Maybe you were biased, but you preferred your 'bullet boys'. You'd take Yoongi any day over Woohyun.

They brought you back to the warehouse with them. Yoongi didn't care to give you a warm welcome back and immediately went to the table that sat in the far back. Hoseok would have stayed with the first years, but he was still annoyed about what had happened earlier. The four of you apologized profusely during the car ride, but you understood that he would get over it soon. Namjoon told you guys not to worry about it. You and the rest of the first years gathered around the dirty green couch. Seokjin and Namjoon were talking about actually putting a door in the warehouse. There was just an open door frame, but now that they had neighbors they had reason to worry. It's not like they hid much here. All drugs were sold at the moment or kept at this different place in the country. Jimin told you that, but you couldn't let the older members know you knew that.

Taehyung was currently shouting at Hoseok from afar while Jungkook stayed silent on the couch. He exerted himself a little too much today. He wasn't as weak as he used to be. There were only a few times where he had to sit down. Yoongi predicted that he would be fine in about one more week. Then he would be completely clean of steroids and symptoms! You were so excited. It made you incredibly proud of your Jungkookie. Jimin tapped your shoulder as you were smiling softly at the cute bunny who was starting to nap. Turning to face the blonde next to you, he got up from the couch and gave a hand motion telling you to follow him. Looking at everyone in the warehouse, they were too busy to notice you sneaking off with the boy.

Hurrying off with Jimin, the two of you came into the back where they used to have those giant crates full of drugs. They were all gone and now it was just an empty room with one closet. That's when Jimin opened the closet door. What did he want to show you? It was a little puzzling when he opened the small closet door and told you to come follow him. The two of you would be pretty squished in there. Blushing lightly, you didn't understand what he was trying to get at. Jimin then pulled something down that led to a higher room. What!? You never knew such a place existed in the warehouse! The place was always really huge and definitely had room for a second story, but you didn't think there was one.

He held his hands out for you to step on like when he found you at the deal. With an excited smile, you held onto his shoulders as you placed your foot in his hands. Jimin lifted you as high as he could, and you gripped the second floor. It wasn't too hard to get up there. The place wasn't the cleanest, but you did have a slight view of everyone inside the warehouse. No wonder you never noticed this place before. It even had a secret entrance! Soon Jimin came inside and closed the small entrance door for extra privacy. He gave you a big smile as he crawled over to you. The second floor was more like a tiny attic. You had to be really short if you want to stand up in here.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" You asked as he shook his head. You had your knees close to your chest with your arms wrapped around them. Jimin sat with his legs crossed and pulled something out from his back pocket.

"I wanted to show you this flyer that I found." Jimin handed the blue piece of paper to you. Grabbing a hold of it, you unfolded the paper. The fold lines had already lost their original color so he's must have kept this for a while now. Reading the flyer, you slowly felt your smile grow into a giant grin. A free dance class! This was perfect for Jimin!

"Jimin! Oh my gosh, this is perfect for you!" You squealed to see him blush in embarrassment. "The class is free and it's this weekend! Who knows? Maybe they'll be so entranced by your beautiful dancing that they beg you to return."

"Don't exaggerate." Jimin covered his face before playfully smacking your arm. The smile on his face was so big that you knew he had to go to this. "But thank you..."

"Were you going to go to this? Because you definitely should!" You insisted. "There's no way you just showed this to me just for the heck of it. You'd be such a tease. Show the world your talent, Park Jimin. It's amazing."

"You think too highly of me." Jimin stared at you with a twinkle in his eyes. He opened his arms wide for a hug and you couldn't help but giggle. Crawling over to him, you threw your arms around his neck. Making sure to hold him tightly, you liked how warm his embrace was.

"Take that dance class," You demanded.

"I will." Jimin nodded as you slowly pulled away.

The two of you stared at each other with small smiles on your faces. It took you a while to notice just how close your faces were. He didn't seem to mind, but your face instantly began to heat up. The room up here was so small that it was easy to get hot. You sat back down in your original spot. Before he could say anything else, you made sure to give him more compliments and support. Jimin appreciated all your comments but could only get a thank you out before hearing Namjoon shouting for all the members to get in the truck. They were going to get supplies to build multiple doors for the warehouse. Jimin looked out through the tiny space and gave you an apologetic expression. He didn't want to leave and you liked talking to him.

"It's okay. I'll wait for you guys to come back," You said.

"Don't miss me too much." Jimin laughed as he opened the only exit door.

"I could say the same for you!" You opened your mouth wide in shock. He's certainly gotten more confident around you. That's good to know. It means the two of you have gotten closer!

Jimin closed the door right after that. He also shut the closet door by habit. Crawling over to the tiny view of the warehouse, you watched the blonde's hair bounce as he ran outside. The rest of the members went out with Namjoon pointing the direction of the truck. Once everyone was in, he went to join them in the truck. Did he forget you were here? Pouting, you wanted him to say goodbye. Well you could always shove this in his face later. You soon heard the truck drive off from the warehouse. This wasn't your first time being left alone in the warehouse. It was nothing to worry about. Maybe you should nap again?

There wasn't much to do at the warehouse. The fun came from the members so it was extremely lonely without them. Plus, it gets really hot quickly in this tiny attic. That was the main con about this place. Other than that, you would be here all the time. It made you wonder if any of the other members were aware of this attic's existence. They had to be. They all probably knew this place like the back of their hand. You stayed up here for a couple minutes, lost in your thoughts before you decided it was time to come down. Making your way to the exit, you were about to lift it up until you heard voices outside. None of the resembled the voices of the boys you knew.

Panicking, you hurried back to take a peek at the warehouse. The engine of the truck or the tires driving over the dirt never appeared. Who were these people? It was making your heart race, but at least you were in this hidden place. Whoever they were, you had to report this to Namjoon. This was terrifying, but you had to remain calm. Seeing shadows near the entrance, you waited for them to show themselves. Finally, they all came in one by one. It was the opposite gang. Of course! Myon was looking around the place with a smirk. Woohyun walked by his side with a bored expression and the rest of the members were taking a look around too.

"Check the place out." Myon looked at all of them. "Grab anything valuable."

"Like that girl they always have around them. Her name is (F/n)," Woohyun added. Your heart almost stopped to hear those words leave his mouth.

"Do you know if she's here?" One member asked.

"Well, we didn't see her leave with them." One shrugged.

"I'm positive that they brought her here. Whether she left or not, I don't know." Woohyun cracked his knuckles.

"Explore!" Myon yelled.

Each member flinched and did as they were told. Two of them stayed around the main area of the warehouse with the couch and table. Woohyun and one other member came into the back where you were. Biting your lip, you quietly went to the entrance of the attic and sat on the door. It's a good thing this had to be opened upwards. Using the breathing technique Jimin had taught you about being stealthy, you hoped that they wouldn't notice the small door. All you could hear were their muffled voices shouting at each other from here. That's when one of them opened the closet door and you closed your eyes tightly together.

You were begging to hear the sound of the closet door shut already. This place only had one exit and entrance and you were currently sitting on it! They consider you valuable and said to take you, so you were right to be worried. What they exactly wanted from you, you didn't know. That wasn't the most important thing. It was crucial to survive and go unnoticed. Their voices were a little clearer now that the closet door was opened. The boys have probably only been gone for ten minutes, but you were pleading with your life for them to come back. How long did it take to get supplies to make doors!? They also needed a security system!

"Hey, Seunjo, what's that?" Woohyun's voice questioned.

"Hm? Oh sh*t, I didn't notice that." Seunjo laughed. "Nice job, Maknae."

It was hard to stay calm with them so close to discovering you. While someone had to bring it to your attention, it took Woohyun less than second to find this place. You were trying hard not to tremble in fear. You needed to be still and heavy as a rock to make sure this Seunjo guy didn't open the door. To be honest, the fear wasn't letting you feel your limbs too well. It actually felt like you were light as a feather. Seunjo tried pushing the door open, but you did good on your part. He was struggling to push it open. It instantly made them grow furiously impatient.

"Why isn't it f*cking opening?" Woohyun scoffed.

"The hell I know! It's like the f*cking thing is bolted shut." Seunjo grunted as he gave one last push.

"You gotta be sh*tting me. They're definitely got some crap hidden up there." Woohyun growled. "Whatever!"

"Everyone, we need to leave!" Myon's voice suddenly shouted. "They're coming back!"

Raising your head, you heard the closet door get slammed shut. Crawling over towards the little opening, you watched them all scramble out the door with Myon. It didn't sound like they were coming. Waiting a few seconds, you soon heard the engine from Seokjin's truck. Gosh, you were so relieved! Letting out a giant sigh of relief, you laughed in happiness and lifted up the door in the attic. Sticking out your legs, you got ready to jump on the ground and simultaneously close the door. That was such a close call. Jumping down, the door closed as you landed safely down. It wasn't that big of a fall, but you certainly couldn't get up there by yourself.

Rushing out of the closet door, you ran towards the entrance to see the members coming back in. They didn't have any supplies in their hands which was a question for later. You had to tell them about what just happened while they were gone. Namjoon was shocked to see you and the first years had their brows raised to see you coming at full speed. Jumping into Jimin's arms, you held him tightly to hear a certain light haired brunette grumble in disapproval. Everyone was so shocked to see you suddenly behave like this. Even Yoongi was confused to see you burying your head into Jimin's chest. Jimin only rubbed your back in comfort which was really nice of him.

"What's wrong, (F/n)?" Jimin tilted his head.

"We were only gone for a couple minutes," Taehyung stated.

"Did something happen?" Jungkook placed his hand on your shoulder. You stopped clutching onto Jimin and nodded your head.

"...the other gang came in while you guys were gone. I was luckily hiding so they never spotted me, but I heard and saw them. They were trying to find stuff here," You admitted to see them all glance at each other and ball of their hands into fists.

"Sorry that we left you here alone. It must have slipped my mind that we brought you here." Namjoon sighed. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." You smiled.

"We were going to be gone for longer, but Taehyung caught a cop's attention so we had to lose them and come back here." Seokjin crossed his arms in annoyance. Taehyung chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he gave the eldest his boxy grin. Everyone by this time came inside the warehouse instead of crowding around the entrance. Namjoon was deep in thought, tapping his chin. Jungkook and Jimin stayed by your side. Thank goodness they were back. The other gang wasn't even here for that long, but you don't know how long you would have lasted.

"Take her home." Yoongi walked off to the table. You raised your head in shock to hear him say that.

"What?" Seokjin was just as dumbfounded as you.

"Don't make me repeat myself." Yoongi hissed. "Bringing her was a bad idea from the start and now things have gotten worse."

"Though I do think Yoongi is being a little harsh, I agree. (F/n) is shaken up by what happened and probably wants to go home," Namjoon opined.

"I'm fi—" You opened your mouth, but Taehyung placed his finger against your lips.

"Stay strong, Kwon (F/n). Fighting!" Taehyung shouted, making you cock a brow up in bewilderment.

"Take her home, Seokjin-ssi." Hoseok patted your head. The event was unsettling, but it's not like you were scarred. Well, at least they cared about your wellbeing. Jungkook and Jimin wanted to join you on the ride home, but Namjoon wanted the rest of the gang here.

They reluctantly walked away from you with big pouts. The first years told you to be careful and to stay safe. Nodding to their words, you went with Seokjin to his truck. You hopped inside and waited for him to come in. Staring out the window, you eyed the field across from the warehouse. It used to be absolutely harmless, but now contained dangerous criminals. One shed in particular caught your attention for some reason as Seokjin buckled himself up. Narrowing your eyes on the old things, you realized that the shed door was slightly opened. Something in the crack of the door shined and you felt it was safer to stop looking. Seokjin pressed the gas and started driving you back to your place.

Every day you came back home with Seokjin feeling a little upset. You wanted to stay at the warehouse, but that stupid gang was getting in your way. It was stressing the older members out and making the first years rebel a bit just to get you back in there. Hopefully the problem clears up because you were sick of it. Myon and the rest needed to get lost. Once Seokjin parked the car, you broke out of your thoughts. You didn't even notice that the two of you have already arrived. Looking back at your lap, you frowned to not be of any use to your friends. All you were was someone they have had to drive home when things got serious.

"You okay?" Seokjin tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Hm?" You blushed. "Yeah!"

"Sure, you are." Seokjin smirked, turning off the car. "Tell oppa what's wrong."

"I'm leaving!" You tried opening the door, but he had already locked it. Are you serious? Seokjin grabbed your hand and forced you to look at him.

"I'm asking because I care," Seokjin said. Pursing your lips, you thought about what you exactly you were going to say to him. You didn't feel like confessing your true feelings only to have him try to cheer you up and assure you that you weren't an annoyance. You were tired of feeling weak.

"I just want the other gang to die already." You groaned to hear him start cracking up. The sound almost reminded you of windshield wipers, but it was still cute.

"Thanks for making me laugh!" He grinned. "I mean, I know that's not what's actually bothering you."

"What?" Your face dropped. Were you really that easy to read? Seokjin unbuckled himself and got out of the car. Following his lead, you went around the car to meet up with him. The older male simply held your hand and brought you up the stairs to your apartment door. He didn't have to do that, but you figured he was looking for more excuses to hold your hand. He was such a flirt. "Well, I'm home."

"You're not going to invite me in?" He winked suggestively as you let out an involuntary squeak.

"Hell no!" You frowned with a flushed face.

"Cute." Seokjin smirked at all your embarrassed expressions and sounds.

That's when you heard the front door to your apartment unlock. Was unnie already home? D*mn it, she was going to see Seokjin with you! Freezing in your spot, you tried to act natural as the door was opened wide. Seokjin gave your sister his best smile and you could tell she was trying not to melt. She was suspicious of him, but Seokjin also was incredibly attractive. He looked like a celebrity that you would see on a drama. Hyosung didn't know what to say at first. Why was she home early again? Did the school call!? Namjoon said they wouldn't call about you skipping!

"(F/n), who's this?" Hyosung glanced at the third year. "Is this the guy a girl fought you over??"

"I'm Kim Seokjin. I go to SuChin with your sister." Seokjin introduced himself while you stayed speechless. "And I wasn't that guy."

"You're not a first year." Hyosung crossed her arms.

"That's true. I'm a third year," Seokjin stated as Hyosung looked past the rails to see the giant black truck.

"You even have a car."

"I do. Well, I should get going (F/n)." Seokjin gave you another wink. Why!? He bowed to your sister with a charming prince like smile. "Nice meeting you."

Finally, Seokjin went down the stairs and drove off in his truck. Hyosung gave you a look you weren't too fond of. Whatever was going on in her mind, she could stop thinking it because it wasn't true. Entering the apartment, you were waiting for her to ask about him. She closed the door and was quiet for less than a minute. It would be shocking if she kept her mouth shut about this. She just witnessed you with a boy who was older, drove you home, and even winked at you! Seokjin was shameless or couldn't read the mood. You knew it was most likely the first reason.

"Are you dating him?" Hyosung asked as you groaned.

"No way! He's just a friend." You covered your red face.

"Who's two grades higher than you." Hyosung was intrigued. "(F/n), is it time to have the talk about boys? Because I'm in college and can tell you all about boys—"

"Please no! Stop!" You cover your ears and run off to your room. The last thing you need is some weird, gross sex education class from your sister about your friend. Seokjin may flirt with you, but he doesn't mean it.

*~*

It was the weekend now. It's been a couple days since the gang entered the warehouse. Even though it wasn't considered safe, you still went after school. One thing you did notice was Woohyun following you and the other first years around school. It was super creepy so thank the lord that the weekend was here. You were getting weirded out from the scary third years following a couple of first years around. Now you could rest peacefully. Though this morning you couldn't sleep in and be lazy like you had originally planned. Jimin called you and you weren't upset in the least. It was eleven in the morning already. He was getting last minute nerves about going to the dance studio.

The two of you talked for a solid hour. He needed convincing to show up and be brave, but the conversation kept changing. Jimin told you about his morning to every detail and you listened to every word. You cared and he showed interest in yours. He immediately apologized once he found out that he woke you up, but you insisted it was okay. If he didn't wake you up, then you don't know how long you would have continued sleeping. Jimin made a joke saying that it reminded him of his hyung, Yoongi, so you learned something new about the blue hair. Luckily, your sister was working today so she would never know you've been talking with someone on the phone for an hour. Jimin was a unisex name, but you knew she would ask if they were a girl or a boy. Why did she have to be protective?

"The dance class starts at thirteen," Jimin spoke softly through the phone.

"It's already twelve in the afternoon!" You cheered. "C'mon Jimin. You're an amazing dancer and I know you can do it. Go take the free dance class. It's a step into your dreams."

"...(F/n), I want to thank you for being such a good friend," Jimin said as you felt your heart grow warm.

"I'm so happy we've become friends, Park Jimin. So do what I say and go!" You yelled to hear him laugh.

"Okay, I will!" Jimin shouted with confidence.

"Go no matter what, you hear me?" You pressed. "You're going to be at that class at thirteen PM!"

"Anything for you, Kwon (F/n)." Jimin chuckled.

"I have to go now, Jimin. I have to throw away the trash and you have to go to that dance class." You sighed, getting out of your room to see the giant white bag next to the door. It was your morning chore on the weekends.

"Alright. Thanks for talking to me. Goodbye, but I am going to be texting you nonstop until I get there and I expect responses!" Jimin thanked you and you felt like you could perfectly imagine his infectious smile. The one where his eyes seem to get smaller as his cheeks raise with the corner of his lips.

"You got it! Bye, Jimin!" You beamed before hanging up.

Shoving your phone in your back pocket, you pick up the red straps on the trash bag. Opening the front door, you squeeze the giant bag through the small door way. Everything about your apartment was so small. Even the stairs leading to the front door. Closing the door behind you, you carried the trash bag in front of your face as you went down the narrow steps. It wasn't possible to see in front of you, but it's not like you had another choice. You'd rather not carry trash over your head and the last time you let it hang off the railings, the bag split open. That was a mistake you choose not to repeat. Besides, carrying it like this wasn't too bad. As you made it to the bottom, you started walking around the corner to the giant dumpster.

Pushing open the heavy black lid, you tossed the giant bag inside. It landed inside with a loud thud. At that moment, you heard your phone beep. Jimin was already texting you? This boy required a lot of attention, but it was hard to be annoyed of it. You wanted to be his supportive friend and you did work hard to get this close to him. Taking out your phone from your back pocket, you were about to read the text when everything went black. Someone covered your entire face with a mask and kept one arm around your neck. You screamed as loud as you could, kicking your legs in the air as they picked you up like it was nothing. Male voices were hushed and telling someone to be handle you. Were you seriously getting kidnapped in broad daylight!? Someone has guts.

"Let me go!!" You cried out.

"Shut up!" A male voice growled as they roughly tossed you into what you assumed was a vehicle. "Let's go! Her screaming probably got attention on us."

"She better be d*mn worth it," Another voice grumbled.

"Trust me. Yoongi and the rest are really attached to her." Oh no. All your thoughts were scrambled and running wild, but now you could actually figure something out. You knew who kidnapped you.

Chapter Text

Ch.19

Screaming was futile. They had you trapped in a car with them going who knows how fast. No one would be able to hear you crying out for freedom. The members had ignored you for a long time, but now they were really starting to get annoyed. They had you on the floor of the car with your arms and legs tied. Your head was still covered with the cloth they put on top and it was practically soaked from your tears. One member specifically kept yelling at you to shut up, but you wouldn't. Jimin had texted you and you didn't respond despite promising. He has to know something's wrong. Hopefully the boys can save you before it's too late. Letting out another wail, the member officially lost his temper with you.

"Yah!" They kicked you in the stomach.

Feeling your body roll forward, you hit the front seats with a bang. That knocked the air out of your lungs, making you create these weird sounds of trying to breathe again. Soon you were coughing for air, and your lungs were working again. These scary men were all tired of your crying. Who knows what they're going to do to you once the car stops? It made you wish the ride would go on forever. So far, they've only smacked and kicked you. Quietly whimpering, you knew how red and warm your face was from the helpless crying. Since one actually kicked you hard this time, you decided to bite your quivering lip. Even though you wanted to continue screaming for help, you needed to realize that this was a life or death situation. You had to survive and you can't do that if they're losing their patience with you.

The car slowed down and lurched forward slightly, letting you know that the driver had parked the car. So soon!? Already, you could feel the tears welling up again. Your chest kept going up and down as you panicked. Their hands were on you again as they picked your body up like it was nothing. They were pulling you out of the car and you wanted to struggle. The urge to fight was incredibly strong. But it would be incredibly stupid to do so. There was no doubt in your mind that the boys would come to your rescue. All you had to do was buy them time. Finally, they set down your feet on the ground and pushed you into a chair. Before you could react, they were tying another rope around your body and chair. A new organ that would hold you down.

Their voices kept moving around the room. It was hard to identify them since you didn't know them that well. Myon's voice was the only one you were able to detect by how much it irritated you. That's when they roughly pulled the black sack off your head. It forcefully tugged your head back and ruffled up your hair, letting you look even worse than you already did. Myon was amused to see your puffy, tear stained face. When you first started hanging out with your friends knowing that they were gangsters, this was never a situation you pictured would happen. The most you imagined was them getting arrested or killed. Not you getting captured because you're associated with them.

Looking around at the location they brought you at, you noted that it was a lot bigger than any of the sheds across from the warehouse. It would be pretty stupid of them to bring you so close. There was barely any light in this place. It felt like the darkness would swallow all of you up until Woohyun flipped a switch that turned on a couple lights around the place. Even so, it was still dim and frightening. Myon kept a smirk on his face as he walked over to you with his hands behind his back. He was trying to intimidate you and it was unfortunately working. What were you supposed to do? You have no idea how to fight, you're tied up, and...Myon stopped hiding his hands. At the moment, he crouched down in front of you to point a gun at your face.

Time felt like it had frozen completely. It never crossed your mind that he could have such a weapon. It made your heart stop pumping blood for a second. Suddenly, the air was too hard to breathe and oxygen wasn't flowing correctly through your body. All your limbs felt numb, useless. Staring down the barrel of the gun, Myon eye's never left yours. He seemed to like your widened eyes that were struck with fear. The sweat making your forehead damp as you tried to think on how long you could survive. He enjoyed the hopeless expression slowly taking over your face. The way your lips parted to say something, but nothing coming out. He hasn't even ripped your vocal cords out yet.

"Don't you look frightened, little girl." Myon chuckled. "Should you really be playing with the big boys?"

"..." You swallowed hard as he swayed the gun side to side. He really could care less if the gun randomly fired. It would end you right away. You wouldn't be able to say anything to the boys, to your sister, and you'd never see Jimin accomplishing his dreams.

"Is the gun making you piss your pants?" Myon raised it higher, letting the coldness of the gun touch your forehead. That made you break the calmness you were trying to let out. How were you supposed to remain calm with this psycho ready to shoot you at any second!? "Can you speak? I'm kinda getting bored here talking to myself. It's making me sound insane and that's not really nice."

"...uh..." You managed to let out, but he was still unsatisfied with that. Myon pulled something back on the gun that made you start weeping. "Please don't!"

"There we go! I'd rather you beg for your life than just stare at me silently. That's no fun after all." Myon stood up, raising the gun to the ceiling. He shot without a care to have some of the roof crack, dust falling down to the ground. "I like to watch 'em squirm a little. Hearing them make sounds and crying can be fun. What's your name again?"

"(F-F/n)," You answered honestly. What was the point of lying? "A-Are the others here?"

"You mean Yoongi's gang?" Myon tilted his head to have you nod. "No, sorry, Sweetheart. That part is starting a little later."

"Okay." You sighed heavily. It was like your throat was tightening up while the tears kept streaming down your face.

Myon simply stared at you with a crazed smile. Avoiding his gaze, you looked around the room once more. There was nothing inside besides you and the other gang. Woohyun wasn't in the room, but there were the other three members keeping a watchful eye on you. What was the need to do so? You weren't going to fight when the delusional freak in front of you had a gun in his hand! That was asking to get shot and you were going to survive. That was the plan at least. Myon officially stopped eyeing you like a wild animal which was a relief. He instead walked over to the three members and brought them over. Breathing quickly again, you tried not to panic too much as he placed them all in front of you. Was he leaving them to watch you intently or were they going to torture you now?

"How rude! Where are my manners?" Myon laughed. "This one is Seunjo! Here's Mysung, and then there's Kanghoon."

"Yeah..." You nodded your head, not so sure on what to say. It's not like you were going to greet them happily.

"Now forget them! They'll become important later." Myon pushed them to the side. "I want to talk about Yoongi and your relationship with him."

"My what?" You raised a brow at him. The relationship with Yoongi was barely a relationship. He could still be considered your acquaintance. Except he hated you with a burning passion.

Myon stared at you with big eyes. He clearly wasn't going to repeat himself. The older male sat down on the floor, taking off his hat as if you were going to tell a story. What was wrong with him? It was hard to believe the other members listened to him. He sort of acted like a child, but could still be a hundred times more scary than Yoongi. The three members behind him were waiting for you to answer with blank stares. Hearing footsteps, you turned to see Woohyun entering the room with a smirk on his face. Something happened. You wanted to know, but Myon began groaning with frustration. Meeting his eyes again, he pulled out the gun again.

"I'm bored!" He shoved the gun in his mouth. Myon grabbed the back of your chair, bringing his face extremely close to yours.

"What are you doing!?" You screamed in horror. If he shot the gun, you'd be scarred for life. His lifeless body would fall on top of you. He'd be bleeding nonstop and you'd wish you were dead too.

"Messing around." Myon shrugged, pulling away from the chair and giving you your personal space back. There was something very wrong with this man. "So are you gonna answer me?"

"...Yoongi and I don't have any kind of relationship," You stated, "He hates me more than anything in the world."

"Ahaha! Sure." Myon clearly didn't believe you.

"That's the truth. He doesn't like me." You frowned.

"But the others do? Why do you always hang out around them if one of them hates you?" Myon raised a brow.

"Yoongi isn't the leader a-and I can hang out with whoever I want to," You said to see Myon put his hat back on.

"Right. I keep forgetting Yoongi isn't the leader. That's so f*cked." He laughed as he fell on the floor. "But I'm still not buying it. Yoongi and you haven't f*cked?"

"No!" You shouted. All his comments were too much. One moment you were scared for your life, the second you were furious or embarrassed. It was hard to think straight. He didn't have a tough and cold exterior like Woohyun. Myon acted with this strange child innocence but proved time and time again that he was not right in the head.

"Oooh, Yoongi hasn't gotten any!" Myon cracked up, getting back up into a sitting position. "What about those other babies?"

"I've done nothing with any of them. They're my friends," You spoke through gritted teeth.

"Except for Yoongi since he supposedly hates you?" Myon clarified. Giving him a tired nod, he smirked to himself as Woohyun came closer. The maknae whispered something in the leader's ear that pleased him greatly. Bewildered by their actions, you watched as Woohyun gave you a cold glare as he walked away. Myon turned back to you with a bigger smirk.

"Yoongi hates me," You assured him.

"Do I have a chance to go farther than any of them?" Myon puffed out his bottom lip. Knitting your brows together, you were shocked by his words. It wasn't until he placed his hand on your thigh that it clicked in your head. Startled by his touch, you began to wildly jump in your chair.

"Don't touch me!!" You screamed as he took his hand off.

"How do you think they'll feel if I forced them all to witness their little friend getting violated? Or murdered." Myon shrugged at the second option. "I have time for both."

"Are they coming?" You asked, almost breathless.

"Aren't you desperate for your boyfriends?" Myon grinned. "We gave them hints to the direction of this place. They're pretty obvious, but how fast will they get here? They might get front row seats to you losing your dignity or they'll find you dead."

"No..." You shook your head, but he ignored you. He was lost in his thoughts.

"I haven't quite decided how to finish you off. Bullets holes all through you, bleed out, chopped, or what? I can be really creative." Myon wiggled his eyebrows. "Mom would always put my art on the fridge. Well, when she was alive! Ahahaha!!" He slapped his legs like he said the funniest thing in the world. The rest of his members didn't care for his twisted jokes. Woohyun was telling them all something. Maybe he was alerting them to get ready for the members to come. Hopefully they'll be here soon. Myon was like a ticking time bomb that would reset at the last second or skip numbers randomly. This was torture.

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Something was wrong. Kwon (F/n) didn't answer my texts after I told her to. She would always respond even if I came off as clingy. Today, she promised me that she would text me no matter what. Then she doesn't which was extremely out of character of her. I understand if she doesn't respond in a couple of minutes, but I instantly flooded her with texts. It was kind of a bad habit of mine. I was originally supposed to be at the dance class right now. My stomach kept doing flips as I walked over there with no response. Next thing I know, I was standing in front of a convenience store for ten minutes texting a ghost. It was making my heart pound to think at what might have happened to her. My mind was running wild, but I knew I was probably overreacting like I usually did.

But what if I wasn't?

After (F/n) didn't respond to me, I made the choice to text Seokjin. Maybe he would know what was up since he saw her last. I also needed a ride back to the warehouse since there was no way I was going to dance right now. Even though I promised (F/n) that I would and listened to her repeatedly say this was my chance to shine, I felt like I had to save it for later. Before I could type a single word out to the oldest member, my phone told me that Seokjin was calling. Interesting. Picking up the call, I pressed the phone to my ear and ignored the sound of passerby's and cars. Before I could greet Seokjin, his panicked voice threw me off. Right away I knew it had to involve (F/n). I had a hunch about this because my stomach was doing all kinds of acrobatics.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm at the corner of Sejong-daero," I looked at a green sign. "Why? Is there something wrong?"

"I'm picking you up. We're going to the warehouse." Seokjin's voice didn't pause for a breath.

Soon I saw a black truck turning onto the street, making its way to me. Seokjin stopped and I hopped inside. He didn't wait for me to buckle up which he usually does. Seokjin made a sudden U-turn in the narrow street, ignoring the loud honks aimed at him. Clutching onto my seat, I swallowed hard as he kept a tight grip on the wheel. Should I ask what's wrong? I had a good idea, but I wanted to be wrong. We didn't speak a word as he drove off into the dirt road that led to the warehouse. He was going past eighty and finally slowed down to park the car in front of the entrance. As I got out, I noticed Seokjin left the car running as he stormed inside the warehouse.

Running inside to catch up with him, I saw everyone panicking. Jungkook was groaning with his face in his hands. Taehyung had his arm pressed against the wall but kept his head down. Taking small steps inside, Hoseok was biting his nails and Namjoon was rapidly tapping his foot. Yoongi was the only one who was sleeping at the table. How was he the only one relaxed during all this? Actually, why do I even have to ask. The blue hair could sleep like a rock just like Jungkook. Seokjin stopped in front of our leader, catching everyone's attention. They all stood up minus Yoongi. Nervously running my hands through my hair, I couldn't wait for them to speak. It was driving me wild to be out of the loop.

"What's wrong? Is this about (F/n)?" I asked to see their all eyes shift towards me.

"Jimin...we found this envelope with a couple of hints. We can't figure it out, but they say they have (F/n)." Namjoon frowned and my heart broke into pieces. The pain that struck through my chest hurt my whole body.

"Who does!? Is it those @ssholes across from us!?" I pointed out the warehouse, stomping towards Namjoon. The first years were shocked by my sudden outburst. Hearing an annoyed grunt, I turn my head to see Yoongi waking up. A string of swears left his lips as he angrily stared out at us.

"What are you guys going on about?" He huffed.

"We've been telling you since we found the envelope!" Seokjin shouted, a vein close to popping on his forehead. "Get off your lazy @ss and help us!"

"Calm down!" Namjoon placed his hand on the black hair's shoulder. "You're not helping anyone by getting angry. All of you, we need to save (F/n)."

"But what do those hints even mean?" Jungkook questioned with frustration.

"They make no sense!" Taehyung whined as Yoongi started walking closer to us.

We all broke out shouting at each other. Jungkook and Taehyung were upset about the confusing letter. Namjoon was stressed with the whole situation. He needed to have us under control, listening to him, and was in charge of getting (F/n) back in one piece. Hoseok was silent and his face was hard to read. The red head would always cheer us up, but now wasn't the time. Seokjin was getting frustrated that we weren't working fast enough and wanted to drive to the destination already. I was screaming about needing (F/n) with me and that got me a glare from Jungkook. The two of us have been growing some slight tension ever since (F/n) helped us in ways we couldn't have done without her.

In the midst of the chaos, Yoongi read the hints that were given on the letter. He let out a loud yawn as he read through the small letter. The hints were incredibly vague and not enough were given to hold onto something. Not even our genius leader could come up with something. He was stuck, and it was getting to him. We all wanted to pull our hair out for not being quick enough. The thought of what they could be doing to (F/n) right now was infuriating. Just imagining her frightened was enough to send me over the edge. Jungkook was losing all his patience and Hoseok had to tell him to take it easy. We didn't tell (F/n), but occasionally Jungkook would want to break his clean streak whenever times got hard.

"Don't tell me to take it easy! I could protect her if I was strong enough!" Jungkook growled. "But look at me! I get tired easily and I'm f*cking useless!"

"You're not helping her if you start back up again, Junkie." I scoffed to see the maknae stand up right away. He grabbed the collar of my shirt with rage.

"Say that again!" Jungkook threatened to have Hoseok bolt up from his seat.

"They're at the old small factory on the opposite side of town. The one near the bridge to the next town and trailer homes." Yoongi sniffled.

"If you—Wait!" I got my senses together. Yoongi placed the envelope back on the coffee table we've recently gotten. He scratched his neck as if he didn't just save a person's life.

"How'd you get that?" Namjoon tilted his head at the letter.

"The hints are only obvious to me." Yoongi sighed. "They're from back in the day."

"I think I know the place!" Seokjin got excited. We all were jumping on our feet, but Yoongi only laughed. Why was he entertained? All of us faced him with baffled visages. There was no reason for him to be laughing like this. It was making my blood boil and I knew I wasn't the only one. He was hiding something. "What? Why are you laughing!?"

"There are like twenty factories near the bridge. Good luck finding the right one." Yoongi grinned. "It's like finding a needle in a hay stack."

"Do you know the right one?" Namjoon asked. We all stopped breathing, waiting for the blue hair to answer. Yoongi smirked in enjoyment to have us listen to his every word. He always seemed to like being in charge. Now even Namjoon, our leader, was listening to him. It was always Namjoon who called the shots, but Yoongi was the only one who could help us. He understood the mysterious hints and knew how Myon behaved.

"Obviously." Yoongi turned around, walking back to the table. My heart sank again in shock. At the same time, I wasn't surprised to see Yoongi being uncooperative. The group was left speechless. Just when our fingers tips grazed against something solid, it was pulled away from us. It made me want to scream at Yoongi for not trying to be helpful. Before I could start, Seokjin took a step forward with fury in his eyes that I'd never seen in my life.

"Yah!" Seokjin forcefully grabbed Yoongi's shoulder to make him look back at us. "Why are you being such a d*ck!? We're always here to help each other so why aren't you helping us save (F/n)!? We're running out of time!"

"Because I have no interest in saving her." Yoongi ripped Seokjin's hand off of him.

"She's never done anything to you! All you've done is hate her for no reason! You've destroyed her social life with that d*mn rumor you spread and you don't even apologize for your actions!" Seokjin yelled at the top of his lungs. His voice boomed loudly through the warehouse.

Seokjin's face was bright red from anger. I bit my lip, giving the other first years a nervous glance. Namjoon and Hoseok didn't know that Yoongi started that. They never found out who told the school (F/n) was a slut. Yoongi's nostrils were flaring now that he was exposed to the leader. This meant that he could be punished. He wasn't a fan of having all his wrong doings waved in front of his face. Once Yoongi did something wrong, he would forget it like it was nothing. Having Seokjin bring up the past was infuriating to him for a number of reasons. Yoongi gritted his teeth as he roughly pushed Seokjin back a couple steps. Were the third years actually going to have a fight? We didn't have time for this! (F/n) needed saving!

"The school doesn't even give a sh*t anymore!" Yoongi barked.

"Tell us which factory!" Seokjin shoved Yoongi back. "You're making time run out!"

"Seokjin, breathe!" Namjoon intervened. "Yoongi, please help us save (F/n)."

"I'm not going." Yoongi crossed his arms.

"You're not—? Look, help us out!" Namjoon gave a nervous smile as Seokjin continued to steam right next to him. "We really need to save (F/n). She's our friend—"

"Why do you guys care so much about her!?" Yoongi screamed in disgust. "It's like I'm the only one who sees what that minx is actually doing! She's turned you all against me and is ruining this family we have. She doesn't even want us to be gangsters, but you still have her around! Why are we letting a sh*tty girl like that into our lives!? She's not f*cking worth saving!"

"Min Yoo—"

"No, don't stop me! I'm telling the truth right now and you're all going to listen!" Yoongi cut off Namjoon. "Kwon (F/n) is nothing but an annoying first year! The only reason the first years even keep her around is because they all want to get into her pants and Seokjin probably thinks she'll be easy too! We don't do deals as much and we're running low on money and for what? To babysit the d*mn b*tch? This family is the only thing we all have! The world and life hates us, but we're here for each other! Now she's destroying us from the inside out and all you guys are practically brainwashed by her boobs! LET MYON F*CKING KILL HER—"

An echo resounded the warehouse as we all stood in shock. Seokjin had forcefully pulled Namjoon back to slap Yoongi across the face. The blue hair was almost looking over his shoulder from how hard the hit was. His pale face now had a burning pink hand print on his skin. Namjoon didn't say a word. He was no longer going to prevent the oldest from teaching a lesson. Yoongi finally revealed all his true thoughts about (F/n). We've know him longer than her, but I didn't expect him to have this much hate in his body. He was more damaged than the rest of us. His only parent hated him and was abusive so this place was his home. We were his only family, but he really lacked trust in newcomers. I thought he would warm up to (F/n) but clearly not.

Min Yoongi was hard to understand. He was cold, manipulative, and selfish. Sometimes he wasn't human, but then he had his moments to prove us all wrong. Yoongi would show us a side that probably no one else would ever witness. He would joke around with Hoseok, acting stupid. He would take all the first years to the convenience store and say he'd pay for our things. Yoongi would help Namjoon not feel too stressed about deals and then Seokjin and him were third year buddies. They understood each other with the trouble of horrible parents and not knowing what to do after high school ends. Now that (F/n) has been added to the picture, Yoongi's changed a lot and hardly ever shows his warm side. Only when she's not around and today he exploded. Seokjin finally had enough of him.

"You are nothing but a child," Seokjin spoke through gritted teeth. "We're going to save (F/n) whether you choose to come or not. We're leaving. If you choose to stay, be f*cking prepared to have another talk and you're going to listen to me."

"Seokjin..." I mumbled. Yoongi placed his hand lightly on his cheek, turning his head to face the oldest member again. Thoughts ran through his head as he glared harshly. Seokjin turned around with his keys in hand. He ordered everyone to get in the truck and no one questioned him. Namjoon gave Yoongi one last glance before following the black hair male towards the exit. Even I was close to heading out the door until Yoongi spoke. It made us all stop and turn on our heels.

"...They have her in the factory that is a heroin hot spot." Yoongi stared down at his feet. Seokjin stayed silent to hear the second oldest finally cooperate. Namjoon wasn't saying anything and I didn't know what to say either. Luckily, Hoseok was good at talking with everyone.

"Well, it would help if you came along with us."Hoseok gave him a weak smile, bringing his hand out for Yoongi to take. Yoongi stared at all of us for what felt like a century before finally making a decision that would either help us or not.    

Chapter Text

Ch.20

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The ride over to the old factory felt like forever. No one spoke a word as we went 40 over the speed limit. Taehyung made a joke that we would die in a car crash before saving (F/n). That was ill timed and he shut up instantly. Hoseok was the only one who was allowed to speak. Even so he didn't say much, he was being the bridge between Seokjin and Yoongi. The two still weren't talking to each other after what happened in the warehouse. I wanted them to get over it and put their feelings aside for (F/n), but the hyungs could be so dramatic. Seokjin would ask for directions and Hoseok would have to ask Yoongi. That meant after Yoongi answered, Hoseok would have to tell Seokjin. Namjoon was growing antsy in the back with us since he liked things to go fast.

Digging my nails into my thighs, I looked out the window with panic. It was hard to know which factory when all of them were abandoned and were nothing, but shadows with the moonlight glowing over them. It was getting close to midnight which was the cut off time according to the envelope. They've had (F/n) since the afternoon and that made me sick to my stomach. It was infuriating to imagine them terrifying her to death. Yoongi eventually pointed out which factory we had to go into. It was time for me to go out. We never officially came up with a plan, but we all knew what our jobs were. I was still the spy. Hoseok would try and talk to the others with Yoongi right next to him. Jungkook and Namjoon would burst in if anything went wrong. Taehyung was going to help handle people going rogue. Seokjin had the hardest job in my opinion. He was worried for (F/n), but was forced to stay in the car. Ready to drive off with a breathing (F/n) or not.

Namjoon opened the car door while the truck was still moving at a fast speed. Crouching down, I gave my goodbyes as I jumped out. My hands touched the hard ground first as I tucked my head, lowering my body to roll on my back. Soon I was on my feet and running with my head down. They dropped me off where I assumed was the back entrance of the giant factory. Making my way to the steal doors, there was no one patrolling around. Lifting my head up, I peeked through the dirty windows to see a flashlight moving around inside. Great. Looking down to the ground, I spotted a two decently sized rock by my foot. Picking up the smooth stone, my thumb rubbed its cold surface before smashing it through the tiny window. The flashlight immediately came my way as I grabbed the second stone. I tossed it into a bush as the door opened. The person ran towards the movement in the bush while I was hidden in the dark.

Perfect. Holding onto the door, I slipped inside the building. We were wearing all black so it was easy to move around in the darkness. The only thing I had to get used to was having bright colored hair which I learned when I had orange hair. My feet stayed low to the ground, but I didn't drag them. They were like soft hops as I made my way through the building. There was a specific room that I spotted dim lights and blurry figures standing in. That must be all the members from the gang. Dirty windows were hiding their true identities from me. Crawling under tables with thousand of rusty trinkets, I was growing impatient to get to (F/n). She needed to be saved already. Suddenly, the lights in the room that I was in lit up. The black that helped engulf me vanished and here I was under a table like a child afraid of lightening.

Footsteps were heard from above. Someone was walking on the metal stairs. They didn't lead anywhere but gave a perfect view of everything happening underneath. Now that I couldn't hide in the dark, it was hard to move. They had sight and hearing me shuffle would immediately get me spotted. Swearing inside my head, I was hoping that maybe Taehyung could help me out. This wasn't going down the way I had hoped which was to be expected. We didn't know the layout beforehand, we have no idea how they fight, and the more I thought about it the more I got frustrated. I don't fight people. I just watch and make sure everything is safe and clear for my members. Fighting was something I didn't like to do, but I've done it before. There are just some things I won't do because of my morals and the promise I made in the beginning. I will never use a weapon, do drugs, or kill someone. Even though the last one was very tempting.

"Are you gonna keep hiding?" They laughed. "Which one are you? There's seven of ya so it's hard to keep track."

Staying silent, I kept my eyes watching the stairs in case they decided to come down. If they did then that meant I had no choice but to fight. Seeing the stairs shake from a heavy step, I made sure to get ready to come out from the table. Narrowing my eyes as the legs came into view, I randomly hear the sound of a slam. Something quick whizzes through the air that causes the member to fall down the railing. His body crashed down onto a work table, loudly snapping everything from under him in half. It looked like he was out of it, but I wasn't too happy with the noise. Getting out from the table, I saw the blurry figures getting suspicious at all the noise.

"Psst!" I heard someone to my right. It almost made my heart stop until I realized it was Taehyung trying to catch my attention through a window. "No need to thank me." He smirked.

"This is no time to be joking around!" I whisper yelled, keeping my body from being seen from the other members. "What'd you even do to that guy?"

"I tranquilized him." Taehyung shrugged to see my expression. When in the world did Namjoon get this idiot a tranquilizer!? "I see that look on your face. I got it from some guy who ran into a bush. He put up a fight, most of them were shot, but I used the last one to help you out."

"Thanks." I sighed.

If it weren't for him, I would have stayed a sitting duck. Taehyung whispered bye before shutting the window again. I hurried over to the light switch, turning all the lights off for safety again. As soon as the lights were out, a member kicked open the door. The dim light from the other room barely spilled in here so I was still safe. Except for my hair. The member turned his head and spotted my not so inconspicuous blonde hair. They smirked as they made their way towards me. Shifting towards the side, I ran through the door entry before they could lay their hands on me. At this point, it was hard to sneak around when the place was empty. The room that I had just entered was bare to the bone. The only thing in here were Myon, Woohyun, and the one member that tried attacking me. Then the girl we've been looking for tied up in a chair.

"Seunjo, you found one!" Myon cheered happily. There was a gun in his hand while (F/n) didn't react to hear one of us arrive. Her head was drooping down and I hated to imagine what they did to her. "What's this one's name? I'm not too good with names, but to be fair Yoongi wasn't kind enough to say your name."

"That's not important." Yoongi's voice entered the room.

Turning my head in his direction, I gave him and Hoseok an apologetic smile. They already had me trapped and there wasn't much I could do. Hoseok and Yoongi entered to start compromising with the others. Seunjo kept a watchful eye over me as I stayed in the corner. It made me feel pathetic. (F/n) was right there! Woohyun gave the two guys's a dirty stare meanwhile Myon was smiling at their presence. He was so twisted inside. He stood up in excitement, ignoring the girl right behind him. It was hard to tell if she was unconscious or not. I think she was since she probably would have lifted her head to hear us coming in. Licking my bottom lip, I remained alert and reading to jump back onto my feet. Something told me that getting (F/n) wouldn't be easy.

"Min Yoongi! And another guy! Wow, isn't this just becoming a party?" Myon stared at the two members. "What brings you guys here?"

"Listen here you f*cking pshyco, we're taking (F/n) back." Yoongi growled as Hoseok stepped in.

"She's not in our gang so we thought it would be best to bring her back home." Hoseok chuckled, noting that the person he was talking to wasn't mentally stable at all.

"Aw, is it her bed time already?" Myon frowned. "Does that mean I have to do this already?" He raised the gun directly towards her head.

"No!" I shouted to see his grin grow wider.

"Good. Because the fun is just getting started. I'd like to see where this all goes." Myon laughed as Yoongi gave me a sharp glare.

I needed to keep my mouth shut. Unlike them, I was acting on emotions. My little outburst could have gotten her killed. Yoongi rolled his shoulders, trying to get comfortable here. Hoseok was trying not to keep glancing at (F/n). Though he was worried, he wanted to show that he wasn't panicking. It was so hard. She was right there. It made me want to go rogue, but then our efforts would go to sh*t. Not like we've made a lot of progress though. I've been caught already and two of our members haven't even started a real conversation with Myon.

"Why do you even want her?" Yoongi tilted his head with a sigh. His face was hard and stoic.

"Because Woohyun says she's close to you guys! I knew you guys would come over if I took your little friend," Myon stated. "I really needed to talk to you so I thought I would borrow her for help."

"Woohyun's a dumb f*ck." Yoongi crossed his arms. Their maknae's eyes widened in rage, muttering threats against the blue hair. "I told him specifically that she meant nothing to us. She's nothing, but a bother."

"Really?" Myon asked as if this was the most interesting information he's ever been given. "She told me you hated her, but she was friends with the others."

"So she likes to talk?" Yoongi scoffed. He ignored my glares without a care. Hoseok didn't say much since it seemed like Yoongi knew how to handle Myon. It sounded like he was saying all the wrong things, but Myon was happy to have the gun away and get yelled at. "Well, I'm here even though I wasn't planning to be. What do you want?"

"Ugh, do we have to get there already?" Myon whined. "I really wanted to save that for the end."

"Patience was never really my thing." Yoongi huffed which suddenly irked Myon. It was a 'playful' conversation until Yoongi said that. It made Myon's strange personality shift.

"Oh really? You know what else wasn't your thing?" Myon took a step forward, now full of rage.

It made Yoongi and Hoseok take a step back. Switching glances at Seunjo and Woohyun, even they were shocked by the sudden change. Myon's face was red with veins bulging all around his upper body. He spoke through gritted teeth as if he was making an attempt to calm himself down and hold back. The male's shift was enough to make me feel certain that going rogue would not end well. His gun wasn't that scary anymore. Looking over my shoulder, I didn't see Taehyung staring through any windows. It had me wondering what situation would make Jungkook and Namjoon run in.

"..." Yoongi didn't answer.

"God, you've changed a lot and you don't even realize it! I bet these guys think you're so cold and dead inside." Myon glared at Hoseok and I. "They don't even know the b*st*rd I got to know a couple years back. The Min Yoongi I know wouldn't join a single gang for the life of him! He hated having people depend on him, listening to others, and wouldn't hesitate to throw people under the bus!"

"Myon. I've had enough ranting for tonight." Yoongi shoved his hands in his pockets. Hoseok had the same panicked reaction as I. Wouldn't his careless words make Myon explode? But there was Myon, smiling with his hands on his face.

"This is the @sshole I know!" Myon laughed. "But why only with me!? I see you treating these guys different even though you're nothing but an unwanted thug like me! These guys think they have problems...oh boy!" Myon spun around, officially losing it. If he wasn't crazy before then he's finally reached insanity.

"Can we get (F/n)?" Hoseok spoke, pointing his hand towards her. Myon gasped in utter outrage. He exaggeratedly put his hand on his chest in an offended manner first and then lightly smacked Hoseok's hand away.

"Hell no. I'm waiting for the others!" Myon grinned wildly. "I want you all to watch her get violated in ten different ways."

My eyes widened at his comment. I knew my gang wasn't as bad as others, but there were some things about the criminal world that were still shocking to me. It's not like I've been completely desensitized to all of this. I've heard it all before, but it was a lot to hear when they were talking about (F/n) in that way. If he wanted the others to show up first then I hoped Namjoon and Jungkook would be smart enough to stay outside. Yoongi needed to handle this himself. He was the only one who managed to handle the maniac. Hoseok's brows were furrowed at Myon, but Yoongi kept the same face he always did. I wondered if it mattered to him. Did he hate (F/n) so much to let something like that happen to her? He may be a broken human being, but he still had to have some morals. I wasn't dumb enough to believe everyone had morals anymore. Yoongi though, I had faith in him that the gang has probably helped him retain some humanity.

Hearing a panicked shout, I turn my head to see a nightmare. Jungkook was running in with Namjoon trying to chase after him. He needed to hold back the maknae from doing something stupid. This was ridiculous. If Jungkook really cared about (F/n) then he would have chosen a better time to come in! My mind almost lost it when Taehyung came in through another entrance. Hoseok looked just as frustrated as me. Were we the only ones who knew the danger they've just put (F/n) in!? Jungkook pushed past his two hyungs, to uppercut Myon. At that point, all hell broke loose. Even Yoongi was shocked by the youngest's reckless actions. Fury sparked in his eyes as I stood up from the corner.

"Maknae, you gotta be f*cking kidding me!" Yoongi pulled Jungkook off.

"I'm gonna kill him!" Jungkook yelled as Myon laughed manically on the ground.

Seunjo turned to face me with a glare. Looks like I have to fight. Since I was the closest to him, he made it his mission to handle me first. The male was giant, towering over me as I shoved my elbow into his stomach. He stumbled backwards as Taehyung jumped onto his back. The silver hair kept the tall male in a choke hold before getting thrown off. I was thankful for Taehyung's help. It actually helped the situation compared to Jungkook's punch. Seunjo coughed for air as I brought my leg up high to then bring it down on his head. Seunjo fell face first onto the concrete as Taehyung got up again. He made sure to keep Seunjo on the ground by pulling out a knife and keeping it pressed to his neck.

"I've got him!" Taehyung panted as I looked up to see Woohyun fighting our maknae. Myon was tasting the blood dribbling out from his mouth, telling people he bit his tongue.

Namjoon and Hoseok tried going over to (F/n), only to get into a fight with Mysung. He came in at the worst time for us. He was the one Taehyung fought for the tranquilizer, so it must have been Kanghoon who was out on the broken table. Yoongi had his hands in fists as he watched Myon on the floor. Biting my lip, I figured it was best to go behind (F/n)'s chair. Everyone was too busy fighting that they wouldn't see me quietly making my way towards her. Myon was also too lost in his insanity. I made quiet steps to the opposite side of the room and knew I just had to get to her chair to untie her. Yoongi saw me get closer and his eyes told me no. He was so annoying right now. I was soon behind her, my hands touching the rope around her wrists. I did it!

I thought.

Myon stopped laughing on the ground to point the gun in my face. He had a smirk on his face that didn't make me feel hopeless. Instead I was close to lunging at him. Yoongi gave me a disappointed look and I scoffed to realize I was being reckless like Jungkook. I just did it in my own style. Yoongi knows Myon better than the rest of us and he was giving me a warning. He knew Myon would be able to detect me trying to get (F/n) untied. Taking my hands off the rope, I kept my eyes connected with that disgusting man in front of me.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Myon said. "There's only six of you here. Where's the last one? Trying to ambush him on me?"

"He's not showing up." Yoongi growled.

"Liar~," Myon intoned, the gun never leaving the spot between my eyes.

"I'm telling the truth," Yoongi grumbled for Myon to face him. The gun was finally away from me and I could breathe normally again.

"No!" He screamed. "Yoongi, you don't tell the truth! Everything that comes out of your d*mn mouth is a lie!"

"Why are you so obsessed with me!?" Yoongi shouted. "You were always an annoying litte sh*t who followed me around!"

"You say that like I'm younger than you." Myon eyed the blue hair. He waited for Yoongi to respond, but he never did.

Myon was going to say something else but chose not to once he saw his men struggling. Taehyung still had Seunjo under control. He's been leaving all kinds of cuts on the male to let him know that a simple cut on the throat was nothing. Namjoon and Hoseok were doing their best to handle Mysung. If they had been fighting alone, Mysung might have had the upper hand. Then there was Jungkook who was practically killing Woohyun. The brunette was repeatedly kicking his knee into Woohyun, not caring about the cracking sounds. Woohyun was struggling to keep his back straight as a lot of saliva drooped down from his lips with blood mingling in it. Jungkook pressed the other maknae against the wall and threw his fist into their face. I didn't flinch to see Woohyun's nose in a different position from how it originally was. A lot of blood was escaping the curly haired male since his lips were also busted.

"H-Hey! That one! Get it to stop and leave Woohyun alone!" Myon shouted angrily. He pointed at Jungkook, his finger trembling to see the first year destroying his youngest member, a third year. Jungkook was unbelievably strong for his age and it was always an advantage. Sometimes it could get to his head and cause him to lose control. Shy Jungkook can only turn into this monster at certain times. He didn't know how to shut it off.

"His name is Jeon Jungkook!" Yoongi kicked Myon's face. "They're my family you d*mn waste of air!"

That's when I took the chance to untie (F/n) from her chair. As soon as I loosened the ropes around her wrists, I could hear a soft whimper. Moving my body to see her face, it was hard with all her hair covering it. I could still spot it. Her lip was quivering as her eye shifted towards me. She wasn't unconscious. Had she been awake this whole time? Luckily she didn't witness me losing my mind, but Jungkook was a different story. My hands went down to untie the rope around her feet as Myon was struggling against Yoongi. It was barely even a fight. Yoongi had his hands around Myon's wrists while Myon tried to free his hands. He acted like Satan to a child in seconds.

He was furious to see our maknae letting out his anger on someone who he must have considered family. I never seen that reaction from Myon. I could have never imagined that coming from him. Jungkook had Woohyun on the ground, kicking the male with no mercy. It looked like Woohyun was drifting off into unconsciousness which caused Myon to start screaming nonsense. He especially lost it once Woohyun's eyes rolled back into his head. It left me at a loss of words. (F/n) should never have to deal with this life style that my friends and I put ourselves in. Jungkook and I entered at the same time, but there is a clear difference between us. Seeing him look satisfied to have Woohyun out made me scowl. The brunette let out an exhilarated breath and wiped the sweat on his brow.

Myon started shooting wildly at the ceiling. (F/n)'s soft whimpers became a little louder. Rubbing her shoulder, I murmured to her that she needed to stay quiet. Even though she was untied, the situation still wasn't over. Jungkook turned to face Mysung who was groaning on the ground. Namjoon and Hoseok did enough to him. Myon's bulging eyes watched Jungkook trudge over to Mysung with rage. Shaking my head, I heard Taehyung let out yelp. Seunjo had pushed him off and took the knife away. Things had to keep getting worse. Jungkook stopped showing interest in Mysung and marched over to Seunjo who was cornering Taehyung. The tall male raised the knife with Taehyung trapped, but Jungkook took Seunjo's wrist. His arm was twisted by the maknae, forcing him to drop the weapon.

"Leave him alone!!" Myon took his hand out from Yoongi's. He started flailing the gun everywhere but didn't shoot. Where there any bullets left? "That little f*ck is gonna die!"

"You're next!" Jungkook shot him a glare as he took a hold of the knife that had fallen on the ground. My eyes checked (F/n) again as she scrunched her face. She didn't want to see this anymore and I could understand why. It wasn't my first time. Jungkook preferred using his fists, but he did get impatient. The knife was slammed into Seunjo's shoulder.

"Seunjo!" Myon tried kicking at Yoongi. Jungkook had Seunjo on the floor, twisting the knife around in the fresh wound. Soon Jungkook pulled the knife out and tossed it across the room. He was never one for torture. Jungkook did his job once they were no longer a threat. Seunjo was slowly bleeding on the floor, but Jungkook purposely didn't stab him somewhere important.

"We're saving (F/n)!" Jungkook hollered.

"Myon, stop it!" Yoongi gritted his teeth at Myon's attempts to escape. There was no way the hat wearing weirdo had a chance.

"How could you, Min Yoongi?" Myon tilted his head. "You were the closest I had to family back then. Remember this place!? We used to hang out here every day! It's where I made my own rules, my own gang. And now you let this toddler kill 'em all!"

"They're still alive!" Yoongi huffed as he pushed Myon away from him.

Everyone was panting heavily. Namjoon and Hoseok hurried to restrain Jungkook from pulling another reckless move. Taehyung stumbled over a few feet behind them. (F/n) was shaking, but I brought my hand towards her. She kept them behind her back and flinched at first when my fingers made contact with hers. Then she tightly held my hand back, begging me not to let go. Myon was a couple feet away from Yoongi. He's lost everything, but he still had the gun. It was throwing everyone off. Yoongi had him but now Myon was free to do whatever he liked. The evil grin on Myon's face made me instantly look at Namjoon. His teeth were gritted and I knew we were all relying on fate now.

"I want you dead, Min Yoongi...all of you..." Myon lifted the gun to Yoongi's face. This time a shiver ran down my spine. It felt different from the other time Yoongi had a gun pointed at his face. Yoongi must have felt the same since his face looked paler. His calm, stoic expression was gone. The trigger was pulled, and I brought my head down. At that moment, a loud bang echoed in the factory. The sound of a body collapsed and (F/n) was loudly crying now. The rest of the members were screaming, Jungkook was losing himself as he fell to his knees. Taehyung's eyes were wide and he looked like he was going to throw up. "You got to be kidding me..." Myon mumbled in a low voice.

"SEOKJIN!!!" Yoongi's voice rang out. Raising my head, Yoongi went to the floor where Seokjin was. When did he leave the car!? My breathing was heavy to know one of us was actually shot. We can't bring him to a hospital. What are we going to do? There's no way we'll be able to get him proper care. Seokjin was clutching onto his arm and I let out a cry of relief. It would have been too much to handle if he was shot anywhere on his body. The last thing I wished was for the bullet to have hit where Myon was aiming on Yoongi.

"You said he wasn't coming!" Myon complained. Of course that's what he was going on about. Hoseok whispered something to Namjoon casuing them to loosen their grip on the maknae. Jungkook caught himself from falling onto the ground with his hands. He was staring at the ground, having a hard time just like Taehyung was. Tears were streaming down (F/n)'s cheeks while a few rolled off my own.

"...you'll regret meeting me..." Yoongi slowly raised his head to give Myon a deadly glare. Staring at them, I didn't know what Yoongi was capable of. He rarely ever fought, hated running, and seemed to only ever make snide comments.

"Heh, with those threats again?" Myon smiled as Yoongi did a quick glance towards the right. The smile fell as Myon looked at what Yoongi had stared at. There was nothing on the right, but a wall and Woohyun's bloodied body. That's when Jungkook came from the left screaming at the top of his lungs. The gun fell out of Myon's hand and Yoongi didn't hesitate to grab it. Yoongi stared back down at Seokjin who was wincing in in pain, trying his best to not groan too much.

"You'll get vengeance," Yoongi said in a dark tone.

"C-Careful..." Seokjin hissed, closing his eyes tightly as Namjoon and Hoseok came to grab him. They pulled the oldest away from the fight. They took Seokjin's thick jacket off to see the bullet wound that was inflicted. It appeared to just be in the muscle and not too deep. I was happy to know it didn't reach any bone, so we could actually help him at the warehouse.

Taehyung was now vomiting near Seunjo and I knew it wasn't because the wound was a little gory. Taehyung could handle gore, but he hated seeing Seokjin be the one with the bullet in him. Turning my head to (F/n), I lifted her up from the chair. She kept her head down and tried her best to move her legs. They were trembling to no end. Jungkook was harming Myon like he did with Woohyun, but worse. Teeth were flying out and Yoongi's hand on the gun wasn't nervous over the trigger. Tonight would be the scariest night (F/n) has ever seen us. I made my way with (F/n) towards the exit, but Mysung had gotten back onto his feet. You got to be kidding me. Huffing angrily, I lowered (F/n) back down onto the ground. Taehyung crawled over to her, wiping his chin clean.

Swinging my fist into Mysung's face, he didn't fly to the floor like I wanted. He grabbed my shirt and threw me against the wall. Gasping from the throw, I slid to the floor as he eyed me down. That hurt like a b*tch. Getting back onto my feet, I tried throwing another punch only for it to be caught. Fighting was never my thing. At least I didn't want it to be. (F/n) was watching in fear as the chaos went down. Namjoon and Hoseok lifted Seokjin's body. They were running him back to the truck so I knew we had to get (F/n) to the truck too. Mysung struck my face as I heard (F/n) cry out for me. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and roughly hit my face against the wall. Before he could do it a second time, I pushed myself against the wall to face him. We were both breathing heavily, but he had more injuries than me.

My knuckles were immediately digging into his neck as I threw a punch. Mysung coughed from the hit which gave me the chance to thrust the heel of my palm upward on his face. His nose crunched with the attack. Grabbing the sides of his face, I brought my knee to his jaw multiple times. I would fight if I needed to. Mysung collapsed to the floor, his jaw dislocated from the beating it took. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it had to be done. Taehyung and I put (F/n)'s arms around our shoulders to lift her up. Glancing at Jungkook and Yoongi one last time, Jungkook left Myon battered to the point where I saw bone. It made me want to gag. We carried (F/n) out, bringing her to the truck as fast as we could.

"Go with them!" Yoongi's voice could be heard.

"Hyung—" Jungkook tired yet angry voice spoke, but he was cut off by a tone none of us would ever defy.

"OUT."

The truck was running as we arrived to it. Namjoon and Hoseok had Seokjin resting in the bed of the truck. Taehyung frowned to see our eldest like this and my heart was still aching. His arm had Hoseok's sleeve tied around his bicep. It made me admire Hoseok a lot more for not just ripping his sleeve, but for maybe such an amazing hyung. He would cheer us up, take care of us, and sometimes I never knew why. Taehyung opened the car door, muttering in a breathy voice little things to calm down the shaking female. He got in there with her, petting her hair. Taking a step into the truck, I saw Jungkook running towards the truck as the sound of a gun shot boomed through the dark night. Sitting next to (F/n), I waited for Jungkook to come in. Once he did, he shut the door and began sobbing.

Jungkook never cried.

The maknae refused to show any kind of emotions that made him look weak. He was panting heavily from all the fighting, running, and let his emotions rip at him. One of our hyungs almost got shot, one did, (F/n) was captured, but saved, and then Yoongi was probably doing something that none of us have done or will ever do. Yoongi was still human to us though and was family. Hugging Jungkook, he tried fighting me off but eventually let himself stay still. He calmed himself down by the time Yoongi came into the driver's seat. He didn't have a driver's license but could still drive. Decently. Blood was splattered on Yoongi's clothes and face. I almost wanted to ask what he did, but I was afraid of the answer. I knew though. We all did.

"Hold on tight," Yoongi uttered as he started driving forward.

The three in the bed of the truck were holding onto dear life as Yoongi went over the speed limit. Suddenly, Kanghoon was on the road in front of us. (F/n) was digging her face into Taehyung's chest, knowing that Yoongi was not stopping. The hit happened quick and we all heard Kanghoon's neck snap as his body was thrusted into the air. We didn't speak a word as Yoongi drove us back to the warehouse. (F/n)'s whimpers were the only thing heard and some of Taehyung's kind words to calm her down. The poor girl was most likely scarred. It made me want to quit being a gangster, so I could protect her from the bad things in life. I didn't want her to believe I was a part of the horrible things in this world. Yoongi turned onto the dead street of our warehouse, parking in the front.

Namjoon and Hoseok got help from Yoongi to carry Seokjin to the couch inside. Hyung kept saying he could walk and that it was only an arm wound, but we ignored him. Seokjin wouldn't tell us if he got shot if someone else got shot. It was a good thing that wasn't the case. Taehyung let (F/n) ride on his back which made me jealous. Was I really jealous at a moment like this? Turning to Jungkook, he wiped his face and wasn't full of rage anymore. He also wasn't crying anymore which was good. Rubbing his back, we came inside the warehouse with the rest.

Hoseok was already pulling the bullet out of Seokjin's arm. Namjoon had brought all the right materials while Yoongi instructed the red head what to do. Taehyung lowered (F/n) onto a foldable chair and faced her with a tiny boxy smile. She had stopped crying. Her sniffles were soft, her lips quivering lightly, and her nose red. I was frozen near the entrance. I wanted to hug her, but I didn't want her to think of me differently after tonight. She's never seen me fight someone and I didn't want to make that a reoccurring thing. Jungkook then walked over to her, bringing her into a tight embrace. She didn't look horrified to be touched by him even though he had dry blood on him. Even though he beat a guy unconscious and almost a second guy. (F/n) only smiled and my fear washed away as I ran towards her. Jungkook pulled away to let me hug her tightly.

"I'm so glad you're okay. They didn't touch you?" I asked, feeling tears form again.

"I'm fine..." (F/n) said softly. "But Seokjin—"

"Ahh!" Seokjin grunted as Hoseok disinfected the wound. "I'm okay...I'm happy we got you back, (F/n)."

"That was reckless." Yoongi broke into the conversation. We all faced towards him as he glared at Seokjin. The eldest only smiled softly. "Why'd you step in front of me?"

"I'd hate to have our last conversation be a fight. I deserve something better than that." Seokjin chuckled. "Then you even do something I'd never recommend in billion years for me."

"But you were mad at me!" Yoongi's voice started to shake. We were all shocked to see our toughest member lower his head. Seokjin wasn't surprised at all and only stared at Yoongi with a weak smile. "We were both mad at each other!!"

"Listen to yourself. WERE." Seokjin sighed tiredly. "Besides, we're brothers."

"Seokjin-nim..." Yoongi swallowed hard. I've never heard him use an honorific on anyone. "I wanted to make it right..."

"It's okay. You're forgiven. Let's just get some rest tonight." Seokjin placed his hand on Yoongi's head for comfort. Yoongi buried his face on Seokjin's chest, letting out muffled sobs.    

Chapter Text

Ch.21

A lot had happened the night before. You'd be lying if you said you were fine from all the events. It made it really hard to sleep and now you'll look over your shoulder twice. Seokjin even offered to pick you up in the morning and bring you to school then back. How could you accept!? The poor man was shot in the attempt to save his friend from dying. Memories from the night before gave your body all kinds of shivers. It's not like you were a fan of the thoughts, but you couldn't control them from popping up in your head. Too much happened. It was a good thing Hyosung had already gone to bed by the time you arrived. She never questioned you in the morning and that was good. You might have broken down in tears and you were tired of crying. You wanted to be able to defend yourself.

When you were captured by Myon and his members, it was already the worst night of your life. He made you believe that you wouldn't see the light of day ever again. All your hopes for the future and living were slowing fading as you tried to accept the situation you were put it. That was your attempts to make death not sound as horrible, but it was. After he first talked to you, he hit the back of your head with his gun. It hurt like a b*tch and it did manage to make you knock out for a while. It didn't last as long as he wanted. Soon you found yourself awakening by the time all the boys were in the room. Once they were all in the room, you heard the sounds of flesh pounding against flesh, the cracking of bones, and grunts of pain.

Scrunching your face, you tried to shake those thoughts off. It was so hard though. The only time you've seen them remotely fight was during the deal you witnessed. Even so, it was mainly only Jungkook who did the damage and he was only defending Namjoon. Jungkook had himself under control, but tonight was different. From what you could see, something blinded him. All the anger built inside him was unleashed on Woohyun, then Seunjo, and eventually Myon. It was hard to believe that it was your sweet Jungkook who could just switch like that. In the end, you forgave him since it was life or death. You had no time to be angry at him. Just like you, they all could have died while trying to protect you. It would be insane to be angry at him. Honestly, you were just glad that he was safe, but you did tell him to not lose control again.

Myon lost his mind with Jungkook. The man was already not the most stable person on the planet, but he really couldn't handle Jungkook attacking Woohyun. Myon also hated Yoongi for not being the way he used to be. It made you learn new things about the Min Yoongi the gang knew. The way Myon described Yoongi was the one you knew. The supposed Yoongi of the past, but you knew something did change him. The blue hair stayed by the oldest's side through the whole night and refused to leave Seokjin alone. It touched your heart and made you not hold so much frustration against the third year. When Namjoon was taking you home for the night, Yoongi raised his head and told you to never bring his tears up again or he'd kill you. It sounded fair, especially since you knew he could definitely follow through with that threat.

Jimin also left you shocked that night. He cared for you a lot which was really sweet. It was upsetting to know you ruined his chance of taking the dance class, but Jimin had to make you stop talking. He said you were more important than the dance class. In your head, you weren't so sure what to do with that information. Dancing is his dream, so for him to say it wasn't as important as you made you become a crying mess again. Jimin and Jungkook held you for the longest time. Taehyung sat in front of you making silly faces in attempts to cheer you up. It did help. You didn't say anything else about the rescue, but you were surprised by Jimin's fighting skills. He looked like he couldn't hurt a fly, but they were gangsters. They were a lot tougher and skilled in things that you'll probably never learn about. At least, those were your hopes.

That whole night left you scarred. Namjoon and Hoseok drove you home since the two oldest weren't going to. You wanted them to finish having their moment. While Namjoon tried not to crash, Hoseok cheered you up in the only way he could. Hoseok was so kind and pure hearted in your mind. He reminded you so much of a loving older brother. Having him as an older brother already sounded amazing. Namjoon probably would have the same title, but there was something about your relationship with him that didn't remind you of a brother. There was also the fact that Hoseok kept teasing the two of you about being a couple. Not to mention, Namjoon's Mom was also in favor of that idea. It always had you shaking your head as well as Namjoon.

In the morning when you woke up from a few hours of sleep, you didn't get out of bed right away. It's not that you were too tired to get up or lazy. Not even that you were only running on four hours of sleep at most. You just didn't want to get up and face the world. Instead, you turned on the TV in your room and it landed on a news channel. Great. Now you were being forced to see the world through your TV screen. Before you could change the channel, the anchor lady spoke about the old factories and it made you freeze. A helicopter was flying over the buildings as her voice spoke over the footage. They found two dead bodies and three incredibly injured men. One died from supposed blunt force and one had a bullet stuck in their skull that entered from the bottom of their chin. The ones that were alive were getting arrested for all the crimes they've done after getting hospitalized. They also discovered a giant heroin business in another factory. The good news was, the boys weren't caught and the factories were getting torn down.

Good.

That's when you turned off the TV to feel relief wash all over your body. At least that made you feel clean. Like perfect timing, Namjoon had texted you to eat with him again. He was starting to know whenever you needed a pick me up. He was outside with his bicycle, happily waving at you with his cute dimples. So that's where you were now. Namjoon had brought you to his favorite porridge restaurant once again. The familiar bright color of red and the yellow cream walls. The air was warm with all kinds of scents floating around. His meal was being place down in front of him and so was yours. He was so thoughtful for bringing you here. Especially since you still had questions about last night. Of course, he would have the answers to them as the leader of the gang.

"Eat up." Namjoon smiled as you gave your soup an empty gaze.

"Huh? Oh, sorry." You laughed in embarrassment. "I'm still thinking about yesterday."

"I see. Are you feeling better?" Namjoon put a spoonful in his mouth.

"A little. A lot better than I thought I would feel today and its huge improvement from last night." You grinned a you picked up your spoon. "I stopped shaking so that's a plus."

"I'm sorry we dragged you into that." His eyes lowered down in shame and you had to shake your head. The last thing you wanted was anyone feeling guilt for what happened.

"Don't be. We're okay now. To me, that's all that really matters." You sighed. "I do have a question though, about Seokjin." Pursing your lips, you watched as Namjoon lowered down his utensil. It clinked with his bowl, slowly sinking into his hot food. He took few side glances before speaking to you in a low tone.

"He's recovering now. Yoongi really knew how to help with gun shot wound and so now we just have to wait for Seokjin to heal," Namjoon whispered. "He's got to have his wound cleaned every now and then, rest, not lift anything too heavy, and slowly get used to using his arm again."

"I hope Seokjin gets better soon." You smiled to see him nod in agreement. For a moment there, you felt like calling him Seokjin oppa like he wanted. You knew he was older than you and it was to be respectful, but it was embarrassing. None of the members used honorifics with each other unless they were being nice and needed something. Except for Yoongi. Yoongi really did say it out of respect.

The both of you continued eating peacefully. Your conversations weren't all centered about last night. That would be a nightmare and a sad breakfast. Namjoon knew you would want to speak about something else and gladly did so. It wasn't awkward in the slightest. Jimin was brought into the conversation and you couldn't help but start talking about all the first years. Namjoon asked how school was for you and the other younger members. Soon you found yourself telling him all kinds of stories. How Taehyung is finally pushing Mr. Pyo over the edge, how Jungkook's symptoms are gone and he can focus in class again, and how Jimin and you mess around during physical education. You didn't say the two of you dance since Jimin told you to never mention it to them. At first you wondered why he never wanted you to bring it up, but you respected his request.

Before long, the two of you finish eating your meal. Namjoon paid for the two of you without a second thought. He made sure to tell you that you didn't have to repay him. Was the guilt on your face that obvious? Picking up your things, you followed Namjoon out the restaurant with a soft smile on your face. Namjoon didn't walk away from the place right away like you thought. Instead, the two of you stood in front of the restaurant and continued talking. It's not like you were in a rush home. Unnie was working today and you as well as the other boys had the day off. School would be back tomorrow which was the worst timing in your opinion. If only it could be break already!

"It was nice of you to invite me out again." You sighed, holding your balled-up jacket in your hands.

"Ah, no problem. I just wanted to check up on you and make sure you were okay." Namjoon ruffled your hair. Giggling at his actions, you tried smoothening it down, but you would need a brush to fix what he did. "You want me to walk you home?"

"No, you don't have to worry about me," You said as his phone beeped. "I'm gonna try and toughen it out."

"Please be safe." Namjoon frowned, not expecting you to decline his offer. He pulled out his phone to check the message as you nodded. You were going to make an effort to be more aware of your surroundings. You got too comfortable here too quick. "Sh*t..."

"Everything okay?" You asked to see his mood change.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'll see you later, okay?" Namjoon quickly gave you a tight hug as he turned around.

"O-Okay...bye," You mumbled to see him riding his bike back home. He was rushing, pushing the pedals as fast as he could. Seeing something drop at the side of your face, you looked up into the sky to see grey clouds forming. Well, dang it. It was too late to ask Namjoon for a ride now. Then there was also that strange message that changed the atmosphere around him.

Furrowing your brows, you wondered what could be happening now. It seems like the group never gets to rest. Letting out a heavy sigh, you hoped that whatever was going on with Namjoon that it would all clear up soon. Hoseok could probably help cheer him up. They were the best of friends with each other. The second years never caused drama compared to the others and were always kind, helpful, and understanding. Everyone could stand to take notes from them. Kim Namjoon is an amazing leader and Jung Hoseok is a great person. Thank goodness the gang had them to keep themselves in check.

*~*

School was starting to become boring everyday like it usually does. Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin helped make the days feel shorter. As soon as you saw them today, you hugged them all tightly to their surprise. For some reason they all thought you would hate them and avoid talking to them. You've tried avoiding them before and that was the worst. Taehyung was so happy to receive a hug from you. His embrace was soft and warm. It was sweet like him and he kept pulling his head back to give you his cute square grin. Jungkook was stiff at first, but then accepted the hug with a tight, firm hold on you. It felt like he was happy to see you in front of him again and refused to let go. Mr. Pyo had to make an embarrassing comment to get Jungkook off that made the class snicker.

Taehyung even laughed at Mr. Pyo's joke. It was the typical teacher joke between two students, saying that the two of you can kiss out of the classroom but focus while in class. Jungkook's face was on fire while you refused to raise your head. A bunch of students were staring in your direction. Taehyung kept laughing and even gave Mr. Pyo an air high five. What a little punk! Mr. Pyo chuckled lightly to that, so Taehyung wouldn't stop talking about it during passing period. Jungkook rolled his eyes as you rushed over to Jimin who was standing nervously near the window. All his nerves seemed to have melted away once he saw you running at him with a giant smile.

You shouted 'JIMIN!' happily at the top of your lungs, holding him tightly. Jimin's hug was gentle at first before he got confident enough to squeeze you. The two of you were laughing, ignoring the students who were walking by. Forget about them! The two of you had a gun to your head so you were happy to be alive. Jungkook and Taehyung came over with two different reactions. The silver hair was glad the whole first year gang was here meanwhile Jungkook looked away from Jimin. Whatever was going on between these competitive two, you wanted them to get over it.

Lunch then finally came! Your prayers have been answered! Listening to Ms. Lee for any longer would make you eat your own arm. Jimin and you hurried over to the cafeteria to meet up with the rest. Taehyung and Jungkook were already there, messing around. You were glad things could go back to normal after everything that went down. Sitting on the ground with them, Jimin sat by your side as the third years came out. Yoongi pushed open the door for Seokjin to enter. It looked like Seokjin was fine until he took off his jacket. At that moment, Hoseok came panicked to see Seokjin with his arm out. It was wrapped with dried blood, but that didn't mean it wouldn't cause some people to question it.

"Seokjin hyung, put your jacket back on!" Hoseok lowered himself to block the eldest member.

"Why? It's so hot. It's not against dress code to take it off." Seokjin frowned.

"Like we listen to the dress code." Yoongi chuckled.

"We don't want people staring at your injury. We want them staring at your handsome face, right?" Hoseok grinned, easily persuading the eldest.

"I see. You're absolutely right!" Seokjin slid the jacket back on with the help of Yoongi. "My face deserves to be seen."

"I'm blessed just staring at your face, Seokjin-nim!" Hoseok clapped his hands, then bowing as if Seokjin were a prince.

Shaking your head at them, you knew what Hoseok did. Seokjin might have picked up on it, but he probably didn't care. He'd take the chance to get compliments from his members any day. Yoongi opened Seokjin's meal for him and handed it to the oldest without looking him in the eyes. The smile on your face grew wider to see them getting along again. That's always good. Jimin and Taehyung were eating each other's food. They were always really close with one another. Glancing over at Jungkook, he had a fork in his mouth while he did homework that was due next class. This boy. Maybe Namjoon could help him. He was really smart after all! Looking around the group with a smile, it slowly became less bright as you noticed the leader missing.

"Where's Namjoon?" You asked with curiosity. The first years shrugged and the third years looked over at Hoseok who had become tense.

"...he's absent," Hoseok said quietly before drinking his juice. His eyes went down to the ground for a second. Then he gave each member a quick glance but skipped over you. They all seemed to catch a secret message and nodded.

"May I ask why?" You tilted your head.

"I'm not so sure myself. He just left me a text that he wasn't going to show up today." Hoseok shrugged.

"Don't worry about it," Yoongi added.

Turning your face to him, you slowly nodded. Seokjin and him weren't fighting anymore, but that didn't mean the two of you were in the clear. He was a little more respectful since you did witness him crying. This was his polite was of telling you to shut up and stop asking about something that wasn't any of your business. Maybe he wasn't meaning it that harshly, but you couldn't quite tell. Yoongi didn't want Seokjin getting stressed about this all over again so he was trying his best to hold back. The conversation completely changed into something else and you just smiled. You weren't listening though. Namjoon was still stuck in your mind as well as that message he received out of the restaurant. What's happening now?

Chapter Text

Ch.22

Another bad habit of your besides staring is not minding your own business. Yoongi specifically told you not to worry yourself about this. Even Hoseok tried to down play it for you, but you couldn't control yourself. It was weird. Jimin treated it like a good quality trait, but the more negative members didn't think so. There were moments when you knew your limits though. It's not like you were completely reckless. Today, you didn't know exactly what it would be considered. School ended and Seokjin drove you home right away. Yoongi was supposed to drive but Seokjin seems to like ignoring his gun shot wound. He keeps trying to do things he shouldn't be doing. So he drove you home like it was nothing, ignoring all the grumbles coming from his fellow third year.

The ride was full of loud boys talking over each other. The only one not speaking was you. All your focus was gone from their conversations. You were too busy in your mind, trying to come up with a way to find out what was going on. At the moment you were still trying to figure out what was best for you. Should you be more aware of the boys and their activities or is it better to stay clueless? Eventually you'll find out, but you had a feeling this wouldn't be too much of a big deal. Only Namjoon took the school day off and barely any of the members were aware of what was going on with him. That gave you a strong hint that this wasn't anything gang related. It was on a more personal level.

Namjoon and you weren't the closest in the group. You'd say Jimin and you were the closest while Namjoon was the fourth. All the first years were close and tight knit together. Then Yoongi was the one member you were not close to at all. You don't know why that always popped up in your head. A part of you wanted to make things right with him, but you also felt done from the rumors. He did join in saving you, but you knew he probably came for himself or the other members. As long as you don't bother him or get in his way, maybe he'll tolerate you more. He's certainly making an effort now that Seokjin is recovering. The two have been getting along better than before. Right when Seokjin dropped you off, Yoongi forced himself in the driver's seat.

They all waved back at you as they drove off to the warehouse. Even Yoongi acknowledge you so that's some slight improvement! But now you could start the plan you came up with in the car. As soon as the car disappeared from sight, you hurried into the apartment to drop off all your things. Changing out from your school uniform, you put a more comfortable outfit on. Unnie wasn't home and wouldn't be until much later in the night. In the clear as always! Grabbing a bag, you put a few things inside and went on your way to Namjoon's house. Yes, that's exactly what you were doing. The plan wasn't genius or anything, but it's all you came up with. You'd walk over to Namjoon's house to see if he'll confide in you.

The walk over there was mainly you running at full speed. You lost some trust being alone in the neighborhood and for good reason. Good thing Namjoon's house wasn't too far. There was no way you could make it to Namjoon's house without stopping and taking little breaks. You weren't that athletic. But as you kept powering through, you arrived in front of the pink haired man's house. It made wonder if his mother ever said anything about him dying his har. Has she even met his other friends or does she only know you? Whatever, there's no time for these questions! Buzzing the doorbell, you kept your hands together as you waited for someone to open the door. It was quiet outside for a while and you didn't hear anyone inside. Was no one home? This was pretty random of you. Looking down to your feet, you continued awkwardly standing in front of the door with one last bit hope.

Hearing the door click, you raised your head in shock. Soon the door cracked open to reveal the leader of the boys with messy hair. Has he even brushed it? It still looked cool with the way it was standing and it reminded you of cotton candy. Smiling at Namjoon, he had a completely different reaction to see you on his front door step. He poked his head out and checked if anyone else was around. The smile on your face slowly faltered to see him hesitating to let you in. This was bad timing. Namjoon gave you a small smile before opening the door wide open. Bowing down to him, he placed his hand on your shoulder to push you in. He quickly closed the door and locked it. Taking off your shoes, you put on some slippers and raised your head to him in confusion.

"Everything okay, Namjoon oppa?" You asked.

"Yeah, I-wait. What?" He began to laugh as your cheeks warmed up.

"I wanted to see if you were listening." You giggled. "Don't tell anyone I called you that. It's not happening again."

"Aw, I kinda liked hearing you call me that." Namjoon petted your hair, looking down at your small frame. "Fine."

"So, you gonna answer my question?" You brought it up again as he started walking down the hall in his small home. Namjoon kept his back facing you with his hands inside his pockets. Barely any lights were on inside his home. He seemed physically fine so you didn't know what was up. You thought he could have been sick, but he's perfectly healthy.

"Ah yeah, I'm fine," Namjoon said. "Thanks for visiting me. I didn't mean to cause any worry with anybody."

"Don't worry. Hopefully I wasn't intruding on anything," You replied, smiling as he turned back to meet eyes with you again. "I was wondering if this had anything to do with the message that made you run the other day."

"Sorry about that." Namjoon chuckled. "And the message..."

He began rubbing the back of his neck, sliding his hand down his shirt. You patiently waited for him to say something. When he opened his mouth to continue speaking, a loud cough could be heard down the hall. It made him jump and he hurried down the hall without a second thought. He forgot your existence for a second as he reached the last room. He slid open the door and went down on his knees. Taking tiny steps down the hall, you soon saw what Namjoon was so worried about. His mother was lying down under a heavy quilt, coughing harshly. Her eyes looked sunken from lack of sleep and she was sweating profusely. Namjoon changed the towel on her forehead, clearly panicking on what to do.

Crouching down to the ground, you crawled inside the tiny room to get a better look at his mother. Namjoon didn't say a word as you showed your presence to his mom. He only watched your interaction with her. She calmed down from the coughing, frowning from the hard time she was having until she saw you. Something about seeing you made the corners of her lips rise a little. She let out a croaky, tired laugh as you took her warm hand in yours. Namjoon let out a sigh to see his Mom relaxing from the quick and sudden cough attack she had. The both of you waited for her to speak before saying anything. She let out a tiny cough first to then speak.

"I'm happy to see you're back," She said in a breathy voice. "Sorry you have to see me like this. I just got sick out of nowhere."

"You don't have to apologize." You patted her hand. "I hope you become well again and that your health stays healthy."

"If I die—" She began as Namjoon furrowed his brows in anger.

"Eomma!" He grew upset to hear her mentioning such things. It even made your stomach do leaps.

"Let me finish!" She smacked Namjoon's knee. He bit his lip, releasing a sigh as she continued to speak, "As I was saying, if I die then Namjoon, I want you to marry this girl."

"Oh!" Your face burned a dark shade of red. Looking up to see Namjoon's face, you saw his face matching his hair color.

"Eomma, I told that (F/n) and I are just friends," He stated as she rolled her eyes.

"Respect your dying mother's wishes." She huffed as Namjoon continued to shake his head.

"You're not dying." He pushed some of her hair back.

"It feels like it..." She closed her eyes. "But I do wish you would marry this girl. She even came to visit! That's more than any girl you've ever been with. Maybe (F/n) will convince you not to dye your hair such ridiculous colors."

"I think he pulls it off." You giggled as she frowned.

"Him and his friend's look like hooligans." She whined.

"That's true." You nodded your head to hear Namjoon click his tongue.

It was too amusing. His mother would probably have more of a filter if she weren't sick. Not like you would know. She seemed to be very unapologetic with everything she said and it was great. She said everything on her mind which made the conversations pretty funny. Namjoon and her were extremely close. There was no father in the picture and they only had each other. Just the way his Mom looked at him made you feel so happy. The two of you took care of her together for about an hour. There were some moments where she was feeling good enough to give Namjoon sassy remarks and times where she didn't speak from how awful she felt. That's when you discovered that Namjoon truly didn't know what he was doing.

That realization came when he forgot to wring out the towel. He placed a soaked towel on her forehead, all the water dripping everywhere. She only laughed at his forgetfulness, reminding him of what to do. You then took charge once Namjoon accidentally knocked over an entire bowl of water. It spilled all over the carpet, making him sigh in frustration. To be fair, the space was really small and he was a fairly big male in here. Though his mother assured you it wasn't because of the cramped space. Namjoon had to listen to his mother admit all kinds of embarrassing stories about his clumsiness. You tried your best to tone done your laughter, but some stories were less than a week old.

"Alright Eomma, thanks for the stories. (F/n) has to go now." Namjoon sighed as he grabbed your arm to lift you up. Raising a brow, you gave his mom one last bow before exiting the room. He pushed you forward in the hall while you were still lost.

"I'm in no rush," You say to hear him sigh.

"Yeah, but it's getting late and I can't take you home." Namjoon pursed his lips. "Eomma needs me by her side so now you know why I can't always be at school. I'm all she's got." He shrugged.

"I understand." You nodded, feeling a little sad to leave his home. As he continued pushing you out the door, you noticed a large amount of bills on his kitchen table. They weren't noticeable when you first entered, but they were obvious as you left. The dim lighting couldn't hide them from plain sight. Namjoon opened his front door as you stepped out. Turning to face him, you gave him a small smile. "Bye, Namjoon. I'll see you another time."

"No oppa this time?" He leaned against his door frame with a smirk.

"No." You narrowed my eyes on his amused expression. He's not going to let you forget about this easily.

*~*

Mr. Pyo was about ready to quit his job for the millionth time this year. Taehyung was messing around, two pencils in his nose and acting like an idiot. Every time Mr. Pyo asked a question, Taehyung would answer in a high voice. Jungkook then made the joke that he was imitating Jimin to receive a light smack from you. He still looked pretty pleased with his own joke though. The class went on for as long as Mr. Pyo's temper could last which surprisingly isn't that long. Mr. Pyo slammed his hands on his desk and ordered to speak to Taehyung outside of his classroom. Not even until after class so everyone quickly shut up to see their teacher lose it with the silver haired boy. Jungkook even flinched when Mr. Pyo blew up at his hyung.

The minute Mr. Pyo took Taehyung out of the classroom, no one started up with whispers like you thought they would. It took them a while to ease into speaking once they knew Mr. Pyo wasn't going to be done with Taehyung for some time. His yells could already be heard inside which made you wonder how Taehyung was holding out. Jungkook and you were listening in to hear Taehyung fake a cry only to get yelled at even louder. He seriously couldn't catch a break from Mr. Pyo or give the teacher some time to breathe. Taehyung was always like this. You've only seen him serious in the few times he needed to be.

"How long do you think he'll get yelled at?" Jungkook turned to face you in his desk.

"Ten minutes at most. I think a teacher will complain." You guessed.

"No way. Ten minutes at least. Teachers here wouldn't give a crap about a little noise." Jungkook scoffed. Nodding at his reasoning, the two of you continued to stare at the door. The reprimanding wasn't going to end any time soon. That was for sure.

Shifting your eyes back to Jungkook, your eyes soften on him. He didn't notice you staring at first. Once he did, his face seemed to have caught on fire. A light giggle escaped your lips at his reaction. Your mind wasn't on Taehyung anymore. It was on Namjoon and his mother. Mainly the mountain of bills you had seen. There was something he wasn't telling you. Did his gang know? You were curious to see if they did. If they didn't, you wanted Namjoon to know it was okay to trust you guys if he needed help with anything. His Mom is very ill and you wondered why he hadn't taken to her to the hospital. Maybe he did and they said it was okay for her to leave. Either way, you knew that his Mom probably required professional medical help.

"Hey Jungkook..." You started to see his blush calm down. "I visited Namjoon yesterday—"

"Why would you do that?" He knitted his brows together. His reaction baffled you. How come he sounded so upset?

"I wanted to make sure everything was okay," You said. "Namjoon let me know what was up."

"He did?" Jungkook was shocked.

"Yeah, I even helped him watch over his Mom." You smiled to see him nod. "There was something that did confuse me."

"So he didn't tell you?" Jungkook's eyes became hard.

"What? Just listen, I'm worried about Namjoon. I saw a bunch of bi—" You tried to speak, but Jungkook wasn't listening. What was going on with the maknae? Normally, he'd listen to you but was acting like Yoongi. How come people were trying to hide more stuff from you?

"If you don't know then you don't know." Jungkook sighed. "Namjoon hyung will tell you when he's ready if he ever does." He adjusted himself in his seat again. Frowning from how bad the conversation went, you wanted to ask if he was acting this way because you were kidnapped once. Though that event left you scarred, you still didn't want them babying you. It's not like you were going to get kidnapped twice! That would just be bad luck.

The both of you didn't talk for the rest of the period. Mr. Pyo and Taehyung came back into the classroom after twenty minutes. While the older male looked exhausted, Taehyung was marching to his seat like a soldier. He was still in the mood to be pulling junk like this again. Mr. Pyo had officially given up. He continued class with no will to live. Taehyung made small jokes enough for Jungkook and you to hear, but you guys didn't laugh. That last conversation soured the mood. You did give Taehyung small smiles which was more than Jungkook who was blatantly annoyed. When class ended, Jungkook went off to the bathroom without another word.

"He's not doing steroids again, is he?" Taehyung asked worriedly. "It made him really angry..."

"No, I don't think so. I got him upset." You sighed as the two of you continued to loiter in Mr. Pyo's classroom. He was probably already writing his letter of resignation.

"How? He loves you." He chuckled as you shook your head.

"I mentioned Namjoon and just told him what I figured out. Then he went all Yoongi on me and told me to stop." You pouted to see him nod.

"I know why he's mad," Taehyung said. Immediately, that caught your attention. "Don't be mad. Yoongi told us all that it would be best to keep you a little more sheltered. It's only to protect you so nothing bad happens to you again."

"Yoongi said that?" You tilted your head. Feeling your shoulders sink as you sighed, you figured this was the reason. And you were exactly right. Taehyung waited for you to respond, knowing full well that he was supposed to have kept that information secret. "I'm fine! Trust me, I'd rather be at the warehouse with you guys then you guys tip toeing around me for the tiniest things. I don't get what was so bad about telling me that Namjoon's mom is sick."

"There's more to it then that," He mumbled, "But I can't tell you anymore."

Nodding your head with a frustrated expression, you followed Taehyung out of the class towards the window. By the time the two of you came out, Jimin and Jungkook were waiting. Jungkook looked calmer but was silent. You didn't want it being awkward between the two of you so you gave him a small smile. He took it, but it was still gonna take some time for you guys to be conversing like normal. Everyone talked until it was time to go to class. They all separated from you and Jimin who walked over to physical education. The precious 'line' that Ms. Lee had was waiting for you and him.

Jimin was his usual self, but quickly saw how you weren't in the mood to mess around. It just felt a little frustrating to know they made that decision without you. Like who does Yoongi think he is by still trying to control your involvement with the group? Then they all listened to him without question. Last time you checked, Namjoon was the leader. Jungkook also didn't have to get that upset with you. Gosh, you really didn't want to make a big deal out of this, but you'd be lying if you said it didn't leave you bitter. While you were fighting in your head, Jimin mimicked your voice during roll call. Ms. Lee didn't blink an eye as you were brought back into reality.

"What? My voice is not that high!" You laughed as he continued to nod his head yes. "The disrespect!"

"You just prove me right. 'My voice is not that high!'" He teased, placing his hands on his hips as he pretended to be you again.

"Well, I see how it is." You scoffed before laughing again. Jimin joined in the laughter, smiling wide to the point where his eyes became lines. "Thanks for cheering me up."

"I knew something was wrong. I'm just glad you feel better now then." Jimin gave you a quick side hug as Ms. Lee eyed the two of you. She was still suspicious of the both of you since the time you almost followed him into the boys' changing room. Some things will never be forgotten. You're the Taehyung to her Mr. Pyo.

Chapter Text

Ch.23

Everyone was gathered in the warehouse and you were there with them too. Yoongi gave you a side glance but tried not to pay too much attention to you. He's been biting his tongue a lot lately. Anytime he feels like saying anything to you, he goes over to assist Seokjin whether he needs help or not. Currently, Seokjin was getting an unwanted back massage. The eldest just wanted to eat peacefully. Shaking your head, you kept to yourself on the dusty green couch. Jimin and Taehyung were messing around with Hoseok once again. Their hyung was trying to ignore them as they turned on flashlights directly on his face. He kept his eyes closed and was doing his best. Those boys just can't seem to leave poor Hoseok alone. No wonder he got fed up with babysitting. That and we locked him out the cafeteria.

Feeling a dip on the couch, your turned to see who had sat next to you. It was none other than the maknae who was pretending to be casual. He looked away from you, leaning over his legs while pressing his palms against each other like subtle claps. Jungkook let out a soft whistle before his gaze shifted towards yours. He was surprised to see you already staring at him with a smile. You had your elbow resting on the arm of the couch with your cheek resting in your hand. Both your legs were tucked in on the couch while Jungkook had his feet planted on the concrete. He was still until he turned his whole body in your direction.

The two of you haven't talked since that little fight in Mr. Pyo's classroom. You gave him a smile and he returned one, but that was it as much as interactions go. Jungkook didn't talk to you during lunch or the ride over to the warehouse. None of the members saw the slight tension between you guys. Honestly, you really wanted to put it behind you. It was a dumb thing anyway. He wants to protect you and it's hard to get mad at him for that. You just want to be a good friend, but the both of you do have to be respectful. That's all. It still surprised you that Taehyung or Hoseok didn't question Jungkook's silence towards you. Maybe if it were Jimin, they'd definitely pick up on it.

"I'm sorry for blowing up in your face like that. And for running away." Jungkook sighed. "I don't want things to be awkward between us."

"It's okay. I'm sorry too for being nosey." You placed your hand on his shoulder. "C'mon, we're good friends. We were not gonna let this make things awkward."

"You're right!" Jungkook began to grin widely. Giving him a hug, he was happy that everything was cleared up. You were glad to have it gone. The both of you have too much fun together to let something like that ruin a perfectly good friendship.

Jungkook pulled away from the hug, ready to say something else. He sadly didn't get the chance as Namjoon came hurrying in from the entrance. The leader spoke over the youngest, catching each member's attention in a second. It didn't take long for the warehouse to lose its liveliness. Taehyung and Jimin stopped tugging at Hoseok's legs and arms. Seokjin stopped threatening Yoongi with a chopstick and Jungkook was alert. He was ready to listen to the words coming from the pink hair. Tilting your head to the side, you wondered if a gang meeting was going to take place. Namjoon didn't look too distressed. His expression was similar to when you last saw him at his house.

"We need to load up the truck. We have a deal tonight!" Namjoon grinned to see all the first years get excited.

"What about Seokjin?" Yoongi asked. The eldest's face was thrilled at the thought of a deal, but it fell as Yoongi talked about him. "Should he go with his arm?"

"Of course, I can! I'm still a good driver. I'm tired of being babied by you." Seokjin frowned. "I want to be close to danger again and escape at the last chance. I miss that."

"Preach!" Taehyung shouted. "Namjoon hyung told me to find a deal as fast as I could. I got this one on the other side of town so we need to go now if we want to make it on time without making them angry."

"Exactly. Thanks Taehyung for making this come together." Namjoon gave the silver haired boy a thumbs up. Taehyung returned a giant square grin knowing his leader was proud of him. "Seokjin can come but he's gotta have someone with him in the car."

"Don't leave me with Yoongi-ya." Seokjin called out to get a smack from the male next to him. "YAH! THAT'S WHERE I GOT SHOT FOR YOU."

"Aish, make up your mind." Yoongi snickered.

The warehouse was now echoing in laughter. It looks like their relationship is getting back to normal. It's been interesting seeing Yoongi so respectful to Seokjin. That's a sight no one would ever see. Even Yoongi was getting exhausted at giving the slightest effort to treat the eldest kindly. Seokjin also seemed to be getting fed up. At least that meant that they did truly enjoy each other's company beforehand. Namjoon then declared that Hoseok would be with Seokjin in the truck. No one had problems with the roles given. Soon everyone had bounced on their feet, tired of waiting for the deal. They all couldn't wait to get that old rush.

"Should we leave (F/n) here?" Yoongi asked, making Namjoon take notice of your presence.

"Oh, um, if you don't feel comfortable then we can—" Namjoon got nervous. He looked over his shoulder, tapping his foot as if he was impatient. He was probably going to offer to drive you home, but like Seokjin, you didn't want to be babied.

"No, I'm fine staying here for you guys," You assured him. Namjoon was quiet but then convinced himself you'd be fine. The rival gang was no longer here. The members were either in prison or dead. You appreciated how they cared about you, but you'll be fine. Now you knew a special hiding spot if anyone ever tried sneaking back here. Granted, they could still find it like they had done, but whatever!

"She'll be fine! Don't look so stressed." Hoseok came over to Namjoon with perfect timing. Cheering up a member he saw not having a good time. "Be easy on deals, okay? Don't over work yourself."

"Yeah...thanks." Namjoon took the advice, clearing his mind that had gotten clouded with worry and stress the past few days.

"I'll miss you my Bullet boys." You waved to see Taehyung jump.

"Yay! We'll miss you too!" Taehyung was happy at the use of his name for the group.

"I never approved that." Namjoon shook his head, slinging his arm over Taehyung's shoulder. They all chuckled as they exited the warehouse. All the first years waved bye to you with a lot of enthusiasm while the older members gave you a simple wave.

How cute were they? Giggling as they all walked out of the warehouse, you let out a relaxed sigh. They were all so entertaining. Falling back onto the couch to close your eyes, you figured you would take another nap. This just might become a tradition. The green couch wasn't too uncomfortable so you knew could drift off in couple minutes. You've done it before. Hearing the sound of the truck's engine, you listened to it like a lullaby before it drove off. Finding a soft spot on the couch, you slowly felt your thoughts running too wild to just sleep on them. Groaning, you opened your eyes to know your mind was on Namjoon. He was probably still worried about his Mom and was doing a deal to take his mind off her. Why would he leave her alone though? Dang it, you should have offered to help him take care of her! Maybe you can ask him or show up at his house again. It's too bad they've already left.

Or was that being nosey again? Letting out a frustrated grunt, you were doing it again. After you told Jungkook and yourself that you'd do better. Not to mention Yoongi has been keeping an eye on you. He hasn't said anything, but you knew he wasn't done trying to kick you out. It didn't matter too much to you anymore. You've given up on trying to win him over for real this time. It just wasn't going to happen. He's too stubborn. Only the other members managed to have changed him in some way. According to someone who Yoongi finished off. After that whole kidnapping event and fighting off the rival gang, no one dared mention what Yoongi did when everyone was in the truck. Well, everyone knows what he did, but we're all taking that to the grave. It was just something you had to grow accustomed to if you wanted to hang out with gangsters.

There was one member that didn't mind your nosiness. Jimin didn't mind that you got him to dance and always looks really happy whenever you bring it up. He even tries to dance without your pushes. He's grown a bit more confident in his dancing which brings a smile to your face. The blonde won't let his other members know since it's a private thing for him. Yoongi did know of the first year's dream, but he had a different view on it compared to you. It was fair to say that Jimin preferred your support. He found a flyer for himself and told you about it. Sadly, he couldn't show up to the dance class. You wanted to make things right.

Time to not mind your own business again! Pulling out your phone, you bit your lip as you looked for dance auditions. Dance classes costed money and there was no running from that. If Jimin auditioned for a company, then he wouldn't have to pay for dance classes. He could become famous! This could be a really good thing for him. It would also be nerve wracking since he's getting judged on his skills. Jimin hasn't taken any proper dance classes. There will probably be a lot of competition that is more experienced. Well, you'd still bring it up to Jimin. It'll be his choice in the end if he wants to audition or if just dancing in a studio is what he wants. All he's told you is that he just wants to dance.

Scrolling through your phone, you found an announcement a certain company made. They were called Jam Entertainment. The announcement was calling for male dancers between the age of fifteen and twenty-six. They weren't any company you've heard before so they must be a small one. If it's smaller then it probably won't be too intimidating, right? With a proud smile on your face, you turned off your phone and felt like you could nap in peace this time. These habits of yours are going to get you in more trouble than they already have. At least not with Jimin. Slowly, your body grew calm as you began falling asleep.

*~*

Loud voices could be heard from outside. There was also the sound of car doors getting harshly slammed. Footsteps started coming in as the male voices grew louder. Cracking open an eye, you saw all your boys high fiving and fist bumping. The deal must have gone really well. Deals were their favorite thing in the world. It could cheer up any member from whatever was going on in their personal life. Namjoon didn't have that same look like he did earlier in the warehouse. Instead, he was smiling with his arm around Hoseok. His dimples were prominently showing and you felt better about them being in a gang. It's still dangerous, but they all knew what they were doing. It's not like they're purposely starting fights with the other gangs.

Taehyung came in with Seokjin, finally not messing around with one of his hyungs. He normally would but decided to cut this hyung some slack. Seokjin's arm has been getting better. According to Yoongi, it's been healing nicely and soon Seokjin can try lifting light items with that arm. That news made Seokjin grin from ear to ear. He just wanted to be back to normal. Jungkook then came jogging in with Yoongi lazily following behind. The maknae waved at you to catch your attention. So cute! Getting up from the couch, you were waiting for a specific boy to come in. Soon the blonde you were looking for came in with a small smile on his face that grew wider as he saw you. Jungkook bit the insides of his cheek as you took Jimin's hand.

"Where are we going?" Jimin laughed, making eye contact with Jungkook. Facing the smirking male, all you did was tell him 'up'.

Bringing him to the back of the warehouse, he finally got what you were saying. Jimin opened the closet door and pushed open the attic door for you. He wasn't the tallest member, in fact he was the shortest, but it's not like you had a chance in opening up the attic door. Your height wasn't anything to brag about since everyone was taller than you here. Jimin held his hands out for you to get up into the small space. Eventually you lifted your body inside and Jimin lifted himself up. He closed the door with a smile. The reason you brought him in here was for privacy. Paranoia told you it was best not to talk about dancing with Jimin publicly. Besides, Jimin didn't even want Taehyung to know and they were the best of friends.

"I wanted to tell you about something I found today." You took out your phone. Jimin raised a brow as you handed it to him. He read what was on your screen, reading the auditions announcement.

"Auditions?" Jimin eyes widened.

"Yeah, they're looking for dancers. I feel like you should give it a shot." You wrapped your arms around your knees. Jimin handed you back your phone with a nervous expression.

"I don't know." Jimin rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm really not that good at dancing. I never thought about being in the spot light like that before."

"I know it's probably a lot to take in. I'll send you the link in a text, but I'd like for you to think about it for a while." You gave him a hopeful gaze.

"Okay...I'll think about it. I feel like my dancing isn't idol material." Jimin laughed. "Being an idol sounds crazy."

"Hey, if you ever got to be in an idol group then you'd be my bias for sure." You blushed lightly as your words to see Jimin's face burn red. It did give him a boost of confidence though. The both of you silently stared at each other with embarrassed expressions. No one spoke, but the attic door slammed open. The head that popped in wasn't the one you wanted to see. His eyes looked dead as he stared at you.

"I'm gonna pretend you guys were making out and not talking about dancing." Yoongi growled. "Now come down. Namjoon has some things he wants to say."

"W-We weren't making out though!" Jimin squeaked out.

"Then what were you talking about? Is it gonna piss me off?" Yoongi glared at the blonde. "The word 'dance' or anything related is banned from the warehouse."

"What?" You narrowed your eyes on the blue hair who left.

"Hyung, that's unfair!" Jimin complained, jumping down the exit. Crawling over to the square opening, you closed it on your fall down. Maybe physical education was the only place Jimin and you could talk about dancing freely.

Yoongi ignored all of Jimin's attempts to catch his attention. Once the both of them stood in the same room as everyone else, Jimin stopped talking about dance or Yoongi's unfair random rule. Jimin and you weren't going to listen to it, but it was still bothersome for him to do that. You wanted to give him a piece of your mind, but you also just wanted to respect him since he was older than you. Jimin had to be respectful for the same reason. It was such a pain at times. The three of you got closer to Namjoon who was sitting on a rusty fold up chair. Everyone was standing, but Taehyung who sat with his legs crossed on the floor. He looked at Namjoon as if a story was about to be told.

"Alright, we're gonna have another deal tomorrow," Namjoon stated.

"Back to back?" Yoongi smirked in anticipation.

"Wow, we don't usually do that." Jungkook joined Taehyung on the floor and so did Hoseok.

"Yep. Taehyung got this deal to happen so be ready for tomorrow." Namjoon crossed his arms. Jimin didn't look as excited for the new deal as the other members. Seokjin sat on the floor too and looked over joyed. Yoongi kept a gummy smile on his face while Taehyung pursed his lips. He wasn't happy about a deal?

"I have to be honest about this deal with you guys. Namjoon hyung wanted another deal. They're not planned in advance and we haven't worked with this gang before." Taehyung warned. "It can be dangerous working with a new group, but I made sure to ask other gangs about these guys. I'm pretty sure we'll be fine."

"Thanks for the heads up." Jungkook smirked at the thought of danger. You'll never understand why they got happy adrenaline from this. Namjoon was nodding his head before turning his head to face Hoseok. Hoseok was happy about the deal, but also had his arms crossed.

"Make sure to wait sometimes for deals. Spread them out and choose them wisely," Hoseok spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. "We can't get too suspicious."

"But the money..." Yoongi whined.

"Everyone listen to Hoseok." Seokjin sighed as Namjoon hesitantly nodded.

"Hoseok was serious!" Taehyung gasped, earning gasps from the other two first years. They slapped their hands on the sides of their faces, pretending to be shocked. Hoseok only shook his head at their behavior. It got a few laughs from the older members before the joke got old. Yoongi eventually flicked the back of Taehyung's head, telling them to respect Hoseok. "Aish, everyone hits me." Taehyung rubbed the spot he got hit as Yoongi scoffed.

"Wimp."

Chapter Text

Ch.24

Someone has been banging loudly on your door for the past few minutes. It's so early in the morning! Who in their right mind would...wait, is it the landlord? But unnie always pays on time. Or was it the neighbors complaining about your clothing line that blocks sun from coming into their window? It's not your fault that you need to dry clothes and this place is so cramped. Throwing yourself out of bed, you made your way towards the door. Before you opened it, you did look at yourself through the mirror. If you were going to open the door then you wanted to look like you've been awake for more than a second. If they've been knocking for three minutes already then they can wait a little longer.

The pajamas you were wearing earlier were quickly switched out with casual clothing. You also splashed your face in the sink to properly wake you up. Not to mention, you used some water to tame some of your hair. It luckily wasn't too messy today so that was good. Hearing a scream behind the door, you turned to it with panic. Oh no. What if it was serious? Rushing towards the door, you heard loud sobbing as you began to take off the locks. Unnie knew this place wasn't the safest so that was reason for all the locks. It did seem over the top, but it did let you sleep soundly at night. Flinging the door open, you were only introduced into more confusion to see the sight in front of you. This wasn't what you were expecting so early in the morning. School wasn't even happening today.

That didn't stop the sight in front of you from happening. Taehyung was clutching onto the rails, loudly whining and crying for you to open the door. Even his face was red to show his pain. Once you opened the door, it took him a second to collect himself. He jumped back onto his feat with his giant boxy smile. That was a fast change. And it still didn't clarify anything. Furrowing your brows at the silver hair, he happily waved at you and entered inside your apartment. You didn't even invite him in, but okay. It's not like that matters anyway. Crossing your arms, you leaned against the open door to see him staring in awe at everything. Unnie was working so you were safe. So far the only boy she has seen you with is Seokjin and she already doesn't trust him for being older than you. Plus he's handsome, a bit of a flirt, and has strong charms.

"May I ask why you're here?" You finally spoke to see him turn to you with a weird face.

"We're going to the warehouse!" He threw his arms in the air.

"...this early?" You glanced at the clock.

"Yes!" Taehyung started heading out the door and was confused to see you not following him. "Come on."

"Okay but let me get myself cleaned up first." You laughed, pushing yourself off the door. "How come no warning?"

"I'm a wonderful surprise." Taehyung puffed out his cheeks.

"Well, then can we get Seokjin to drive us?" You pulled the elastic band out of your hair.

"No! Walking is so much better. We haven't walked in a long time and I want to walk!" Taehyung whined to earn a sigh from you.

"Got it."

It's not like you're someone to ruin his dreams. If Taehyung wants to walk to the warehouse then you're going to walk with him. He's not asking for much and you don't want to hear his complaints get louder. Unnie is very close to attacking the neighbor down stairs. Taehyung waited near the entrance of the apartment as you went in the bathroom to brush your hair. The both of you had a conversation from here. It sounded like you guys were fighting, but not even close. He let you know why he came alone to walk with you and it was pretty sweet. Taehyung wanted to hang out with you alone for once without Jungkook and Jimin puffing out their chests to see who's better. It made you laugh at the way he described it, but you've noticed it too.

Exiting the bathroom, you ran up to Taehyung with a smile as big as his. You were still laughing at everything going on. Closing and locking the door, you gave Taehyung a nod to know you were ready to go. As the two of you were leaving, Taehyung almost hit his head on your hanging shirt. At least it was dry now. It almost made him fall over the railings but you grabbed the back of his jacket in time. This morning with Taehyung has already been incredibly eventful. You can't remember a time that your heart has raced faster this early before. While you were calming yourself down, Taehyung was laughing and going down the narrow stairs. He was still having a blast even though he could have broken a lot of bones a second ago.

"Careful on that step!" You squeaked to see his foot go through the wooden step.

"AAAAH!!" Taehyung clutched onto the railing, trying to lift his foot out.

"Hold still." You giggled, pushing the steps lower down to give him enough space to escape. "It's supposed to be getting fixed today so yay!"

"Wah! I could've died twice today." Taehyung made it to the bottom of stairs safely. "What would I do without you (F/n)?"

"You'd be dead." You went down to ruffle his fluffy silver hair. "How have you survived this long without me having to watch you?"

"To be fair, Namjoon hyung helped keep me alive for some time." Taehyung chuckled with his hands in his pockets.

Shaking your head, you patted his back as the walk to the warehouse began. The both of you started talking about anything but school. It was finally the weekend again so the two of you could breathe peacefully. Instead, Taehyung talked about everything going down in the warehouse and brought up Namjoon's name a lot. Like you've noticed, they've been doing a lot of deals. A lot more than usual. It seems like every day they have to go to a new location. The boys found it fun no doubt, but they were starting to get nervous. Doing a long streak of deals was not good. Namjoon apparently has been making Taehyung continuously find new deals. Taehyung has been trying his best to get the safest deals out there. By safest, he meant gangs they've worked with before, they knew the layout of the gang's territory, and just making sure they won't get caught by the police.

Taehyung almost walked into a busy intersection as he admitted everything. Once again, you pulled him out of the road from getting hit. Some cars were just zooming through without a care in the world. Telling the boy to take a deep breath, he took your advice. It was an interesting sight to see someone like Taehyung stressing out. In the middle of his rants, he told you how Namjoon was doing all these deals for money. All the deals were to get easy money. There was nothing new about that, but Namjoon needed more money and he needed it fast. Taehyung wanted to trust his leader but felt like Namjoon wasn't thinking like a leader anymore. That was a lot coming from Taehyung.

"Maybe you should bring that up to him?" You rubbed his back as the two of you were now in the middle of a field. Taehyung balanced himself on one rail of the railroad track while you just walked in between the two rails.

"I thought about that." Taehyung sighed. "I don't want to be disrespectful. He's a great leader but his personal problems are starting to affect him."

"...what are his personal problems?" You heard yourself ask. Being a nosey b*tch again! D*mn it.

"I want to tell you, (F/n). But it really isn't my place to do so," Taehyung said and you understood completely. This was something Namjoon had to tell you. He just didn't want your help though. "I've already told you a lot more than I should've."

"Yeah, I get that." You nodded your head, staring at the gravel. "Well hey, if he does something else you don't think is leaderlike then call him out on it."

"Okay." Taehyung stumbled off the railing, losing his balance.

The both of you laughed as his shoulder bumped into yours. Sharing the middle of the rail road tracks, Taehyung pointed out the warehouse in the distance. There it was! Now you got a good understanding of what he meant by the walks being better. Rides from Seokjin were fun, but it was nice just getting to talk to each other like this. No interruptions and it didn't end shortly. The two of you could talk it out and get stuff off your chest. Taehyung looked a little better after admitting this all to you. His grin got a little wider as you guys got off the tracks. Pushing through the wheat field, soon you were standing in front of the warehouse. Nice!

Taehyung went in front of you to be the first to enter. He raised his arms out and yelled to announce his entrance. Members were already in the warehouse. You didn't expect them to be here, but you heard them all shout back happily at Taehyung. Since you were behind him, their eyes immediately landed on your right after. All the elder members were sitting at the table while Jungkook was sitting on the arm of the green couch. Taking a look around, it appeared that Jimin wasn't here yet. That was a little disappointing, but he'd be here soon. Jungkook's happy expression at Taehyung's arrival changed into confusion as you came following after. He got off the couch right away while you waved at Seokjin. Taehyung hurried over to the fridge as you felt someone grab your wrist tightly.

Staring to see who was connected to the arm, you looked up to see Jungkook was unreadable expression. He pulled you over to the couch without saying a single word. It made you feel anxious for some reason. Lately, conversations with Jungkook haven't gone the best and you were hoping that this wouldn't be another example. The rest of the members were at the north of the warehouse while you two were at the south. They couldn't hear you guys unless the both of you spoke loudly. Things could echo here in the warehouse. Jungkook ran a hand through his light brown hair as he let out an exasperated sigh. He looked in a different direction from you before finally making eye contact with you. His intent stare made you squirm in your seat.

"I thought Seokjin would drive you over here. Or that you weren't coming today," He muttered.

"I didn't know I was coming today either. Taehyung came to my apartment out of the blue, and we walked over to the warehouse," You stated.

"You walked over?" Jungkook raised a brow. "I miss walking here..."

"We should walk to the warehouse together after school sometime then." You smiled to see the corners of his lips lift up. He nodded his head in agreement as your eyes glanced over at Namjoon at the table. He was speaking to everyone and using his hands. They all listened to what he had to say and you remembered what Taehyung had said earlier. "Hey Jungkook...how do you feel about all the deals?"

"Why?" Jungkook grew defensive.

"I was just wondering." You shrugged. "I keep getting left alone at the warehouse."

"...yeah, sorry about that. I'm okay with the deals." Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck, looking straight ahead of him.

"Isn't it dangerous?" You bit your lip.

"Did Taehyung say anything to you during the walk?" Jungkook narrowed his eyes on you. His voice was full of suspicion. It made your throat close up. What were you going to tell him? Taehyung shouldn't get in trouble for letting out his worries.

"Nothing! I'm just seeing a lot of tension these days." You huffed. "Why are you getting so upset with me anytime I mention anything gang related?"

"I'm not trying to be..." Jungkook tried to suppress his frustration. "I just think you shouldn't have to worry about us."

"It wasn't a problem before." You crossed your arms. "Is this all because Yoongi told you guys to not tell me anything? To keep me safe? That wasn't a decision for you guys to make without me."

"So he did tell you!" Jungkook groaned, hitting the couch. The two of you had gotten loud enough to echo throughout the warehouse. All was silent for a few seconds.

Taehyung stopped eating his breakfast. His cheeks were full like a chipmunk as his wide eyes watched you two. He looked scared while the older members raised their heads in confusion. They all turned to face the first years on the couch having yet another fight. Hoseok and Taehyung turned to face Namjoon who was chewing the inside of his cheek. Yoongi rolled his eyes in annoyance. Seokjin gave a worried stare as Namjoon stood up from the table. He walked over to us as Jimin entered the warehouse with a hand in his hair. He certainly came at the wrong timing. Jimin was hit with bewilderment as he heard shouts and Namjoon rushing over to the situation with a stressed-out face.

"It doesn't matter!" You jumped in your seat.

"What? Are you mad that we care about you?" Jungkook threw his hands up. "I'm sorry that we didn't ask you about it, but this is for your safety. We don't want you getting tangled up in our mess again. I learned my lesson after you got kidnapped!"

"I appreciate that you guys care about me! But if you guys truly did care about me then you would have asked me about it. I'm not going to get kidnapped again." You scoffed. "Besides, you keep getting mad at me for caring!"

"Are you calling me a hypocrite?" Jungkook asked through gritted teeth.

"I don't want to fight with you!" You frowned as Namjoon finally made it to the couch.

"Kwon (F/n) and Jeon Jungkook!" He stared down at the two of you. "Why are we fighting about this?"

He should've asked one specific person to speak first. Jungkook and you didn't hesitate to start complaining about the situation. He went on about Yoongi telling everyone to keep you out of things. The maknae wanted to make sure you weren't roped into other gang related activities. It was kind of him to want you safe, but you knew what you were in for. Hanging out with them means that you have a good chance of ending up dead and you're willing to take it. Jungkook didn't know what to say when you revealed that. You just wanted to be all their friends. It felt like you guys weren't close anymore. It hurt you to think everyday that you might end up fighting with Jungkook.

Emotions were out on the table. Namjoon sighed at what he had to work with. Jimin remained at the entrance with his arms crossed. Taehyung continued to eat his food while Yoongi stood up from the table. He figured that he would get pulled into this fight for being the start of yet another problem for you. Seokjin didn't glare at Yoongi or anything. He only stared at his arm, lost in thought. Hoseok carried the same watchful expression as Taehyung, but he wasn't going to get involved. This was a problem the leader decided to take on himself. It shouldn't be that hard to fix a friendship, right? Namjoon scratched the back of his head, taking everything in.

"Uh, Yoongi, when did you tell them to keep (F/n) out of things?" Namjoon asked.

"After the whole kidnap situation. I thought it was for the best." Yoongi shrugged.

"And did you know it would lead to something like this?" Namjoon sighed.

"Not really," Yoongi said with a smirk, his eyes connecting with yours. So he's still trying to make your life harder? Good to know. Jimin shook his head in annoyance, wanting to say something about the situation.

"He knew." Jimin walked over to Namjoon. "I think (F/n) has a right to be mad. We should have talked with her."

"You would say that. You're trying so hard to get into her f*cking pants." Jungkook rolled his eyes.

"Like you're one to talk, Steroids!" Jimin growled. It made the maknae stand up with fury in his eyes.

"No! Stop it. We don't need more fights!" You pushed them apart. Their glares went over your head. Frowning at the situation you caused, you looked at Namjoon for help. The pink haired male was at a loss for words. Taehyung stopped eating and set his food aside on the table. The confrontation grew larger than you wanted it to.

"Guys, we don't have time for this..." Namjoon placed his hands on their shoulders. "You both know we have a deal that we have to go to."

"What? Right now?" Your eyes widened, looking over to Taehyung who silently nodded. Jungkook and Jimin took Namjoon's hand off. They got themselves together enough to stop trying to attack each other. You were relieved to not have them at each other's throats, but what about when they come back? What if one of them lets it go and the other waits until the deal is over? Namjoon hasn't resolved the issue yet.

"Seokjin, get the truck." Namjoon ordered. The eldest stood up without speaking a word and did as he was told. Yoongi followed him out as the two at the table walked over with frowns. They weren't happy with how things were playing out too, huh?

"Namjoon! We can't leave yet. The problem is still here," Taehyung said with a nervous tone. "You always fix our problems right away..."

"Taehyung..." Namjoon faced the first year that admired him so much.

"He's right, Namjoon," Hoseok spoke. "You've been getting a little wrapped up with your personal situation that you've almost changed."

"I'm sorry. We just don't have time. We'll talk about this when we come back!" Namjoon started walking out the door.

"If you need any help at all, Namjoon, we can help," You called out to have him turn around with a cold look in his eyes. It made all the first years forget how to breathe. Hoseok only clicked his tongue.

"I don't need help. What did you tell her that she didn't already know?" Namjoon's eyes shifted towards Taehyung.

"Nothing!" Taehyung tried to hide behind Hoseok.

Both second years released heavy sighs. Namjoon gave everyone a hand signal to follow him out. Jungkook and Jimin gave each other a worried look as they watched Taehyung nervously trail behind Hoseok. Falling onto the couch, you muttered a goodbye. Both boys quickly apologized before parting ways with you. You watched all of them leave through that opening. They never did build a door for protection. One thing did you notice was how Hoseok didn't come to try and save the problem. He only watched Namjoon to see how the leader would fix it. He even spoke about the change that's been bothering Taehyung. Biting your lip, you didn't like seeing Taehyung look like a puppy with its tail between its legs. He made an attempt like you told him to and that's what matters.

Hopefully the deal goes well. When they return, the problem is going to be fixed. That's how you want it to go anyway. Staring up at the ceiling, you could only wish for the best. What was really causing all these problems to occur? It all made you feel helpless. You could only imagine what Namjoon felt as the leader.

Chapter Text

Ch.25

The deal went well. That's what Namjoon said at least. It felt like every other member had a different thing to say besides the third years. Yoongi and Seokjin kept to themselves, watching the first year's whine. Hoseok had his arms crossed, listening to everything Namjoon and the young members had to say. Taehyung sat down on the couch next to you, quickly shaking his right leg. Jungkook fell to the left of you, out of breath. Jimin had small scissors in his hands that he shoved in his back pocket. They all looked done while Namjoon sat down on the rusty chair with a small grin. You had a strong feeling that this recent deal was going to cause another problem.

Drama seems to love this gang. There's always something else that causes a rift between the members. Hardships keep hitting them. Thoughts would sometimes enter your head like, would all this be happening if you weren't here? How right is Yoongi when he says you changed things? Gosh, you really didn't want him to be right. Taehyung was slowly relaxing, not shaking his leg as much. Then Jungkook caught his breath again. Jimin stood next to Hoseok and crossed his arms too. Time to fix the fight like Namjoon said he would. It was only noon now so you guys had all the time in the world. No more distractions.

"Okay, so after that small break, how do you guys feel?" Namjoon clapped his hands together.

"Hard to look back on my actions when I'm supposed to be helping you not get killed." Jungkook eyed the long scar on the leader's cheek.

"That's true." Namjoon chuckled uncomfortably.

"I'm not mad anymore," You admitted which caught Jungkook's attention.

"Yeah, I don't feel angry anymore either. Sorry for yelling at you." Jungkook lowered his eyes in shame. "I don't want you to hate me."

"I could never." You took his hand a squeezed it tightly. The both of you grinned at each other as Jimin loudly cleared his throat.

"I'm not mad at you either." Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Thanks for keeping me safe during the deal."

"No problem." Jimin smirked. "I didn't expect them to have back-up, but it's a good thing I found out before they came out."

Namjoon nodded his head as everyone began to forgive each other. He didn't have to say a single thing. He only had to make sure no one killed the other. Taehyung twiddled with his thumbs, uttering how they should have been more careful under his breath. Glancing over at him with a worried gaze, your brows jumped to hear that come from him. Namjoon didn't hear it. No one did. Hoseok was starting to smile to see that Jungkook made things right with you and Jimin. The warehouse carried a lot of memories for you and it hasn't even been a year yet.

Jimin walked over to Jungkook to high five before pulling him into a hug. Smiling at them, you turned to Taehyung who was staring down at the ground. Petting his head, he looked at you with a thankful gaze. He was still nervous about everything. Namjoon's leadership has changed due to his personal problems. Things will get better once his own issues clear up, but when will that happen? Taehyung was worried for his leader and for the group over all. Doing deals regularly can easily make a group suspicious since they're not laying low. Hoseok tossed his jacket onto the coffee table as the sun came directly over the warehouse.

"It's good that we got this cleared up." Namjoon smacked his thigh, everyone's eyes on him again. "I just have one more thing to say. We have another deal tonight."

"What!?" Everyone stood up in shock at Namjoon's reveal. Taehyung stayed on the couch, only digging his face further into his hands.

"I know. It's random." Namjoon held his hands out in hopes to calm everyone down. Yoongi and Seokjin gave each other confused stares. Hoseok was pursing his lips at the sight of Taehyung not acting like himself. Jimin furrowed his brows while Jungkook groaned. The first years all turned to their silver hair friend.

"What the hell, Taehyung? What's with all these deals?" Jungkook asked.

"I didn't plan this one!" Taehyung lifted his head up from his hands. The distress on his face was in plain sight. Jungkook shut up right away. Eyes shifted back to Namjoon with more confusion. "Why'd you plan this one without me?"

"I needed another deal right away." Namjoon sighed. "You take some time choosing deals."

"Because I want to make sure they're safe!" Taehyung stood up from the couch, yelling. It looked like he was screaming at nothing but a wall. Hoseok was about to speak until Namjoon beat him to it.

"And I thank you for that. I'm positive this deal will go well." Namjoon placed his hand reassuringly on Taehyung's shoulder.

The leader gave Taehyung eye contact, but Taehyung couldn't. He turned his face and mumbled an agreement. Jungkook and Jimin were unsure on what to think. You stayed silent. You didn't quite understand the matter of the situation like they did. Of course, you could understand why it was dangerous to do so many deals, but you'll never be in their same position. It's not like you're out doing these deals with them. What they're doing can get them killed or arrested and it was all for money. Not for greed, but to support themselves and some of their family. They weren't bad people like others would see them. These guys were different from other gangs.

"We're doing back to back deals? What's up with that?" Seokjin asked loud enough for everyone to hear. Namjoon turned to him with a sigh.

"There's a first for everything," Was all he said.

"Who's gonna get stabbed first?" Yoongi joked. Namjoon's crooked smile turned into a frown as the members snickered.

"They might as well get me first with this arm! I'm also just sitting in a car." Seokjin laughed his classic laugh.

"We'll be safe! I promise you guys that." Namjoon looked them all in the eyes. He was annoyed at how they took the situation. He still wanted this to be taken seriously, but it was hard with all his members becoming unsure of his leadership skills. Hoseok even watched Namjoon with worry.

"We better be." Hoseok sighed to get an amused reaction from Yoongi. The blue hair was gasping to see the bestest friends of the group being passive aggressive. Seokjin laughed at the boy next to him while you stifled back a giggle. Is this the side you hardly ever get to see?

"Call him out, Hoseok!" Yoongi cheered to get a playful smack from Seokjin.

Jungkook and Jimin were laughing at their hyung's behavior. Hoseok was even amused himself. Since you were trying to let Yoongi continue acting like himself, you didn't let out a giggle like you wanted to. Namjoon wasn't enjoying the tease he got from Yoongi, but didn't bother trying to defend himself. They already cleared up one fight today. All the members were in a lighter mood now except for a certain box smiled boy. Taehyung was making your heart ache to see him looking so stressed. The boy always had a smile on his face and you didn't like how you were the only one seeing this. Well, that was a lie. Hoseok kept giving Taehyung concerned looks.

Soon the gang had prepped again for the next deal. Seokjin had the car ready for the second time of the day. Yoongi held two knives on him in case he had to attack someone. Jungkook did ten quick push ups before walking out the door with a pep in his step. You laughed at that and so did Jimin who was on his way out the door. He gave you a hug before he was off. Taehyung's named was called multiple times. Giving him a nudge, he finally broke out of his daze to see Hoseok calling out for him. It was almost time for the next deal. Hoseok pulled Taehyung up and patted his back. Namjoon made sure everything was in check. That's when he gave you another goodbye and left with the boys in the truck. The engine's sound faded away as you stared at the ceiling again. Nothing against the warehouse, but it really wasn't any fun without the boys.

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

(F/n) had to wait at the warehouse again for who knows how long. A part of me wanted to ask if she'd be happier going back home, but I knew Namjoon wouldn't want any delays. Seokjin waited for Namjoon to get into the car. Next to the eldest was Yoongi and then Namjoon would take the passenger's seat. Jungkook sat to the left of me in the back with Hoseok to my right. We offered to make room for Taehyung, but he wanted to sit in the back. Something was a little off about that, but I didn't question it. I made sure to open the window so he could talk to us, but he just stared out at the scenery. He'd usually be making the most noise in the car. Right now it was Yoongi who was in the mood to be silly. He was screaming the lyrics to a girl group song at the top of his lungs.

Nudging Jungkook who was amused, I pointed back to Taehyung. We were first years so we'd obviously be the closest to him. Jungkook stared silently at the silver hair only to shrug. So much for that. I didn't want to try cheering him up in front of all the other members. Taehyung would usually come to me if there was something on his mind. We're the best friends of the first years so I was pretty upset with myself that I didn't pick up on it quick enough. The car ride was different from the usual ones. Taehyung and Hoseok were silent, Namjoon and I were anxious, and Yoongi was happily singing off-key. After we turned a corner, Yoongi stopped screeching like a bird getting tossed into a wood chipper.

It was my time to get out of the car to scope the area. Jungkook switched spots with me as I opened the truck door slightly. Waiting for the perfect timing, Seokjin wished me luck as I jumped out. Rolling onto my feet, I watched as the truck kept going. Taehyung was staring at me with a small smile and I gave him a thumbs up. This will be our last deal for sure. All these deals have been making everyone a little antsy. We understood Namjoon's troubles, but even he had to understand when to stop for safety reasons. Turning on my ear piece, I ran towards the tallest building that didn't seem to have any stairs on the sides. This just makes my job harder.

Letting out a sigh, I take a few looks around to spot a staircase inside the building. It could be seen through the second window up. Placing my hands on the window sill, my feet pushed up on the apron of the window. The things I do for this gang. Clutching onto the head casting, I used the tiny ledge from that to reach the second window sill. Why couldn't I be 181 centimeters like Namjoon? Lifting my body to the second window, I brought my knee up to quickly break through the glass. The shattered pieces fell inside as Namjoon spoke in the ear piece. They were getting out of the car while I took a look around. We've never been here before so I wished they had stayed in the car for their safety. If anyone is getting hurt, it should be me.

Unlocking the window, I got my leg out and fell inside. Now I was standing in an empty stairwell. More climbing up for me then. Once I reach the top, I'll get a full view on what we have to work with. My foot steps were quiet even though the place appeared abandoned. You could never be too safe. Making it to the top of the stairs, I let everyone know I had reached the roof of the tallest building. Placing my gloved hand on the door handle, I took out a bobby pin before realizing the door was already unlocked. That doesn't make my job easier. It's the exact opposite. Roofs are usually off limits so to have it unlocked was not a good sign. Someone must be up here or someone was forgetful.

Listening to the outside, I couldn't hear anything but I did mutter into the mic for the others to be on high alert. Quietly cracking open the door, I took in the sight. Even though it was less than an inch of the outside, it was enough to make my heart stop. There were multiple people suited in all black. Their outfits were clearly bullet proof, they had lights, weapons, and were ready for tonight. Shutting the door softly, I made my way down to the same window that I had broken open. My face must have looked sick. The deal was already going so wrong. Before I could get out from this window, I ducked my head from the window after seeing a cop car turning around the building. The whole place is surrounded by the police.

"N-Namjoon, turn around now. Leave," I muttered with a shaky voice.

"What happened?" He asked.

"We're almost there," Yoongi's voice added. Swallowing hard, I shook my head even though they couldn't see me. I was stuck in this stairwell until they came with the truck to drive us out of here. They couldn't continue this 'deal'. It was planted by police to catch criminals. Before I could open my mouth to give them a last warning, a door opened to reveal two suited men. Their eyes noticed the broken window and me with a terrified expression.

"Put your hands up!" One took out his gun, but I broke the whole window jumping out.

They shouted after me as I ran towards another shorter building with a fire escape. There was no way I was going to the roof. The other police on the roof were already aware of my existence and would spot me instantly. Since they found me, that must mean they know that the others are here for the 'deal'. It's all my fault that we're going to caught. I couldn't whimper and cry yet. I did my best to let them know and I'm not going to let us get caught! My eyes soon spotted their figures getting to the meeting spot. After I gave them that warning? Did they not hear the cops or the window crash? They were unbelievable sometimes.

"This place is infested with cops." I growled.

"What?" Yoongi's body grew stiff. He grabbed Jungkook's sleeve in panic.

"I couldn't get to the roof. They're all on it and they spotted me and can probably all see you. We have to get out of here." I saw Yoongi take a step backwards as a group of three came out from a building. They were clearly pretending to be thugs, but they were just undercover cops. Sh*t.

"I'm driving near the alleyway." Seokjin's voice came in. "I saw a lot of cop cars. JM isn't lying."

"RM..." Hoseok tried to get Namjoon to stop walking forward. We were using our code names and I was so close to screaming at them. They needed to get out of here!

"I'm near the alley way. Get moving or else I'll look suspicious just by being conveniently parked out here," Seokjin said.

"I'm taking JK back. J-Hope, take V." Yoongi's grip on Jungkook tightened as the three people tried to look friendly.

Namjoon was finally listening to the words being said into his ears. He paused while Taehyung kept walking with Namjoon. Why wasn't he stopping? Wasn't he hearing this with us? Hoseok tried reaching for Taehyung but couldn't without making it look like we knew what they were. Namjoon couldn't speak to us through the ear piece. The cops had a perfect view of him and would catch on. The three men that came out were wearing large yellow shirts, hiding things attached to their bodies. Closing my eyes, I made my way near the exit of the fire escape. Seokjin was going to be waiting for us. The last thing we need is all of us getting arrested because of this deal.

"Welcome. You got what we asked for?" The cop in the middle asked. Namjoon didn't say a word or give them what they wanted. Taehyung continued to try to look intimidating. Is his ear piece not working!?

"We run in...two...three!" Yoongi pushed Jungkook forward who was bolting out of the alley. Yoongi was trying his best to run with him. The three cops got angry to know we picked up on this. Taehyung became confused as soon as the three guys pulled out their guns.

"V, they're cops! RUN!" Hoseok shouted as the cops ordered them to lie down on the ground.

"Follow JK and Suga!" Namjoon shouted as he passed Hoseok.

The cops weren't using their bullets, but instead called for backup. The sound of a helicopter started to become louder. Jumping off the fire escape with a frown, I ran past Namjoon and Hoseok into the truck. Seokjin was ready to floor it out of here. Jungkook was in the back with me while Yoongi was in the passenger seat. The three of us were panting wildly as Namjoon jumped into the bed of the truck. There was no time for him and the others to get in the car. Namjoon got on his knees as Yoongi started pressuring Seokjin to just drive. My ears couldn't believe what they were hearing. There was no way we were actually going to leave them here!

"We have to go! Just drive, Jin!" Yoongi slammed his fist on the dashboard.

"What about the others?" Jungkook's eyes widened.

"J-Hope! V! You guys need to hurry!" Namjoon shouted as Hoseok held out his hand. Namjoon took a hold of it and pulled him into the truck. Taehyung was late on everything. He was getting chased by two cops. The look on his face burned in my memory.

"RM! RM! Please!" Taehyung cried out. His teeth were gritted as salty droplets rolled down his cheeks. Jungkook and I were speechless. Our friend might not make it. Yoongi was getting annoyed of Seokjin hesitating and slammed his own foot on the gas. At that moment, the cops got a hold of Taehyung and forced him on to his knees. Jungkook and I pounded our fists against the window in outrage. How could Yoongi do that? "J-Hope!"

"Stop the car!" Hoseok showed through the window as Seokjin shoved Yoongi out of his personal space.

"We're going to get caught if we don't leave now!" Yoongi shouted back. The truck was stopped for a second as Taehyung tried to fight back.

"...go," I heard Namjoon say. Something in Hoseok's eyes changed as he stared at Namjoon. My respect for Namjoon wasn't like it used to be as Seokjin begrudgingly drove out from the area. Taehyung's voice was still shouting after us. Looking back at Jungkook, we were both defeated. Imagine the pain and betrayal Taehyung must be feeling. We all considered each other brothers. He trusted himself with Namjoon only to be dropped like this. Was he really our leader?

Chapter Text

Ch.26

Jimin's P.O.V.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The shock still hasn't left me. Jungkook and I glared at the back of Yoongi's head. He told us he could feel it but he didn't care. How could he tell us to leave Taehyung like that? The feeling of coming back to the warehouse without him was indescribable. It was something I never wanted to experience with the other members. This actually happened though. Taehyung was arrested because of us. No...it wasn't my fault nor was it Taehyung's. Hoseok's and Seokjin also wanted to help the second youngest. It was Yoongi and what hurt me most, Namjoon. The guy Taehyung boasted about knowing when he wanted us to join the gang.

(F/n) was excited to see us back but immediately noticed the mood. I didn't want to be the one to tell her what happened. She looked at us with those eyes, silently counting us. Yoongi walked off to the back room while Seokjin went to the table. He put his face into his hands. Jungkook and I wanted to let out the same groan of disbelief. The one of disgust for our actions. We left Taehyung. He's not just our friend, but our brother! My eyes followed Namjoon who didn't say a word to (F/n) as she stuttered out her question. Where's Taehyung? He didn't answer her and was lost in his own mind. We needed answers for why he let that happen.

Hoseok seemed to be the most affected by what had happened. He didn't dare look at Namjoon during the ride back. Even now he kept his mouth shut, ignoring the pink hair. Hoseok did lift his head to see if Namjoon would respond to (F/n) but he didn't. That was the last straw for the sunshine of the gang. He would usually cheer us up. Bring us together, make us laugh, and get us thinking on the positive side. There was none of that right now. Namjoon managed to destroy something he can't physically touch. Friendship and trust.

"Yah!" Hoseok shouted at Namjoon for his attention. The leader turned around with an expression that only pissed me off.

"What?"

"You're not even going to tell (F/n) what you let happen to Taehyung? What you did back there?" Hoseok scoffed. Namjoon cocked up a brow at his friend's anger.

"Hoseok—" Namjoon tried to speak, but the red head wasn't done yet.

"Because of your problems, you let them consume you. You were too worried about the amount of money you needed—" Hoseok was shouting. As soon as he mentioned Namjoon's money problems, the pink hair nervously glanced at (F/n). She was listening to this information and I felt bad. She was hearing about the Namjoon she knew nothing about.

"Hey! That's not something for you to talk about!" Namjoon yelled. (F/n) flinched at the shouts between the two aggressive men.

"—to pay for all those medical bills! We get it. We were poor too that we can't afford hospital bills and we know that medicine is expensive!" Hoseok continued on, "But as the leader you can't let your mom's sickness affect you! Once you started to get needier for money, you got sloppy with the criminal skill you've grown over the years! You only thought about your needs that you forgot our f*cking safety!"

Namjoon shook his head. He didn't want to hear this from Hoseok, but he needed to. Jungkook and I made him feel like he was under a microscope. (F/n) hearing this all for the first time made him insecure. We knew about his issues with money. He briefly went over it with us and specifically told us not to tell (F/n). He knew she would worry and try to help. He also requested us not to give him hand outs. He wanted to get the money in the best way he could. Of course it wasn't legal but what choice did he have? He needed the money fast, but Hoseok was right. Namjoon let his mind get clouded and failed all of us. Not just Taehyung.

"Taehyung was arrested because of you! He called out your name twice and begged for you. He only called my name once...and it haunts me. I can't live with myself like this. I feel ashamed." Hoseok grew teary eyed. "Then while Taehyung is crying for us, you tell Seokjin to go. To just drive. Yeah, Yoongi told you guys to drive, but in the end it was your call. You let Taehyung get arrested. You let this happen to Taehyung!"

"Hoseok, please—" Namjoon wanted to cover his ears. He tried turning around only to get forced to look at the one listing off his mistakes. Namjoon was starting to understand how he let all of us down. Yoongi was leaning against the door frame of the back room. He seemed to also be repenting.

"How are you going to make things right? You can't even listen to me telling the truth. You're my best friend and this is how you're acting. I never thought you'd become like this." Hoseok's bottom lip quivered. "Taehyung deserved better."

"Stop...I know," Namjoon's whisper was barely audible.

"Do you!?" Hoseok wiped the tears leaving his eyes. "Because I'm going to get Taehyung back. What are you going to do? Just feel guilty now?" Hoseok's gaze made Namjoon become silent again. The tension grew in the air. (F/n) was sitting on the couch with big eyes. No one spoke, so Yoongi decided to do so.

"I made a few calls with a couple of guys I know. The cops won't be onto us anymore." Yoongi waved his phone. "But Taehyung is still in jail. They're probably holding him at the station near the river. Since he's a minor, they probably called his parents."

"What parents? His grandparents are probably asleep right now." Hoseok rolled his eyes. He crossed his arms as (F/n) got more lost in the situation. She didn't know any of our home lives. She barely knew the full story with Namjoon.

"Get there fast before they try to transfer him to a Juvenile Hall." Yoongi shoved his hands in his pockets. "I can't go with you since they'll probably recognize my face. Not from tonight's deal but from past stuff. You don't have to worry about getting caught though. I handled that."

"Thanks...at least someone's trying." Hoseok gave one last glare to Namjoon before storming out of the warehouse.

Seokjin lifted his head, ready to offer him a ride but Hoseok was gone. The eldest silently held up his keys before shrinking back into his seat. He felt ashamed too for being the one who pressed the gas. He saw Taehyung's tear stained face in the rear-view mirror. No one moved. Namjoon had fallen into the rusty chair, reality ripping him to shreds. Jungkook pressed his hand on my back, taking me towards (F/n). We both knew she had heard a lot and needs some clear explaining. Namjoon looked almost ready to become clean with (F/n). It's going to be a long night.

Hoseok's P.O.V.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
My emotions were going crazy. It wasn't my intention to blow up at Namjoon like that. Usually I bottle up my feelings to help everybody else. When they need cheering up or a little hope, that's what I'm here for. Tonight, I couldn't help letting them get the best of me. Namjoon just disappointed me so much at the deal. No matter how close of a call we've had before, he's never left someone behind. I've known him since we were first years and I've watched him grow to the leader he's become. Well, the one before the bills began piling. Last time he had awful debt issues, he turned himself into a good leader. The weighing debt has gotten better but these extra costs weren't helping him.

A part of me understood what he was going through. It's not like I had the worst home life, but I was sympathetic. Namjoon was stressed out to see his Mom like that. She's a strong woman so it came as a shock to me that she was so ill. Ms. Kim had collapsed at work and was sent to the hospital. Namjoon was notified and by that time, he knew the costs would be a large sum. He took her out of the hospital and tried helping her on his own. Soon he only augmented to the original amount.

Though I could feel sympathetic, I still angrily grumbled to myself in the cold. The fight got me so heated that I didn't think of asking Seokjin to give me a ride. I knew he didn't want to drive away from Taehyung. Hyung could never do something so cold. He took a bullet for the guy he slapped and yelled at for Pete's sake. Seokjin really was the kindest guy I knew. You could trust him with anything. Shivering from the cold, it only made me run faster towards the station. I need to get there as fast as I can. Nothing is going to stop me from getting Taehyung out.

Taehyung must be terrified. He also must be furious with me and not just Namjoon. Probably the whole gang. He doesn't know our disgust that we felt towards ourselves. He only saw us in the truck, leaving him behind to get arrested. At that point, what good of friends are we? In the beginning, we all agreed to protect each other. Taehyung sees us second years in a different light from the other members. Namjoon should know that better than anyone and he knows we both carry a little favoritism towards Taehyung when it comes to the first years.

Zipping up my jacket, I could barely tell where I was. The roads were so dark. It wasn't until I made it near a convenience store that lighting throughout the streets got better. A woman exited the store with her son and stiffened up to see me. I gave her the friendliest smile I could muster, but that did me no good. It didn't help that my hair was dyed, the streets were empty, and I was visibly annoyed. To her and others in this town who were innocent, I was just another thug. She grabbed her son's hand tightly as I continued my job towards the police station.

Eventually, I could see the place a few blocks away. My heart was making it painful as I came closer. Then my brain kept feeding me the worst scenarios. Things like being too late, Taehyung hating us, or Taehyung for some reason giving the cops a reason to use physical force on him. I doubt they would lay a hand on him though. He was a minor, but he also was a gang member who had a lot of personality. One where he could even get cops to love him. Letting out a chuckle, I can't wait to see him. I'm going to be a good hyung. A better one for him.

Walking up the steps of the station, I tried not to wonder too much on how Yoongi fixed our problem. He knew people and that's the best answer I'll get. His connections were never questioned. He knew more about the criminal worldthan the rest of us did since her grew up in it. I still felt paranoid entering the building. My whole body grew tense to see a couple cops behind desks. 'They don't know' I assured myself. These cops have to think I'm a friend and not an enemy. It was so hard forcing myself to trust them. Even if it was just acting. A cop lifted their head as I came up to the counter.

"I'm here to see Kim Taehyung. Is he here?" I tapped my fingers impatiently on the counter. They smiled at me before typing away at their computer.

"Let's see...yes, Kim Taehyung is down the right call in the farthest cell. He's in for gang involvement and suspected drug dealing." They gave me a dramatic wink. "But you didn't hear that from me..."

"Okay? How much is the bail?" I shook my head.

"Oof. A visit is a lot better than the current bail." The cop chuckled, slowly aggravating me. They weren't taking this seriously enough for me. It made me feel like they took Taehyung being in jail as a joke. "Are you sure you don't want to visit him first? I bet he'd like to see you before you run off from the amount."

"Fine! Whatever, I'll be back." I raised my voice to see them jump in their seat. The cop next to them glanced up to me as I marched over towards Taehyung's cell. Great, now I have a cop whose got their eye on me.

Passing all the cells made me forget how cold I was. Drunk adults laid on the floor, mumbling nonsense. Other teens past their bed time, rebelling against their parents. Only a few looked like actual thugs that Yoongi would be acquainted with. As I came closer to the end of the hall, my chest thumped. Taehyung would be sitting in there. Whatever thoughts he had on me or emotions he felt, they wouldn't be my imagination anymore. But I had to face him and beg for his forgiveness.

Taking a step in front of Taehyung's cell, a silver haired boy was looking down at his feet with his finger grazing the floor. He was boredly playing around. Turning his feet to the tune he was blubbering out. Placing my hand on the cell, it wasn't as painful to see him with my own eyes. He didn't look like they gave him any injuries. That made my worries wash away as I let out a relieved sigh. Taehyung then looked up with his lips puffed out. We made eye contact right away and he was shocked to see me standing here.

"H-Hyung!?" Taehyung stood up.

"You're safe... I'm so sorry for not saving you. For not being a good brother." My eyes wandered down to my feet. Soon I saw his shoes in front of my own. Lifting my head, Taehyung was only a few inches away from me with a smile on his face. "... I'm going to get you out of here and I know that doesn't excuse the fact that we left you. I hope you can forgive me and the others, but I'll understand if you're still angry at us. I'll leave you alone after bailing you out if that is what you wish."

"Hoseok Hyung... I'm not mad." Taehyung chuckled, his eyes watering. "I'm just glad you came."

"...r-really?" I felt something lift off my chest. I was finally able to breathe.

"Are the others here?" Taehyung laughed, nodding his head and tried poking his head out between the bars. His excitement for the others put a crack on my heart. He jumped up and down, waiting to see who else could be waiting to see him.

"Oh. No, I'm sorry, Taehyung. It's only me." The smile on my face fell back to a frown. Even though I felt awful for disappointing him, Taehyung still kept that boxy grin on his face. After all that happened? Sometimes I felt like this boy did a better job at being the light of the group than I did. "How come you're still smiling?"

"Me?" Taehyung chuckled. "Because you're here. I knew one of you guys would come back for me."

"But you saw Namjoon tell us to drive away. Aren't you mad at him?" I furrowed my brows. "He's been causing you all this stress and now you're in jail!" Nothing this boy was doing made sense to me. After how I reacted to Namjoon earlier in the warehouse, Taehyung was making me feel like I overreacted.

"Thank you for worrying about me, Hyung." He bowed before giving me that grin of his. "But I'm not mad at Namjoon. Or the others if you're wondering. I've actually been thinking!" Taehyung went to sit down on his bench again. "Yoongi hyung and I have a lot more in common than I thought!"

"How so?" I laughed at the thought. They seemed to be polar opposites in my opinion. That didn't mean they couldn't get along. They just had two strong personalities that made me wonder how Taehyung could ever find a connection between them.

"We both have criminal records now~!" He intoned.

While Taehyung laughed, I didn't join in at the thought of sweet little Tae having a criminal record as a minor. It still haunted me. I wanted to yell at myself repeatedly, but Taehyung insisted that it was no big deal. He was definitely stronger than I was. Before I knew it, a matching grin was on my face. Taehyung has grown a lot from the day Namjoon and I first found him. To think he's become the man I see him today. He's still obviously a child, but he's matured a lot faster than I'd ever thought he would. He wasn't mad at us members and could now actually be considered a criminal. We've never been caught before so Namjoon was right in a way. There's a first for everything. That idiot is still going to get an ear full when we get back.

"Well, I'm gonna go pay for your bail. We'll be out and back home before you know it." I sighed to see him jump around his cell again. The sight was a bit strange, but also warming.

Heading over to the desk area again, I felt the eyes of the cop again. They still didn't trust me after I got upset with their gossip cop. It wasn't my fault. For once I wanted a cop to take their job seriously and professionally. I've grown a soft hatred for cops since joining a gang and I'm trying to not let it out in the worst place. That cop just really frustrated me. There's no time to think about that now. All I have to do is pay for Taehyung's bail, even if it's a lot. I know I have the money because of all these deals we've been doing recently. Plus, I save my money. I hardly waste a cent. Saving money is important to me and should only be used for important things. This was my time to use it. Getting up to the counter, the gossip cop immediately started to talk.

"Whoa, you're back." Gossip laughed. "I thought you'd just say hi and leave your friend."

"May I please know the bail now?" I asked.

"Oh wow, you're serious." Gossip pulled themselves closer to their computer. "What's their name again?"

"Kim Taehyung," I said, clearly seeing the cop next to them giving me a dirty look.

"D*mn. The bond amount for this kid isn't really worth it if you ask me." Gossip before smacking the counter. "I'm just kidding."

"Can you just tell me the amount?" I huffed as the other cop narrowed their eyes on me. "I'll pay right now."

"You can always set a court date and—" Gossip tried speaking again, but I slammed the counter in annoyance.

"The amount!" I shouted to get all kinds of stares from other people. The other cop stood up from their chair with a scowl.

"Sir, calm down." They stared down at me.

"Yeah, I was just—" Gossip placed their hand on me in attempts to calm me down, but it wasn't working. It only frustrated me more. All I wanted was to get Taehyung out! Why were they making this so hard for me?

"Get your hands off me!" I shoved them off. Suddenly, all cops in the room stared in my direction. Sh*t.

Your P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today has gone in a lot of different directions. A fight with Jungkook, a deal, forgiveness, then another deal, Taehyung's in jail, Hoseok fought with Namjoon, and now he's gone. Hoseok left to go get Taehyung out of jail while he left Namjoon nervously shifting around in his seat. He was left to rethink all his actions that led up to this moment. Jungkook and Jimin came by your side, giving you more information on the situation and trying their best to not make things awkward. They were good friends to you. Now you just hoped that things with Namjoon and Hoseok could clear up. You were still in the dark with a few things, but you'd need more than a day to learn all about that.

Things in the warehouse had gotten dark ever since the sunshine left. Yoongi hadn't said a word after helping Hoseok find Taehyung. Namjoon also didn't say a word since his best friend left. There's been a lot of silence tonight. It wasn't until Seokjin got a call on his phone that everyone was no longer stuck in a tunnel. We all were brought out to hear that sunshine was on the other side. Everyone was facing Seokjin who looked shocked. Something happened. He got up from his seat with his keys and hurried towards the exit of the warehouse. The call ended as soon as it started, but Seokjin quickly walked towards Namjoon to say one more thing.

"Hoseok has been detained." Seokjin sighed to have everyone's jaws drop.

"What? Why!?" Namjoon knitted his brows, growing more anxious.

"He apparently showed aggression towards an officer." Seokjin rubbed the back of his head. "I'm going to get the both of them out. When we're back, be ready to talk, okay? You've had enough time to think."

"...fine, Hyung." Namjoon nodded as the eldest walked out.

After that, people were speechless once again. Hoseok managed to get himself in jail trying to get Taehyung out of jail. That just sounded crazy. Namjoon let out one last stressed groan before turning to you with a guilty expression. He started to spill all his built-up feelings. How he felt when he got the message that his mother was in the hospital to Hoseok getting arrested. He mentioned some things that you didn't even realize he would feel bad about. He still felt bad for leaving you at the porridge restaurant, but you told him not to worry about it. His Mom was in the hospital so it's not like you were going to be pissed.

Namjoon knew everything went bad because of his actions. He continued spitting out information about the bills. How his Mom is too weak to get out of bed and see them piling on the table. It's been eating at Namjoon and now two people he cared about dearly were in jail. Jungkook and Jimin gave their leader a pat on the back. Slowly, Namjoon made things right with the other members. He didn't know what to do once the other two arrived. How would they react? Hoseok was shouting the last time he was here and Taehyung was abandoned on the job. They'd both be pretty angry. Hoseok might still be furious since he got himself arrested for aggression towards an officer. You'd think he'd be more careful or harmless.

Soon the familiar sound of the truck engine came roaring by. They were back. Everyone was on their feet, waiting for the rest to arrive. Even Yoongi was waiting for the three members to start coming in. Seokjin came in first with pursed lips, swinging his keys with one finger. He stood to the side and Hoseok came in with an embarrassed expression. Then Taehyung came in behind him with a giant smile. He waved happily at everyone which brought confusion to all members. Including you. When Jungkook and Jimin told you about how it felt to leave Taehyung, it sounded like losing a friend at war. Now they had his ghost happily waving at them. What's going on?

"Erm, I just wanted to stay I'm sorry for yelling at you, Namjoon." Hoseok bowed to his friend. He didn't make eye contact, not because he was still mad but because was blushing bright red. He probably didn't expect to get arrested tonight and saved by the eldest member.

"No, I'm sorry for being the worst leader. I'm supposed to watch over you guys and make sure everyone's safe. This gang is a family, not a business." Namjoon came closer towards the three members near the entrance.

"It's okay, Namjoon hyung. I'm not mad at anyone." Taehyung stepped forward. Namjoon was stunned at the second youngest's words. Seokjin let out a sigh with his arms crossed. Yoongi let out a scoff of disbelief, but you could see a hint of relief. Jimin tilted his head with a puzzled expression while Jungkook didn't agree with the silver hair. If Jungkook were the one in jail, this would be a whole different story.

"I'm still going to make things right." Namjoon engulfed the two boys into a tight hug.

"Group hug!" Hoseok shouted for everyone to join in. Seokjin came running in and so did Jimin. Jungkook slowly walked over while Yoongi took a while to drag his body over. You remained on the couch, watching with a small smile. You didn't know if this moment was just for them or not. Taehyung opened his eyes to see you still on the couch.

"(F/n), Hoseok said 'group hug'!" Taehyung pouted.

"Yeah, come on (F/n)." Namjoon chuckled.

"Nice and tight!" Hoseok squeezed those around him.

He wanted so badly to hug all seven people in the hug. Giggling with them, you had your arms around Namjoon and Jungkook while your body rested against Jimin's back. The hug lasted for some time until Yoongi lost interest. Then Jungkook got out and soon the group hug officially ended. Namjoon went back to his rusty chair with his dimple grin. Hoseok has his arm around the leader after ruffling Taehyung's hair. The silver haired boy ran over to the rest of the first years, extremely happy to be back with everyone. The gang felt more complete this way. They wouldn't be the 'bullet boys' without the guy who gave it that name.

"We're going to help Namjoon pay his bills." Hoseok announced to get an approving nod from each member.

"What? That's not necessary." Namjoon shook his head, but Hoseok placed his hands on the sides of the pink hair's face to stop him from disagreeing.

"We're pitching in!" Taehyung threw his fist in the air. "So more members don't get arrested!"

"Yeah. I had to call my only connection to help get these guys out without problems." Seokjin came over. "We're ending your problem now. Where are those bills?"

"Guys..." Namjoon's face got pink.

"We got money, Hyung. Don't worry." Jungkook rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Yeah, you don't even have to pay us back. As long as you go back to the great leader you really are." Jimin gave an angel like smile.

"Well, I'd like to be paid back," Yoongi grumbled.

Namjoon shook his head at all his member's words. He strongly believed that the gang was a team, but often refused getting help from anyone. There were times when you just had to push away your pride. This wasn't just to help Namjoon. You wished you could help pitch in too, but you didn't have gang money like these boys. They could afford to spend enough won to buy the crappy apartment you lived at. At least that's what you pictured. The boys were still humble, never mentioning all the money they had, or flashing it in anyone's face at school or in public. Namjoon thanked everyone with a happy grin. Eventually his eyes connected with yours as you gave him a soft smile.

"Hey Namjoon...don't be afraid to ask for help, okay?" You requested. He hesitated before nodding silently. Soon all the members were smacking him playfully, ruffling his hair, and shouting happily.    

Chapter Text

Ch.27

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Holding my phone tightly in my hand, I kept staring at the screen. My eyes were glued to it. Not like anything super interesting was on it. People would get up one by one and pass by me. The door would open and some would enter happily or nervously. How they exited made me feel like throwing up. Where was the closest bathroom? Lifting my head was hard. I kept avoiding stares from everyone as new people took empty seats. All I had to do at the moment was breath naturally. For some reason, I thought I had built up the courage to come here, but the pain wasn't over. My whole body was shaking with nerves as the woman opened the door with a clip board.

"Park Jimin..." She listed names off her clip board. The rest of the names were muted after I heard my own. Was it too late to run? Getting up from my seat, I turned off my phone and put it in my pocket.

Three other guys came with me into a large room. The floor looked almost spotless, the wood shining as the sun came through the high windows. There was a long table in the back of the room with chairs scattered around. Only two people actually sat behind the table with a water bottle in hand. Shaking my hands, I kept my posture straight as I looked around the room. A whole wall was a mirror and I let out an involuntary gasp. The three guys were already checking themselves out, trying to stretch, and show off some small moves. I didn't move like them. Instead I stood in front of the table with the most confident smile I could muster. While the guy continued writing something on his notebook, I waited for him to finish.

A few scoffs were let out from the other boys. Especially from the one with his hair dyed a strange color. It looked like it wasn't fading right, but I wasn't one to judge. The other two kept their natural hair color while I had my blonde hair. Just for today, I even put in blue eye contacts. Taehyung once said that they made me look fierce and Jungkook told me I looked really pale. Either way, I felt like I dressed nicely for this occasion. The others were in all black athletic wear while mine was a bit more formal. The man behind the table put his pen down and looked up. He seemed a bit startled to see me smiling at him. I wasn't ready in the least, but (F/n) makes me want to be confident. The other guys stopped moving around and followed my actions as I bowed.

"Hello." He crossed his arms. "I'm the choreographer, Sungmin. Introduce yourselves to me individually. Let's start with you." He pointed directly at me.

"Hello, my name is Park Jimin! It's nice to meet you." I smiled. "Please take care of me!" Sungmin eyed me with an unreadable expression. It changed slightly when the boy with the strange hair let out a soft chuckle.

"I'm Hyungseong." He stopped chuckling. He crossed his arms as he gave me a side glance. I wanted to be nice and I was going to be. But in my opinion, I felt like this guy was too confident over nothing. Sungmin carried less interest with him due to his personality. He continued with the other boys and gave them the same unreadable expression.

Our looks were definitely getting judged which made me nervous. It brought up a lot of insecurities I had with myself, but I pushed them all away. We came here to dance. I'm actually going through with the audition (F/n) sent me. Jam Entertainment wasn't that big of a company, but it was still intimidating. Female interns roaming around the room were looking at us as Sungmin walked closer up to the mirror. Hyungseong noticed and sent them all a wink. Did he forget Sungmin could see this all through the mirror? My eyes tried to focus on Sungmin since I wanted him to know how attentive I could be. Girls weren't going to distract me and I took things seriously. The other two gentleman were trying their best to do the same.

Sungmin began giving us an eight count. He showed us the moves once as we all tried to pick it up. The other auditioners picked up the moves quickly. Even Hyungseong was leaving me in the dust and it was only the first eight counts of the dance. It made my stomach twist as I slowly did the steps. I've never had proper training compared to these other guys. They must audition and work hard all the time. Hyungseong can at least have that under his belt. All I do is learn idol dances for fun and think I'm somewhat decent at them. Maybe it was all in my head. But (F/n) loves my dancing so much. It was hard to pull myself out of the blackhole I had created. Sungmin watched me as I repeated the steps for the millionth time. They were waiting on me.

"...C-Can you repeat the steps?" I asked in a soft voice. Sungmin's eyes narrowed down on me with slight frustration. Hyungseong rolled his eyes, trying to get the other guys annoyed of me. They luckily didn't care in causing drama right now. Sungmin only told me what the steps were and for me to count them out.

Step forward with your right leg, dip into a lunge, bounce up with your feet together. Then step back diagonally. What was next step? I tried my best to count it out, but I wasn't that good at it. Despite not knowing the exact counts, I finally got a grasp on the moves. It put a huge smile on my face as I looked back at Sungmin who wasn't as happy as I was. He was silent before continuing the next eight counts of the dance. The total dance had thirty-two counts. It was a little easy when he went slow. Then it got harder when he added arms to the dance moves. Now I had to really use my whole body. While my brain tried to sort everything out, Sungmin played the song and showed us how fast it should be performed.

We all nodded. There was sweat forming on my forehead as I nervously repeated the moves on the side lines. All my movements were slow as I processed the steps and memorized them. I'd rather do them correctly and slowly then mess it all up at full speed. Hyungseong was already doing the fast version but kept using the wrong foot to step out on. He didn't notice how that little mistake slowed down his timing by a few seconds. The other dancers were trying to go at full speed, but occasionally had to think on which movements were next. They were all good dancers. Was it obvious to the interns that I wasn't talented enough? Sungmin took a sip from his water bottle. Soon he would make us perform the dance. If it wasn't to his liking then we would receive a heart wrenching call. Why did I show up?

"Move it!" Hyungseong huffed as he bumped into me. All his movements were big, more emphasized then they should be.

"You're stepping out on the wrong foot," I stated to see his face change. He looked down at his feet in disbelief.

"What are you taking about?" Hyungseong was ready to get angry again, but I showed him the correct movement. He watched me do the dance movement. Instead of counting out the steps, I sang the song lyrics that went with the movement.

"Here." I did the correct step forward as I finished the dance. Hyungseong paused before doing that part himself with my advice. His timing was finally correct as I hummed the tune of the song. Sungmin put the cap back in his bottle, watching the four dancers. Hyungseong didn't say a word. At least he didn't say anything rude, but I'll take a thank you whenever he's ready.

"You only get one chance to perform it as a group and individually." Sungmin crossed his arms. We all nodded, spacing ourselves. He didn't give us any positions. He only watched what we came with. As the four we were.

Hyungseong and the guy wearing white shoes were in the front meanwhile I was in the back with the other guy. The dancer next to me was in the window between the two dancers. I was to the left of Hyungseong. Sungmin played the song without a second to waste. It began playing out the speaker and I noticed Hyungseong was off on the starting time. But I tried to pay attention on myself. Sungmin made us dance towards the table. We didn't have the mirror to see how our movements looked like. Hopefully, I was emphasizing the right movements in the dance. The other dancers were trying to go for a robot dance while I went for jelly trying to become stable if that made sense. I don't know, but I knew it was important to have a unique dance style.

(F/n) is going to be proud of me. She'll be happy to hear that I actually went out for this. It wasn't my plan to try-out, but as the date came closer the audition was all I could think of. If I don't get selected, I'd rather they not call me at all. It's better than hearing 'no'. Towards the ending of the dance, I made sure to move my head up like he said, but I forgot to raise my hand up. He definitely saw that. I quickly raised my hand up in embarrassment with my fingers making a gun. Sungmin turned off the music and began to write stuff down. In that moment, I dragged my hands down my cheeks. He saw me fail. All I had to do was that simple dance move. If only I had enough time to practice. Repeating the moves again, I tried to do it as much as I could. The other three dancers were still panting from the first try.

Hyungseong muttered that I'd lose stamina and I'd get out of breath. He was right. My dance won't be as energetic as it needs to be. It felt like I couldn't win, but I had to think of (F/n). I'm doing this for her. It's okay if I'm not chosen. I don't want to be an idol. I just want to dance. In the end, this should be for fun. Sungmin made three of us go to the side. We were now going one by one. Swallowing hard, I tried practicing again, but Hyungseong grabbed my shoulder. He pulled me to the side with a serious expression. It was no longer obnoxious and his tone of voice wasn't sarcastic. That helped calm me down from the frustration I felt earlier.

"Watch this guy dance. It's not polite to practice while someone is performing," Hyungseong muttered, "Besides, it helps to learn from watching others dance."

Staring at him with big eyes, I finally nodded. He was right. We all watched the first guy perform the dance. No one spoke a word as the song played. There were somethings I saw in his dancing that was really cool. He made his popping obvious, but not forced. Not mention he had great control over his body. This guy was most likely a b-boy who danced on the streets. Those guys were always so cool to me, but they probably would laugh at my girl group dances. They were just fun to learn. Once he finished, he was allowed to leave. Sungmin wrote some stuff down before calling my name. I couldn't feel my body anymore. Did I have to go next? I wanted to be last. I'm gonna fail. And vomit.

"You can do it. I saw it while you were practicing." Hyungseong pushed me forward. Turning back to face him, he kept a cool expression and the guy next to him gave me a thumbs up. Hungseong really wasn't what I was expecting him to be at all. Getting to the center of the floor, I waited for the music to come on. I'm going to make (F/n) proud.

Reader's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jimin looked like he wanted to tell you something so badly. He kept looking at you and more than usual. During the break period, he was tapping his foot impatiently. Taehyung was glad to be back at school. He was shocked by his words, but he was grateful. He told Mr. Pyo how much he missed him. Little does Mr. Pyo know that Taehyung was in jail. Taehyung had a lot to think about when he sat in that cell. That's why he wasn't mad like he thought he would be. He was still a bit hurt but felt better when Hoseok came to get him. Then Hoseok even got put into jail for him! That's how Taehyung took it anyway. That's what made things even.

Jungkook talked to you briefly and you were happy to just be normal friends again. Sometimes the drama could be so draining. Could these boys ever catch a break? Well, it's all over for now. Jimin and you separated from the two youngest members to head over to Ms. Lee's class. As the year continued, the grumpier she got. A smile has never been found on that woman. Jimin was going to tell you something as soon as you guys arrived to the 'line' but she was already telling people to run laps. Class hasn't officially started yet. Rolling your eyes at the woman,you parted with Jimin to go change into your physical education clothes.

The rumors that you're the gang's slut has almost vanished. No one ever mentioned it in the changing room. That made things easier for you. It was completely forgotten about at this point and Yoongi isn't as hostile as he used to be. Namjoon's hospital and medicine bills are cleared up. Plus, his mother is recovering nicely. She's going to start working again tomorrow. Seokjin is also able to lift items with his shot arm. He used to hold just his keys with that arm and suddenly it would fall without warning. It made him upset at first, but then he stopped caring. Now he was holding boxes with a smile. Jungkook was shocked Seokjin wasn't more upset, but it was all a matter of what they considered important to them. Jungkook was the muscle of the group after all. He got frustrated with the steroid symptoms making him feel fatigued. But he had no reason to be mad anymore. The symptoms were gone and steroids were completely out of his system.

Good news just keeps happening now. Leaving the locker room, you got excited to see Jimin waiting for you outside. Immediately, you threw your arms around the blonde boy. He laughed and hugged you tightly. The smile on his face was still bigger than yours. What's going on? Jimin held your hand as he brought you to the track field. Ms. Lee blew her whistle to see the physical contact between the two of you. Laughing, your hand was released to Jimin's dismay. The two of you still ran side by side. Over the school year, you've gotten a little faster at running. Jimin still runs faster but slows himself down for you. Soon you'll reach his level!

"What's got you all smiley?" You giggled as he quickly looked down.

"I've been wanting to tell you this since yesterday." Jimin's round cheeks grew pink. "I did the audition for Jam Entertainment."

"You what!?" You began to squeal. Now you were bouncing instead of running. "Jimin, oh my god! That's amazing!"

"I think it went well, but I don't know." He quickly ran his hand through his hair.

"I'm sure it did, Park Jimin!" You playfully smacked his arm. "Look at you~! You're so talented. I'm sure you left a good impression even if they don't choose you."

"Thanks. I doubt I'll get chosen, but I had fun," Jimin admitted.

"That's good to hear!" You clapped your hands as the both of you finished your first lap.

Ms. Lee was starting to really put down the hammer. The school year wasn't over yet. A part of you wanted it to be over, but a bigger part of you enjoyed having your friends at school. Besides, this was Seokjin and Yoongi's last year at SuChin high school. That was really sad to think about so you thought about all the good news today. Jimin actually did the audition! Jam Entertainment has to see the amazing potential in Jimin. Maybe he'll become a trainee for a few years and then get famous. Hopefully he won't forget you or the rest of the boys. As much as Yoongi didn't want Jimin to dance, you were going to make it happen.

Physical education was over for the day. Lunch could finally begin! Jimin and you did not mess around when it came to lunch. The both of you run faster than what you do during Ms. Lee's class. That would be considered jogging, but Ms. Lee doesn't care. As long as you're moving fast enough to the point where it looks like you're exercising. Jimin opened the cafeteria door for you as you slid into the line. Waiting for food can take forever. That's why bolting here after class is essential. The blonde followed you out of the line and walked with you towards the outside. Another sunny day! Everyone was already outside to your surprise. Except for the second years that is. Normally, the third years take the longest.

Sitting down with the first years, they didn't hesitate to bring you into the conversation. Jungkook was going on about his old athlete days. Taehyung refused to believe Jungkook was once considered the best in Korea. The maknae insisted that he helped bring multiple teams to Nationals. He said they all relied on him because he was such a beast. Jimin shook his head as the doors opened. Hoseok and Namjoon came outside with not the brightest expressions. The smile on your face wasn't strong as before. Oh no, what's wrong now? You got too comfortable with good things happening to the gang. It wouldn't take long before the world attacked them once again.

"What's with those faces?" Seokjin furrowed his brows.

"I thought you two made up." Yoongi chewed on his straw.

"We did. Hoseok just has some bad news." Namjoon patted the red head's back. "But nothing that we can't fix."

Everyone stared at the second years. Bad news yet it could be changed? Then it can't possibly be too bad. That part relieved you. If it was something the gang couldn't fix then you'd probably be in a darker mood. A lot has happened to the gang. You might have not affected the group as whole, but you liked to believe you changed some of the member's lives in positive ways. Yoongi can believe whatever he wants. This is just what you think. Hoseok and Namjoon stay down with everyone on the floor. They didn't even take out their food. How serious was the new issue? They danced around the subject a little making the curiosity inside you rise.

"My parents know that I was in jail." Hoseok sighed as all the boys around you appeared more worried. You didn't know how his parents were, but you knew that was still a bad thing. Your parents would kill you if they ever had to get you out of jail. "They got the call since I'm still a minor too. They weren't going to get me out as punishment, but luckily Seokjin came to the rescue as my one call."

"It's nothing." Seokjin smiled.

"But." Hoseok paused. "They think I was with you guys. I tried making up a reasonable lie, but they won't listen. They want to take me out of SuChin."

"Wait, what?" Yoongi crushed his juice box. His eyes grew darker, doing a good job at masking most of the anger he felt at this news.

"How are we supposed to stop that?" Jungkook frowned as Namjoon heard all the questions roll in. Hoseok didn't answer a single one. He only stared at the ground with a gloomy face.

"Okay, I know you guys are probably aware that Hoseok's parents hate us." Namjoon held his hands up, everyone quieting down. None of them spoke over their leader. All of them nodded to his words and listened to what he had to say. "But I still think we can convince them to keep Hoseok here. It won't take much effort, we just need the right members to talk to his parents."

"I'm out." Yoongi sighed, lying down on the ground to nap.

All three first year boys shrunk into the corner. Namjoon clicked his tongue in disappointment. He understood why Yoongi dropped out. He also knew the reason he wouldn't be a good choice to talk to Hoseok's parents. The only member left that hasn't dropped out yet was the eldest member. Seokjin was stuffing his face with meat by the time he saw Namjoon staring at him with a smirk. Soon Hoseok was trying to bat his eyes at Seokjin. Holding back a giggle, you watched the black haired male uncomfortable swallow his food down. The second years were creeping him out to the point Yoongi found it funny.

"I can volunteer to talk to them..." Seokjin said with an almost unsure voice. Namjoon and Hoseok cheered in delight.

"Perfect!" Namjoon high fived his best friend.

"Oh hey! (F/n), can you try talking to my parents too?" Hoseok turned to face you with a grin. Namjoon clapped his hands together, mouthing you to please accept. The sound of meeting Hoseok's parents sounded intimidating. They were clearly different from everyone's parents here, but still in a bad way. "Please! You and Seokjin can do it together."

"Oh...sure. If you really want me to." You gave him a nervous smile.

Hoseok thanked you with a lot of joy. Him and Namjoon were certain that this was going to work. They said the plan was to talk to them after school. It made you nervous to what you just had accepted. Looking over to Seokjin, you gave the eldest a friendly smile. The two of you would be working together in trying to save Hoseok from leaving SuChin. School wouldn't be as fun without him. The gang needs Hoseok. Every member is valuable. Seokjin gave you a smile back and even winked for good measure. You let out a soft giggle but Jungkook and Jimin had different thoughts. They glared at the eldest as if he destroyed their dreams. Taehyung then threw a cracker at Seokjin and soon Jungkook tossed one too.

"What!?" Seokjin whined.

"Stay away from my wife!" Taehyung grinned. Your eyes widened to hear those words leave his mouth. Jungkook and Jimin were immediately outraged by this boy's comment.

"YOUR wife!?" They shouted simultaneously.

"Yeah, if anything (F/n) is going to be Namjoon's wife." Hoseok patted the pink hair.

"Oh my god." Namjoon shook his head, chuckling lightly. "What if (F/n) turns out to be Yoongi's wife?" Right away you knew that wasn't going to be a thing. Yoongi got up into a sitting position to give Namjoon a sharp glare.

"No." Yoongi huffed and then fell onto his back again. "She'd have a better chance with Hoseok." You and the second years laughed as well as Taehyung. Yoongi didn't find the conversation amusing while Seokjin was still annoyed at the fact that crackers were thrown at him. Jungkook and Jimin didn't like you getting paired with everyone again. Gosh, these boys were a lot to handle but you love them all. And yes, including Yoongi even if he hates you. He's just gonna have to suck it up and accept your platonic love.

Chapter Text

Ch.28

It's embarrassing how long you've been standing in front of your mirror. Suddenly all the good clothes in your closet weren't good enough. Seokjin told you to dress nice, but what does that even mean? Hoseok's parents were starting to become terrifying creatures from the way everyone talked about them. Smoothening out the current navy-blue dress you wore, you liked that it was modest. It was classy too, but what if it wasn't enough? Or was it too much? For a long time, you wondered if just wearing your uniform would do you good. That was a stupid thought. All you had to do was look like a responsible friend of Hoseok's. That was your job and it was making you panic more than it should.

So far you've only met Namjoon's Mom. Looks like Hoseok's parents will get added to the list of getting to know their families. Namjoon was the only member that didn't seem to have anything against his parents. Well, you knew he loved his Mom. Whatever happened to his Dad, you'll most likely not know any time soon. Now you were actually making efforts not to be nosey. Besides, things seemed to be working out without you trying to fix it. Technically you have to fix this problem, but Hoseok specifically asked you to so it doesn't count! Sighing in frustration, you tossed all the clothes on your bed into the closet. You'll clean that later. The navy-blue dress has finally won after changing so much.

Soft knocks hit the front door. Seokjin is here to pick you up. Opening your bedroom door, you saw your sister run out of her room. Stunned by her speed, you chased after her towards the front door. She so badly wanted to open the front door, but you were clawing at her. How this sounded to Seokjin, it probably didn't make him want to stay. Your fingers were almost entering Unnie's mouth as you pulled her head back. She tried pushing your jaw back while her legs tried making their way to the knob. That's when she bit your finger, making you drop her body onto the floor. So rude! Holding your finger, you watched that insane female crawl to the door and open it wide.

"Aha! I knew it!" Unnie grinned like a crazy person to see Seokjin standing there in a black suit. A light pink spread across your cheeks as he stood there. He looked really good like in a suit. Seokjin was tall, slender, and even had broad shoulders. Then he also had stunning visuals. It always left you shocked that he hasn't been plucked by an agent already. "(F/n)'s been getting ready for an hour and now I can see why. You've confirmed my suspicions."

"It's not a date if that's what you're thinking." You groaned, grabbing your purse as you walk to Seokjin's side. Unnie knitted her brows together as her eyes constantly switched between you and the male.

"Are you sure? Why's he in a suit then? How come you're dressed all nice too?" Unnie eyed the smiling third year suspiciously. Soon her cheeks were pink too when Seokjin chuckled lightly at her protective behavior.

"Don't worry, Noona. (F/n) and I just have business meeting two people that have the potential to change a lot in our lives." Seokjin shrugged, being painfully vague.

"I'm not your noona! Just call me Sunbae-nim." Unnie huffed as you pinched the bridge of your nose. "Two people, huh?...Wait! Oh my god, (F/n) you're meeting his parents! I didn't know it was that serious!" She started to squeal in excitement as you shook your head violently.

"No! I'm not meeting his parents!" You smacked her arm. "But I am meeting parents."

"What?" Unnie was lost before turning to Seokjin. "Are you adopted?"

"I wish." Seokjin scoffed, looking away from your sister. That didn't clear up her confusion and only made you sigh. Too much drama with parents that you couldn't take this anymore. The both of you needed to meet Hoseok's parents before sun down. Having this conversation with your sister has been entertaining, but time consuming. Holding onto Seokjin's arms, you tugged him back.

"I'll see you later!" You yelled. "And you should be getting ready for work!"

"I am! Be back soon!" Unnie stepped out of the apartment to watch you two going down the stairs.

"Don't wait on her. We'll be out late, Sunbae-nim." Seokjin gave your sister a wink. Immediately, your face was on fire to see the smirk on his face. Unnie was red and gritting her teeth. He's way too much of a tease!

"Move!" You pushed him down the stairs.

Seokjin only laughed in amusement. He opened the car door for you like a gentleman which was nice. That earned him some points with Unnie even though you really weren't dating him. Him having a car did make Unnie act crazier since that meant Seokjin really was older than you. Buckling yourself up, you watched Seokjin wave to your sister before getting into the truck. Releasing out a sigh, you just wanted the car to start. Hoseok's parents didn't sound tough to deal with anymore. The sooner you get this over with, the better. Seokjin finally started driving forward as you closed your eyes.

Though you didn't speak a word, that didn't stop Seokjin from laughing. For a second, you were wondering why he had turned on the windshield wipers when it wasn't raining. Then you opened your eyes and felt bad for thinking that. He was still entertained from the new interaction with your older sister. Sometimes Unnie could be a lot to handle. At least the two of you have been getting along a lot better now. Occasionally the two of you butt heads with each other, but that's normal and to be expected. It's not over stupid things anymore and now you guys talk to each other too. It was all thanks to Seokjin's advice. Glancing over to him again, you felt a smile grow on your face. What a good person he was.

The ride was full of prep time. After Seokjin finished laughing, he told you the plan when talking to Hoseok's parents. He told you up front that they'll seem intimidating at first, but they're actually just annoying. You didn't know how to respond to that. Seokjin didn't even like to hear the word 'parents' without scowling. Whatever, you'll trust him since even the first years refused to talk to Hoseok's parents. When they open the door, Seokjin and you were going to introduce yourselves and explain the reason why you're there. That's when Seokjin will take the lead and speak for the both of you. He would be a lot better with his words than you. Hoseok was waiting for you guys to arrive and was trying to get his parents in a good mood. This was getting scary again.

The car started to slow down after driving a bit into a less urban area. All the other members didn't live in a rural place like this. Yoongi was a different story. He lived at the warehouse by choice. It made you worry for him to be honest. He'd probably be pissed to receive your pity. Viewing the scenery out the window, the houses were really far apart with tall grass between them. There was one house that look decent amongst all of them. It wasn't incredibly beautiful, but you could see the effort into making it look nice. It didn't occur to you that this was Hoseok's house until Seokjin pulled into the small drive way. Hoseok lives in this one?

"This house looks nice," You said while getting out of the truck.

"Yeah, on the outside." Seokjin shoved his hands into his pockets.

Holding your hands together, you didn't say anything after that. The both of you mustered up the best fake smile before Seokjin knocked on the door. This was actually happening. Hoseok's future at SuChin relying on you made you feel queasy. Good thing Seokjin was going to do most of the speaking. Eventually the door opened by a certain red head. He was smiling wide to see you guys. A giggle escaped your lips and soon you and the male next to you had genuine smiles.

"You guys made it! Time to party, huh?" Hoseok grinned. Seokjin was going to say something until a deeper voice from inside the house spoke.

"Who's at the door?" A man around Hoseok's height came. He pushed the teen behind him and eyed you two. You assumed this guy was Hoseok's father. His hair was gelled back and he held a stern expression. It felt like the frown lines on this man were etched into his skin.

Hoseok gave you and Seokjin a supportive smile before a manicured hand was put on his shoulder. It pulled him away from your sight. You tried your hardest not to stop smiling as the owner of the manicured hand came into view. She stood with good posture next to the intimidating man. Her hair was in a tight bun and her clothes were nicely put together. Nothing they owned was expensive, but they were still nice. That's the main thing you noticed with Hoseok's house. Their father crossed his arms, scowling at the sight of you two. Was he familiar with Seokjin already? This must be the first time they'll learn of your existence.

"What do you want? Hoseok is busy." The man sighed.

"That's completely okay, we understand." Seokjin bowed politely and so did you. "My name is Kim Seokjin, a friend of Hoseok's at school." The male gave you the signal to speak next by staring at you from the corner of his eye. Both Hoseok's father and mother waited for your introduction.

"My name is Kwon (F/n). I'm also a friend of your son." You did your sweetest smile.

Their faces never changed which was a little disheartening. It was a good thing your job was over. Seokjin could now take the reins and deal with the parents. They were nothing like Hoseok. Hoseok was such a ray of sunshine with a smile always on his face. He knew when to be serious, but he was never terrifying like his parents. It felt like they could be statues since they never moved. Only their eyes would move from you over to Seokjin. Despite being well dressed, it didn't seem to impress the couple. Not even Seokjin's good looks. The suit made him look like he belonged to a well-off family. Still, their patronizing expressions never changed.

The one good thing was that they didn't slam the door in your faces. Mr. Jung listened to Seokjin's words and so did his wife. Seokjin was doing his best to be persuasive. He chose his best words, speaking in a smooth voice that made Mrs. Jung lean closer in his direction. Did that mean she was charmed? That would mean Mr. Jung needed more of a nudge. Seokjin mentioned his concern over Hoseok leaving SuChin. He made sure to mention how much of an impact he's had on his friends since he was a first year. You nodded to everything he had to say. It wasn't just trying to get his parents to keep Hoseok at SuChin, but all of Seokjin's words were genuine. Nothing was made up in the slightest. Jung Hoseok really is important to the gang. He's essential so the gang doesn't fall apart.

"He's the hope of our group," Seokjin said with a lot of passion yet Hoseok's parents didn't react too much to hearing all this praise about their son. Weren't they touched that their son meant this much to his friends? "Hoseok doesn't want to leave us behind and we really want him to stay."

"I see. But do you know why we want to pull Hoseok out from SuChin?" Mr. Jung spoke, making your heart almost stop beating. How could this guy be more frightening than Myon?

"Well—"

"He has a couple of hooligan friends. Apparently he got himself in jail, plus SuChin really isn't the best school anyway." Mr. Jung sighed. "It'd be better for him to leave."

"Is it really for the best though?" Seokjin tilted his head.

"What year are you in?" Mr. Jung narrowed his eyes on the black hair.

"Third year, Sir." Seokjin raised his chin up. You figured Mr. Jung would be impressed Hoseok had an older friend to guide him at SuChin. Maybe a positive mentor, but Mr. Jung only scoffed.

"So it's too late for you." He chuckled. "You're going to graduate from that dump?"

"If it's a dump, then why'd you put your son in it in the first place?" Seokjin's voice grew passive aggressive. Your eyes widened to see the oldest losing his patience. It was reasonable since Hoseok's father was aggravating you too, but this wasn't the time to lose your temper.

"I'm a first year! I haven't known Hoseok for long, but he's changed my life in only a couple months," You blurted out. Seokjin turned to face you with a surprised face. His brows jumped and you could see it written all over his face. He was questioning what you were doing and you didn't quite know yourself. "Taking him out of SuChin would be a huge mistake on your part."

What were you saying? They definitely love hearing some child pointing out their flaws. Seokjin stayed silent as you said what was on your mind. Mrs. Jung wasn't as charmed with you and Mr. Jung was getting annoyed. He didn't want to listen to this anymore, but he wasn't telling you to leave. They both were clearly getting fed up. It was strange talking to people who couldn't care less with what you had to say. Still, they tried to hear you out which made you try to think twice about what exactly was coming out of your mouth. You didn't want to tell them how to take care of Hoseok. All you wanted was for him to stay at SuChin with the rest of the gang. This was important to seven people. It might not feel like a lot, but it really would affect everyone. You'd hate to see the warehouse one member short.

"We're still planning to take Hoseok out of SuChin." Mr. Jung narrowed his eyes on your small figure. "We appreciate your comments, but it's our final decision as his parents." He took a step back only to have you step closer.

"And I get that!" You laughed to see the exhaustion on both parents. You were really persistent and nosey so they'll just have to take it. "But have you asked Hoseok about how he feels? This is really something you should talk to him about. It's important since it is his life you're changing."

"Isn't it just school?" Mrs. Jung laughed.

"It's really not." You shook your head to have her raise a brow. "I know how it feels to be left out of important decisions. Talk to Hoseok about this, please. I know you guys probably want what's best for your son, but you also have to take in account his feelings."

"How close are you and my son? You're not even using honorifics..." Mr. Jung bit down on his tongue, refraining from saying hurtful words. Seokjin protectively placed his hand on your back for comfort.

"He's close with a lot of people. He prefers us not to use any honorifics." Seokjin came to your rescue. "Hoseok's just that type of guy."

"It does sound like him." Mrs. Jung looked down at her nails. She didn't look you in the eyes at all. She just rested her head against her husband's shoulder.

Something about what Mrs. Jung had just said ticked Seokjin off. There was a lot of tension in the air that made it almost hard to breathe. The icy stare Mr. Jung stopped you from opening your mouth again. You felt like you've talked enough without getting them too angry. Hopefully Hoseok will be happy with your effort. The situation didn't look like it would end with a positive outcome. His parents were too hard headed. They didn't care about the problem too much but were still stubborn. Seokjin had cooled down slightly and took the wheel back again. You pleaded internally for Seokjin not to start some kind of fight. Hoseok was definitely not going to stay if that happened. There was also the fact that Seokjin's arm was shot a couple weeks ago.

"We'll take your word into consideration if that pleases you." Mr. Jung cleared his throat.

"Thank you for listening." Seokjin and you bowed before walking away. The older member kept his hand wrapped around you as you looked over your shoulder. Mrs. Jung was yelling for Hoseok while Mr. Jung slowly closed the door, still glaring at you two. Seokjin was right. The house did look pretty, but the inside held something not so pleasant. How did Hoseok manage to keep all his positivity in a life sucking household like that? "Stop looking back."

Surprised that he had noticed, you snapped your head forward in an instant. This little meet up soured his mood. You had a feeling he wouldn't be cracking puns on the ride back home. Going around the truck, your eyes didn't leave Seokjin. His face was full of pent up frustration. The nosey side of you wondered what his problem with parents were. Yoongi never mentioned his own parents so you figured his ties with them were gone. Seokjin acted like he was chained to them. Getting into the passenger's seat, you pursed your lips as he slammed his door shut. He let out a groan as he hit his head on his steering wheel. Hoseok's parents really bothered him. Your lips parted to start talking, but Seokjin suddenly yelled.

"I can't!!" Seokjin hit the steering wheel with rage. You flinched at his random actions. This was something you never thought you would see from him. "God...I wish they wouldn't act like they cared about him...they're so f*cking fake."

"Seokjin..." You placed your hand on him. Automatically his flaring nostrils and gritted teeth weren't as intense. The male calmed down once he felt your touch.

"Sorry if I scared you." Seokjin kicked his head back on the head rest. "Parents just get on my nerve easily."

"It's okay," You assured him. Seokjin licked his lips as he took out his phone. "It's hard to believe Hoseok has parents like that."

"Most of our parents are sh*t," Seokjin grumbled as he dialed a number. "I'm calling Yoongi. I doubt we convinced his parents so we might need to use physical force."

"What?" Your jaw dropped.

"Or threats. I don't know, but Yoongi is creative." Seokjin shrugged like what he was saying was nothing strange. Was this really their ordinary? Wouldn't Hoseok mind if they did that kind of stuff to his parents? Or maybe he didn't have a good relationship with them and wouldn't care.

Shrinking into your seat defeated, you watched Seokjin smirk to have his call be answered. He started the car and quickly drove out from Hoseok's drive way. He zoomed out of this side of the neighborhood like he couldn't stand the sight of it anymore. Tightening your seatbelt, you tried listening to the call as best as you could while worrying for your life. Seokjin had his moments when he was a dangerous driver. It mainly happened when he was in a rush or angry. He didn't even notice your stress as he made a sharp turn in a narrow street. If you die right now then you want Mr. Pyo to attend your funeral.

"It didn't go well." Seokjin chuckled. "To be expected, right?" Yoongi's voice was barely audible with the windows down and the air rushing in.

"Need something?" You managed to catch.

"Make sure to nip this problem in the bud. We tried being nice." Seokjin's eyes narrowed on the road as his grip tightened on the wheel. Does he have to sound like some mafia boss? Even Namjoon was never this frightening. "Do what you can. I trust you."

Then the call ended like that. Seokjin shoved his phone back into his back pocket. Now the mean look on his face changed back to his regular happy expression. His dark atmosphere suddenly grew warm and bright. He took a quick glance at you and laughed. Was he going to dump your body off somewhere? Did you hear too much? The suit added to the scary persona he had taken on earlier. He'd now how to handle unwanted witnesses.

"So, are you hungry?" Seokjin asked. "Aah, I'm starving!" He laughed his iconic laugh, giving you less of a reason to stay alert of thug Seokjin. Gosh, you were really panicking back there.

"Yeah, I can go for food." You smiled back.

Chapter Text

Ch.29

It's been a day since meeting Hoseok's parents and you swear they were in your nightmare. It was hard to imagine someone like Hoseok getting raised by such people. Maybe most of his growth was with the members. Well however he formed his amazing personality, you're glad that you met him. All the members can agree with you on that. They consider him family in the end. Plus, he's Namjoon's best friend. He's important to the gang just like everybody else. Hoseok was most likely going to stay with the gang. At least that's what you believed since Seokjin went full on mafia boss the other day. He told Yoongi to handle the problem behind the scenes so now you have to wait to see what the blue hair did.

Currently, you were sitting on the green couch in the warehouse. Seokjin was eating food at the table, Yoongi was in the back still busy with something meanwhile Jungkook and Taehyung were on the couch with you. Namjoon, Jimin, and Hoseok weren't here. It was always disappointing when only a few of the members were here. This place really shined when they all stepped inside. They brought the warehouse to life. So far right now, Taehyung and Jungkook were going on about wanting a break to come already. The two first years were already done with the school year.

"I'll miss Mr. Pyo though." Taehyung chuckled to get a playful smack from Jungkook. That silver haired boy never left the poor man alone. One day Mr. Pyo will have his hair matching Taehyung's from all the stress this boy causes him. Jungkook never once told Taehyung to stop picking on their math teacher. He only sat back and laughed. That still didn't leave Mr. Pyo very fond of Jungkook. The two were friends and you were also in their group circle. Basically, Mr. Pyo hated three specific students in the back.

Laughing along with them, you enjoyed this relaxed moment though. Not everyone was here, but at least there were no deals going on. No crazy parents or rival gang members. Plus, no Unnie glaring at each boy you were with. Good thing she only knew of Seokjin. Sure, he was a third year which did make things worse for you, but it's better than Unnie finding out you hang out with seven boys in total. She also doesn't need to find out that you go with them to a hidden location every day after school until almost midnight.

Just hanging out with Seokjin got you a very disturbing lecture about older men. However she sees Seokjin, that's clearly a very distorted version of him. She believes he's this creepy older guy preying on young and impressionable girls. You could only imagine her reaction to your first year guy friends. The plus was that they were your age, but she would still give you a light lecture. Maybe about how younger boys have their hormones out of control and aren't mature enough for a serious relationship. Whatever is going on in her mind, you'll let her be. She's actually dated compared to you, but she hasn't had the best experiences. She means well but...she also needs better taste in men.

As you face palmed at Taehyung's ridiculous dream, Yoongi came out from the back room. Was he going to save you from this strange story? Jungkook was hunched over laughing as Taehyung spoke about his dream last night. Apparently, he was adopted by Mr. Pyo and he was still treated badly. Then Mrs. Pyo was basically Mr. Pyo with an afro. Yoongi came over and dragged the rusty chair towards him. He sat down backwards on the chair as he took a large bite out of his chocolate bar. Taehyung finished his strange story and Jungkook finally calmed down. Seokjin also threw his plastic plate away, now walking over with his hands in his pockets.

"I took care of business. Hoseok is staying at SuChin." Yoongi scratched his head. His voice was calm and tired, but the corners of his lips were slightly twitching upward.

"Ah, thank you. I knew I could count on you, Friend." Seokjin patted the blue hair. Yoongi didn't appreciate the affection, his face showing how much he had a distaste for it. Still, he didn't shove Seokjin's hands off his shoulders.

"Really!?" Taehyung jumped in his seat as Jungkook began to grin.

"We didn't even have to do a thing!" Jungkook highfived Taehyung, making you wish you weren't in between these energetic boys.

"That's great!" You clapped your hands lightly. "How'd you do it?"

"Communicating with other gangs in different schools. Made sure they got their director's terrified of bringing Jung Hoseok on campus." Yoongi smirked. "Plus Hoseok's parents care about their image a lot so I decided to mess with the neighbors."

"Well dang." You laughed as his eyes showed a devious glow.

"Small neighborhoods make rumors fun." Yoongi crumbled his chocolate wrapper as Hoseok came in through the entrance. Everyone turned to face him with giant grins. He was shocked at first, but then joined in. Soon everybody in the warehouse was screaming in delight for no reason at the red head. He was bouncing around until the warehouse became silent.

"Why's everyone screaming?" Hoseok grinned from all the excitement in the room.

"You're staying at SuChin!" Seokjin and Taehyung cheered to see his eyes widened.

"How'd you guys know? I was going to bring it as good news for you guys." Hoseok pouted before smiling again when Taehyung jumped up to hug him. Their friendship was so cute. Jungkook looked over to Yoongi with a smirk. The third year left the rusty chair and made his way to the sunshine boy.

"I had some help in convincing them. (F/n) and Seokjin couldn't sway your parents so I did stuff using my connections," Yoongi stated.

"Wait, you're the one who ruined my parent's reputation in our neighborhood?" Hoseok's eyes grew twice in size.

"Happily." Yoongi nodded once with a tiny smile. Hoseok was quiet in shock. It didn't take long for him to react at the new information.

"That's so nice of you!! Yoongi hyung!" Hoseok threw his arms over the stiff male. Yoongi laughed uncomfortably from getting touched, but still enjoyed the happiness radiating off the second year.

Taehyung clapped his hands loudly at the scene. Jungkook gave a strong thumbs up while Seokjin pretended to tear up at the heartwarming scene. Hoseok then freed Yoongi from his tight hold. You couldn't help but giggle when Yoongi stumbled back to the rusty chair. At that moment, Jimin entered the warehouse. Everyone cheered again at his presence, making the blonde blush brightly. He smiled to see everyone so excited. For some reason, this morning had everyone in a good mood. Even old man Yoongi had a small pep to his step. Jimin stayed at the entrance, enjoying all the cheers he was getting.

"Wow, thank you!" Jimin couldn't stop grinning. "I was going to ask where Namjoon was, but he can wait."

"You're so cute, Jiminie." Hoseok laughed. "Namjoon took his Mom to the doctors for a checkup. He'll be here later."

"I'm in charge until then!" Yoongi shot up his hand.

"Why aren't I in charge? I'm older." Seokjin whined.

"Because I won't get us killed as quickly." Yoongi scoffed as Seokjin slowly agreed after thinking it over.

Jimin walked over to you, happily wrapping his arms around you as you sat on the couch. He was behind the couch, resting his head on yours. You giggled as you greeted him back. Jungkook sighed, looking back to face Jimin in the eyes. There was a competitive look in his eyes that you were able to detect. Shaking your head, you ruffled Jungkook's light brown hair for him to stop focusing on Jimin being affectionate with you. The maknae was surprised by your actions at first. You couldn't see Jimin's expression, but you hoped he was playing nice while you giggled with the youngest member. They're your friends, but you had a feeling they were starting to change how they felt about you. That thought made you nervous so you always tried to shove that thought away.

Yoongi rolled his eyes at the sight while Taehyung pouted. He wanted affection too and came rushing to the couch like a puppy. The only member that wasn't amused was Yoongi who glanced at the back room. He cracked his neck and then started making orders at the members. They were confused at first until realizing they had one crate in the room. All the first years groaned at the chore they were given. It didn't take much time for them to run over there. Somehow, they got into a contest on who could organize faster. Hoseok and Seokjin were given the task to organize Taehyung's spray paint cans.

Following the boys into the back room, you kept your hands to yourself as always. Whenever they had business back here, you made sure to keep your hands off things. The boys were all wearing gloves as they handled the drugs and cans. Taehyung slowed down at the competition as he watched his hyungs organize his cans on the shelves. Occasionally he would get back to work, but then complain about how they were placing them. He couldn't focus and soon found himself doing their job. Hoseok and Seokjin weren't complaining and just watched with smirks on their faces. Taehyung was instructing them for next time, but you doubted his hyungs were listening.

"I prefer them to be organized by brand. Not color!" Taehyung placed a can lightly at the edge of a shelf. "These are my babies. I'm an artist with them. One day, I'll spice up the warehouse with these guys."

"Sounds like a plan." Seokjin made an 'ok' hand.

"Would Namjoon allow that?" Hoseok tilted his head.

"That's why I have to do it when he's not here like now for example, but I need to think of a design first," Taehyung said. "Besides, why should I ask for permission? I found the warehouse in the first place."

"That's true." Hoseok crossed his arms as Yoongi walked into the backroom. He watched Jimin and Jungkook competitively putting the drugs away. He was impressed and turned to Taehyung delicately placing a can one by one on the shelves. Yoongi sighed at the sight and eventually his eyes landed on the two slacking members.

"What are you guys doing?" He narrowed his eyes on them.

"We're, um, advising." Seokjin smiled.

"Keep it up, Tae!" Hoseok cheered.

"Yes, Hyung!" Taehyung gave his boxy smile and went back to work.

Now his organizing was a little faster, but still not much improvement. Yoongi wasn't impressed in the slightest. He told off the boys to clean the dishes or to be useful. They hurried without complaining. Yoongi might be thin and look frail, but he was easily intimidating. He had that type of aura around him. Watching him walk over to the green couch, Yoongi plopped himself down as he tried taking a nap. When Yoongi was alone or not talking though, he came off as a harmless creature. Almost like a deer in a meadow. His antlers are frightening and especially when he uses them. But when he's just standing, he has a calming feel to him. It was hard to explain. Though he hated you and treated you with some hostility, it was still possible to see him in that light. Strange.

The chaos of cleaning and organizing soon ended when Namjoon finally arrived. Hoseok and Seokjin could breathe again. They were acting like their usual selves once the real leader showed up. Taehyung grinned to see the pink hair, alerting the other two first years that he's back. They hurried out to see him and you couldn't help but run with them. The four of you guys were like a pack. Namjoon was amused to see everyone so happy. Yoongi was asleep by this time. Well, when he wakes up someone can tell him he's not in charge anymore.

"Everything okay?" Namjoon knitted his brows.

"We were being treated like slaves!" Taehyung cried out as you held back laughter.

"Yoongi hyung abused us." Jungkook shivered from the 'trauma'.

"Save us!" Hoseok dramatically fell into Seokjin's arms.

"What drama is this?" Namjoon shook his head. "Yoongi took charge then?"

"He just made them organize the drugs and stuff." You shrugged to get an approving nod from their leader.

"That's good to know. I was going to make you guys do that anyway." Namjoon looked around the warehouse before looking at Taehyung. "Hey Taehyung, if you don't mind can you find a safe deal to do in a couple days?"

"Sure thing, Hyung." Taehyung's square smile became prominent. You noticed Namjoon was shy to ask that favor. Finding deals were Taehyung's job in the gang, but a deal hasn't happened since the arrest. It hasn't even been a full month since the incident, so the subject might be touchy. Namjoon was relieved when Taehyung took it positively instead negatively. Taehyung saw that look and went over to hug the tall male. "Don't worry, Namjoon!"

Hoseok found the moment adorable. You had to admit it was pretty cute too. Seokjin and Jungkook were laughing, walking away from the scene. While the eldest and youngest went over to the table, Jimin pulled out his phone from his pocket. You weren't able to catch the caller ID, but whoever it was calling was definitely important. Jimin put his phone to his ear as he rushed over to the entrance of the warehouse. Since the rest of the members were occupied with their own things, they didn't pay attention to Jimin leaving. He lingered at the empty door frame to make eye contact with you. The expression on his face made you anxious. That's when he mouthed certain words to you. Jam Entertainment.

Jimin then officially slipped out of the warehouse to continue the call. The members wouldn't notice you leaving too, right? Taking a few paranoid glances, you ran outside to meet up with Jimin. He was standing in front of the warehouse with a lot of anxiety. He kept pacing back and forth. Once he saw you, he was able to put a smile on his face. You were here for him. If they had good news for him then you were ready to party. If they didn't have the best news for him then you were going to cheer Jimin up until he was all better. He was usually insecure of himself, so you knew this could affect his self-esteem more than it would to others.

"This is Park Jimin." He bit his lip, taking a quick look at you before staring at the ground again. Jimin didn't respond for a painful minute. He listened to the other person, nodding his head to whatever they were saying. His expression never changed so you didn't know how to feel. The only change in him was the fact that he stopped pacing around. "Next Saturday?"

"What?" You mumbled, seeing a twinkle in Jimin's eyes. There was hidden excitement in his voice and a lot of hope. Clutching your hands into fists, you wished that he got in.

"Thank you so much. I'll be there." Jimin hung up the call. He looked up to you with the biggest smile on his face. "I got a callback to another audition!!"

"PARK JIMIN!" You squealed, embracing him tightly. "I knew you could do it!! You just have to believe in yourself because you are so talented!"

"You say that because you're friends with me, but thank you anyways." Jimin blushed, shaking off your compliments. "It's just a callback to a second audition. It doesn't mean I'm gonna be trainee so don't go crazy."

"You're gonna be an idol!" You brought your hands up to the sides of your face.

"This is the crazy I'm talking about." Jimin laughed. He was trying to stay calm but gave in to the excitement of the scenario. "This is great! I'm gonna have to text Hyungseong about this!" He began typing on his phone.

"I'm so happy for you, Jimin." You clapped your hands together. "Let's tell the gang we should eat out somewhere. We don't have to give them a reason on why we're celebrating of course."

"You're the best." Jimin flashed his pearly white teeth at you, his eyes turning to lines from sheer joy.

Chapter Text

Ch.30

Lunch today wasn't the most appetizing. Taehyung scrunched up his face in disgust once he witnessed what the school was giving you. The first years were taking a guess on what is was. It was funny at first until you realized how actually hungry you were. Jimin was kind enough to give you an extra snack. Then Jungkook offered you half of his meal so generously. Taehyung saw what they were doing and told you that you could have the rest of his juice box. Giggling, you thanked them for their kindness. Even though they gave these items to you, you still felt bad for taking it all. Jimin assured you it was fine by the time Seokjin and Yoongi came out of the cafeteria.

Almost everyone was here except for the second years. Taehyung let out a worried sound at the same time his face was stuffed. His brows were knitted tightly together when the third years showed up. They're always the last arrive. Jungkook and Jimin were confused too since their leader wasn't present. Nor was Hoseok and he would always alert you guys where Namjoon was. Where's Hoseok!? He's still going to SuChin so you wanted to see him. Taking a big bite of the food Jungkook gave you, Seokjin and Yoongi sat down to finally notice the worried stares of the first years

Yoongi was automatically startled to see the younger members staring at him so intensely. Seokjin raised a brow before blowing you guys a kiss. Jungkook immediately made a face at his hyung's actions. That face didn't make the third year too happy. While Yoongi was unsettled, Seokjin grew offended by the maknae who wasn't pleased by the eldest's famous flying kisses. Jimin let out a chuckle at that to only offend Seokjin even more. Things have gotten way off track now. Somehow Seokjin took worried faces as they want a flying kiss.

"Hey, don't make that face! And you, what are you laughing at!?" Seokjin leaned over his crossed legs, pointing an accusing finger at the blonde next to you.

"Hyung! Where's Namjoon?" Taehyung asked. "And Hoseok?"

"Yeah! We don't want your sloppy kisses. Where are the second years!?" Jungkook shouted to get a glare from Seokjin.

"Sloppy kisses?? You obnoxious little brat—" Seokjin began to get fired up, but Yoongi interrupted with a monotone voice.

"They have to stay in class during lunch. Hoseok got in trouble and managed to get Namjoon in his mess." Yoongi took a bite of his apple. "They have to make it up to the teacher."

"Aw, Hoseok hyung." Taehyung laughed. "I wish I could've seen what he did to get him and Namjoon hyung in trouble."

Jungkook agreed with Taehyung on that. When Hoseok became the babysitter of the first years, that's when they found out that he was a huge troublemaker in class. He went further to make teacher's hate their jobs than Taehyung did with Mr. Pyo. It was almost admirable, but at the same time you'd rather not be in that class. A few of the things Hoseok did were so crazy. You'll stay with Taehyung's mild disturbance in the class. Mr. Pyo would also take Kim Taehyung any day over his old student Jung Hoseok. Shaking your head at the silly thoughts, you listened to Jimin asking about what they're going to do after school. Knowing Hoseok, he'll probably get himself after school detention and Namjoon would be brought into it too.

"Namjoon always puts me in charge if he's not around." Yoongi stretched his arm. "I also know what we're supposed to do today."

"What's that?" Jungkook took a bite of his rice.

"Finish the crate organizing since you guys stopped in the middle of it." Yoongi gave a sharp glare at the young boys. They all nodded with light embarrassment. They got so excited when Namjoon came that they forgot about work. Plus, sleeping Yoongi couldn't tell them what to do anymore.

"Oh hey, can you help me find a deal?" Taehyung asked the blue hair. Seokjin furrowed his brows to hear him requesting that. The silver hair could always find deals, choosing the safest option for a successful deal.

"Are there no deals?" Jungkook paused in the middle of eating.

"No way. There a bunch of druggies out there." Yoongi scoffed. "What's up?"

"No one wants to do deals with us since we had the cops on us that one time. They don't trust our gang." Taehyung shrugged. Jungkook and Seokjin opened their mouth's in an 'o' shape as they understood. Yoongi set down his soda in annoyance.

"Those weak @ss f*ckers. They act all tough, but then get too afraid of some guys in uniform." Yoongi rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'll help you find a deal. We don't have enough to supply but we got enough to help desperate addicts." The blue hair laughed, revealing a gummy smile.

Taehyung thanked his hyung with a happy smile. The others laughed at Yoongi poking fun at the local gangs. It almost made you wonder what it was like do and be a part of a deal or work with other gangs. Joining a gang wasn't tempting, but you were curious for a one-time experience. The most you've experienced was accidentally showing up to a deal. But you knew if you joined a gang, it would be hard to leave. Maybe not this gang, but you'd still rather not join any gang even if all your friends were in this one. The 'Bullet Boys' were good as they were. It was impossible to manage one gone or an addition. They worked perfectly as seven. More efficient than smaller groups and giant organizations.

The group stopped talking about gang related subjects when an adult took a step outside. They pushed open the door, staring at everyone sitting outside. He was most likely a teacher is what you assumed. He instructed you guys that you weren't allowed to eat out here. Food was to only be eaten inside the cafeteria. No one spoke a reply and no one moved. Faculty at this school has never really done this before. Usually they're too afraid to speak to the gang when they're all together, but today the gang was short two members. Yoongi didn't respond with words, but he did lift up a certain finger to give the teacher a message. The teacher grumbled under his breath then left you guys all alone. Once the door shut, everyone cheered Yoongi on.

"That's our Min Yoongi!" They ruffled his hair, making him complain about getting touched.

*~*

Seokjin told everyone to walk over to the warehouse. He got the message from Namjoon that Hoseok got them in even further trouble. Just like predicted! The eldest was going to stay at the school and make attempts to get the teacher to let them go. He was going to use his charms to return them to the warehouse. Hoseok apparently insulted his science teacher, comparing her to a donkey. What a classy move. Namjoon tried getting Hoseok out of it by pretending it was a good metaphor. His explanation to the meaning of the awful and confusing metaphor got them both in trouble during lunch. They had to write letters of apology to their teacher only for Hoseok to say 'it's really noticeable when you look to the left' for some d*mn reason. Now the two were stuck after school for two hours.

The first years didn't complain about walking over to the warehouse at all. They all high fived in excitement to take the relaxing walk. It helped them all unwind, even Yoongi was smiling. Jungkook gave you a grin since the two of you could walk to the warehouse together. Everyone trailed behind the third year because he was the temporary leader and in front. He wasn't faster than the others, but it was just an unspoken rule to not pass the leader. Jungkook and you were five feet away from the blue hair, talking about the classes you didn't share with the members. Taehyung and Jimin were three feet behind the two of you talking about who knows what. All you could hear was Taehyung telling Jimin strange story that shouldn't ever be told.

The five of you were in no rush to the warehouse. The walk from the school to the warehouse took about half an hour to get there. It would take longer if the members used the main roads and followed the sidewalks. They only took the main road if Seokjin was driving them to the location. Today was a nice day for a stroll. To get to the warehouse, you guys would go through a large field and eventually reach a rail road track that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere. You've never seen a train use this track and neither have the members.

Jungkook and you balanced yourselves on the rails. He took the left rail and you took the right one. The two of you continued your conversation to see Taehyung and Jimin do the same. The blonde followed behind the brunette while the silver hair was on your rail. Yoongi didn't join in on the fun and stayed walking in the middle of the tracks. It looked like he wasn't listening into the conversations, but he would occasionally reply. Soon the tracks were getting close to the field with the empty sheds. After the gang situation, Yoongi and Jungkook checked the sheds to make sure there wasn't anything left by them.

"She kept staring at me during class which was really weird," Jungkook complained. "Then she almost didn't let me go to lunch and kept calling me oppa."

"You get a lot of crazy girls after you, don't you?" You chuckled to see him huff in frustration. The poor maknae has been through a lot, but you couldn't help laughing at his girl troubles.

"Remember the time one of those crazy girls fought (F/n)?" Yoongi cracked up and you had to glare at the back of his head.

"And whose fault was that?" You growled, referencing the rumors.

"Hey, I said you were a slut for us. Not that you were dating Jungkook and I also didn't tell her to fight you." Yoongi scoffed.

"You're the slut!" You pouted to have the rest of the first years burst out laughing. The sudden comment made Taehyung and Jungkook lose balance.

"Sure, I am," Yoongi replied nonchalantly, unaffected by your defensive remark. "We made it." He sighed, getting off the rail road track and into the wheat field. Everyone got off the rails to follow him with the warehouse in sight now.

Entering the large entrance of the warehouse, Taehyung ran in like a child. Yoongi didn't hesitate to remind the boys that they had a job to do. Jungkook sighed, going to the back with a bored expression. Jimin took a few quick steps to reach Jungkook, placing his hand on the maknae's back. As they went to go finish organizing, Jimin told his story of dealing with some unwanted confessions. Was SuChin crawling with crazy girls or what? You went over to the couch so you wouldn't bother them from working. Plopping down in it, you watched the dust float into the air and spotted a new stain on the couch. This thing is disgusting, but you get used to it after a while to the point where you don't mind placing your face on a cushion.

Kicking your legs up on the small coffee table in front of you, Yoongi watched you from a distance. He wasn't at the table or 'kitchen' area but he wasn't in the 'living room' area either. His eyes narrowed down on you as you got comfortable. Does he want to pick a fight? You're willing to throw hands, but you also just sat down. This boy needs to get his timing right. Lately, he hasn't been rude but is getting into the habit again since Seokjin and him are cool again. That left you as fair game to be made fun of. Now you had tougher skin so his words wouldn't bother you, but you still needed to improve on your comebacks. Calling him a slut wasn't supposed to be funny. You were actually trying to somewhat hurt his feelings.

"Are you staying here?" Yoongi pulled out a cigarette.

"Yes, I am and smoking is bad for you." You crossed your arms though he only rolled his eyes. He can be rude all he wants, but you'll make attempts to be caring and nice. It's more than him who juts bites his tongue and calls that being nice.

"Like I care. Everything inside me is black already." Yoongi pulled out a lighter.

"Edgy." You wanted to take away the lighter. So why don't you?

Getting up from your seat, you walked over to him calmly. He had already lit his cigarette and let out one puff of smoke. His eyes were closed as his shoulders became less tense. They fell with a sigh only for him to become alert when he heard your feet. Yoongi's eyes shot open as he spotted you less than a foot away from him trying to sneak your hand in his pocket. He smacked your hand away and took a step back. This wasn't how you planned to spend your afternoon in the warehouse, but why not? This was for his health anyway. And slightly for your amusement. Yoongi got annoyed instantly to see you keep going for his pockets.

"Yah! Are you trying to feel me up or smoke a cigarette?" Yoongi shouted. A part of you wanted to go with the first option to see his reaction, but you weren't that close with him. He was also becoming terrifying at the moment. You didn't want to push his buttons more to only end up with your body in a ditch.

"...I was just having fun with you," You mumbled to see his eye twitch.

"Play with Jimin then. I'm not interested." He took a long drag from his cigarette, walking over to the stage where the table was. He took out his phone as a bunch of smoke left his mouth. Pouting, you told him smoking wasn't healthy again. Yoongi turned to face you with a stoic expression before opening his mouth. A lot of smoke clouded his face that you couldn't see it anymore. Once the smoke cleared up, you saw a certain finger pointing upwards at you. Fair enough.

Heading towards the back, you went with Yoongi's suggestion to go play with Jimin instead. At least Jimin wouldn't treat you like that. Taking a step into the back room, you raised a brow to see the three boys playing hot potato with the last bag of weed. Taehyung was laughing, Jungkook passed it around with lightening speed, and Jimin was panicking. The weed then ended in Taehyung's hands as Jimin nervously threw it to him. Jungkook cheered while Jimin let out a sigh of relief. They were taking this game a little too seriously. Jimin rested against the crate and Jungkook did a little victory dance. The silver haired boy stared down at the bag with a frown.

"Haha, you have to get high!" Jungkook pointed his finger at the male.

"Good thing we can both be clean." Jimin gave the brunette a small smile. They nodded to each other as Taehyung groaned.

"Does Yoongi have his lighter?" Taehyung looked towards the entrance to see your body leaning against the door frame. He flinched, catching the attention of the other boys. They jumped as well to see your presence.

"No one is getting high." You growled to have them all nod without question. Taehyung tossed the weed across the room without even looking at it. Good. Giving them an approving look, you finally walked into the room. The four of you weren't going to talk about what just happened. Jungkook shouldn't get addicted to another drug, Jimin is a dancer, and Taehyung is already a lot to handle when he's not on drugs.

You helped the boys rip the crate a part. Jimin and you actually took it down plank by plank meanwhile the two youngest members used crow bars to destroy it. They kept trying to see who could cause the most damage. It was a good thing they had gloves since they could get splinters. You had bare hands which made you nervous to help them, but Jimin assured you that you would be fine. Yoongi apparently burns the wood for warmth on the coldest nights. That tugged at a heart string to think he had to do that. Then again, that punk also loves to make your life harder. But you still felt bad. What a piece of sh*t, making you feel so conflicted. That's when the blue hair entered the back room looking tired. The cigarette was out at least.

"I got a text from Namjoon. He wants me to get another crate of supplies," He said to get Taehyung frowning.

"What? I get we're getting back into deals, but shouldn't we take things slow?" Taehyung reasoned.

"Yeah, let's deal with the drugs we have." Jungkook gestured at the decently sized pile.

"We don't even have a deal with another gang set." Jimin sat on what was left of the crate. All of the boys complained to the third year. Leaning against the counter, you wondered why Namjoon would be doing this after everything that's happened. He's a smart guy so what's up with this tactic?

"Is his Mom getting sick again? Or other money problems?" You asked to have the other first year boys look at Yoongi for answers. They didn't think right away that he could be having problems again.

"He promised to talk to us if he had money problems!" Taehyung whined. "That hyung!"

"He's not having money problems. These are just his orders as leader." Yoongi crossed his arms. Taehyung looked at Jungkook, then Jimin, and then at you. His square grin grew larger as he looked at everyone in the room individually. He had an idea.

"Well, right now you're the leader! So what do you think we should do?" Taehyung questioned. It almost felt like you could see a tail wagging excitedly on him.

"He's right!" Jungkook threw both his fists up in the air.

"Yes hyung, you're the leader now." Jimin chuckled while you shook your head playfully at them. The first-year boys got along so well. Sometimes they shared the same brain. This was one of those moments where they were all on the same page. Looking over to Yoongi, a small smirk appeared on his face as he saw the first years waiting for him to speak.

"We'll stick with what we have for now." Yoongi declared to earn cheers from the boys.

As they gave Yoongi approving thumbs up, the sound of the truck's engine came by. The rest of the members must be here. Jimin was shocked, looking around nervously. Jimin immediately told Yoongi that telling Namjoon about his decision was all on him. Taehyung agreed right away with Jimin, pretending that they weren't involved in making Yoongi come to that conclusion. The blue hair chuckled as he left the back room. Jimin and Taehyung followed him out like hyper children. Jungkook grinned, slowly getting near the door before glancing at you. He cocked his head in the direction where the others went. Pushing yourself away from the counter, you followed Jungkook to where the others were.

Namjoon looked extremely exhausted from the day he's had. Hoseok on the other hand still had a grin on his face. He got excited to see the first years, calling them all cute and jumping around with them. When Seokjin came into the warehouse, he looked greatly disturbed. What scarred him while they were gone? Yoongi lightly tapped Seokjin to ask what was up with him. Namjoon sat down on the rusty chair, letting out a heavy sigh. Taehyung went over to him to slap his thigh roughly. The happy grin on Taehyung contrasted well with Namjoon's current expression that he gave the first year. Normally, he adored the boy but right now wasn't the moment.

"Yoongi's the new leader!" Taehyung joked as Namjoon pursed his lips.

"Whatever..." The pink hair shrugged it off.

"It was so weird!" Seokjin cringed, shivering at whatever he was talking about.

Namjoon let out a soft chuckle at what the eldest was referencing. Hoseok covered his mouth, holding himself back from the amount of laughter he wanted to release. Now he had to tell everyone. Taehyung hurried in front of the two third years, taking a seat for the story time. Jungkook rushed down as well which convinced Yoongi to sit with them. Jimin was amused and looked over to you. He came over to grab your hand, bringing you to sit down next to him. Hoseok then joined everyone on the floor, but Namjoon stayed in his chair. Seokjin took in a deep breath as he got ready to tell his story.

This story took place after school after telling all the younger members to go off to the warehouse. Seokjin described himself as a charming prince walking SuChin's empty halls to find the right classroom the second years were at. When he found it, he opened the door to see an angry woman in her fourties yelling at Hoseok. Namjoon was quiet, looking down at his desk with a tired gaze. The woman stopped scolding the red head to see someone had come in. She was surprised to see a student instead of an adult. Seokjin made sure to emphasize that he was just trying to use his charms to get the boys out of detention early and for nothing else.

All the boys besides Hoseok and Namjoon had an idea where this story was heading. Seokjin then said how calming down the woman took some time. It was especially hard with Hoseok occasionally cracking a joke out of nowhere. Namjoon looked dead inside, done with his best friend. This is when Seokjin took the woman's hand lightly, asking her in a smooth voice how long the boys would be here despite knowing. According to the black hair, Ms. Choi was instantly wooed by his good looks and charisma at that moment. Hoseok backed him up saying he should have taken notes. Seokjin resumed the story, saying he talked to Ms. Choi carefully without telling her his plan to get the boys out earlier.

"I didn't think she'd take it the wrong way, but she did!" Seokjin covered his face. "And no, she didn't slap me in outrage which I think I would prefer even though she'd hurt my handsome face."

"Get on with the story!" Taehyung shouted.

"I am!" Seokjin barked back. "So there I was, asking her why a beautiful woman like herself was getting stressed over a couple of stupid boys?"

"Rude," Hoseok mumbled.

"That's when I noticed she had no ring on her fourth finger and I hit home without realizing it." Seokjin ignored the second year.

Hoseok and Namjoon's teacher has been divorced since the beginning of the school year. In the beginning of the year, she was always sad and moping around. Now she gets angry at the smallest things. Those were Hoseok's words, so you didn't know how trust worthy of a narrator he was. Namjoon didn't say anything about their teacher, only enjoying the retelling of Seokjin's nightmare. Since Seokjin called her beautiful and basically indirectly told her to forget about her ex-husband, Ms. Choi had turned into a putty in the male's hands. Seokjin was older than the other boys, but still incredibly young compared to Ms. Choi. Seokjin sighed, saying his friendly and warm atmosphere trapped her. She was enamored by his good looks.

The boys rolled their eyes for the millionth time. Eventually Seokjin was back on track, stating how Ms. Choi's body language had changed. Her body was pointed away from him, her arms crossed tightly. Now she was completely facing him and no longer angry. Hoseok made another joke that made Namjoon cover his head like an explosion went off, but Ms. Choi did nothing. She didn't even blink at Hoseok's comment. The teacher focused on Seokjin like he was the only person in existence. Taehyung looked at Hoseok for clarification and the red head nodded. Yoongi was chuckling, seeing Seokjin get more horrified as the story went on.

Ms. Choi was flattered by Seokjin, asking him to properly introduce himself to her. The eldest member stated his full name, grade, and even age. Hoseok interrupted the story, promising that he saw Ms. Choi lick her lips when Seokjin said he was nineteen. Yoongi almost fell onto the floor since Seokjin was the eldest here, but she was still twice his age. Seokjin continued the story, trying to power through without the memories flooding in. She began to flirt with Seokjin, playfully acting younger than her actual age. Namjoon started to fall out of his seat, laughing and soon Hoseok was cracking up too. You and the rest of the first years were giggling lightly at the eldest's pain.

"It's not funny! She invited me to eat with her on the weekend!" Seokjin shouted.

"Did you accept?" You asked to see his eyes grow wide in shock.

"Why would I!? I told her no politely and said I was friends with those two idiots." Seokjin glared at the red head and pink head. "She let me take them out early, but she put her hand on my arm as we walked out the classroom..."

"Did you have her last year?" Jungkook tilted his head.

"No, and I'm glad I didn't." Seokjin huffed.

"There would have been a scandal if he had her last year!" Taehyung playfully smacked Jungkook.

"Oh, Seokjin hyung is a player!" Jimin laughed as you shoved your embarrassed face in his shoulder. These boys were too much, but they had their hyungs laughing loudly. All of them were clutching their stomachs tightly. Only Seokjin stood with an unhappy expression.

"You laugh now but wait until she flirts with you guys next year!" Seokjin shouted only to receive more laughter. "You guys should be laughing this hard at my Dad jokes! You guys are so rude." He walked away from the entrance, leaving the laughing crowd.

"We're sorry!" You giggled as some of the boys shook their heads.

Chapter Text

Ch.31

Jimin and you were coloring on the coffee table in the warehouse. The both of you sat on the floor, doodling whatever came to mind. Jungkook was sitting on the couch with an actual sketchbook. His drawings were really good! He was really shy about showing them though, but he did give you some peeks. Then Taehyung was spray painting the area behind the couch. He was trying to do portraits of everyone the best he could. It didn't smell pleasant, but the members appreciated the attempts. Currently, Jimin was carefully coloring something in since he didn't trust his coloring skills. You were just messing around with the white piece of paper you were given. Today was a very chill day in the warehouse. The three oldest members were laying cards at the table while Namjoon was spending the day with his mom.

That meant Yoongi was in charge of us for another day. It was strange to not have the pink hair around, but you were slowly getting used to it. That didn't mean Namjoon was forgotten. Everyone missed him, but his mom was getting suspicious. He usually hung out late which was okay with his mom. She's just been wondering what he's up to since he disappeared when she was sick. It's finally making her wonder what exactly her son has been doing. Hoseok said that we all had to try our hardest and pretend not to be in a gang when around Namjoon. That was the plan and it wasn't that great. Taehyung shook his spray can violently before finally getting the pink to spray on the wall.

Namjoon wasn't aware the warehouse was getting a makeover. It'll be a like a little surprise for him. Taehyung was making him right now. Since Taehyung found the warehouse, he made the decision to paint but did ask Yoongi where he could do it. Yoongi wanted to play cards and didn't want the fumes bothering him so he made the silver hair do it where you were. Too bad for him, Taehyung handed you guys face masks and wore one himself. It helped not make any of you guys light headed while he worked. As Taehyung threw cans around in his duffel bag, his phone alerted him of a message. The male took it out of his flannel to read what was sent to him.

"Namjoon hyung approved the deal I told him about!" Taehyung pulled the face mask down.

"Good." Yoongi gave him a thumbs up.

"Sweet. I get to protect Namjoon from getting himself beat up. No more extra scars!" Jungkook chuckled, sharpening his pencil. Hoseok gave the maknae a look to respect his hyung. It only made the brunette grin like a troublemaker. Jimin set down his purple marker, raising his head up to see Taehyung.

"When's the deal?" Jimin asked.

"This Saturday!" Taehyung cheered, putting his mask back on and turned back to his wall.

Laughing at his energy, you turned to face Jimin with a smile. His expression was the exact opposite of yours. The blonde's eyes were wide and he was beginning to shake. Losing your smile, you opened your mouth to call his name. Before you could even get your voice to call out his name, Jimin was already running out of the warehouse. Jungkook was too busy focusing on his drawing to notice and Taehyung was loudly humming a weird tune. Hoseok was cheering at his win, Seokjin was groaning at his loss, and Yoongi was looking at his cards. Getting up from the ground, you ran out to find Jimin crouched down in front of the warehouse.

His back was pressed against the wall. Jimin didn't lift his head at all when your foot steps came closer. The boy kept his face buried in his knees that he was tightly holding up to his chest. Placing one knee on the ground, you went low to the ground to try and see his face. You had no idea what was going on. You bit your lip and wondered what you could do to cheer him up. He was so ready for a deal so why did this bring him down all of a sudden? Slowly reaching towards his shoulder, you rested your hand there before rubbing his back. Jimin sniffled, eventually lifting his face enough for you to see how red his eyes were. Immediately, a bullet shattered your heart and it was painful.

"Jimin...what's wrong?" You spoke in a soft voice. Furrowing your brows, you pulled him into a tight hug. "I don't like seeing you sad like this."

"The callback...it's the same day as the deal." Jimin coughed out, trying to clear his voice. He was right. He tried wiping his tears away with his sleeves though it was fruitless. Only more tears escaped the male in front of you. "It's not fair. I k-keep getting chances to d-dance and...they're p-pulled away from me like..." Jimin smacked his knee in frustration.

"What if you tell the guys you can't do Saturday?" You suggested to only have him shake his head.

"Deals are top priority." Jimin sighed, his entire face pink as he looked away from you. "Besides...they need me."

"What if I take your place?" You grabbed his shoulders tightly to get a glare from him. You weren't joking but he must have taken it that way. He removed your hands away from his body and stood up.

"Unless you want them dead. God, dancing is supposed to make me h-happy." Jimin ran both of his hands through his hair. He started to walk in circles, almost talking to himself. "I've had a lot of f-fun dancing, again but f-fate is so cruel. Maybe I'm not cut out to d-dance. This is a sign...I'm done."

"No, Jimin!" You jumped onto your feet.

His confidence is always easily destroyed. Anything could make him unsure of himself and you hated that. Jimin is so talented but he couldn't believe any compliments handed to him. He enjoyed them but didn't accept them quickly. The boy was extremely guilty of self-doubt. Once Jimin entered this state of mind, it was really hard to pull him out. Especially now. It's never been this tough before. Horrible timing has struck again just like with the free dance class. It made him actually think he shouldn't try dancing anymore. Grabbing onto his shoulders, you gritted your teeth to see him not crying as much. Just seeing Park Jimin like this made you feel sick. You wanted to see his eye smile and hear his cute laughter. Not this.

"I shouldn't have even gone to the first audition. Hyungseong got a callback too and now we won't get to dance together again!" Jimin huffed, balling his small hands into fists.

"You just have to push through these tough moments. Becoming a dancer won't come easy, but you can do it! Park Jimin, you're so talented." You tried to get through to him. "You just need some faith in yourself."

"I shouldn't have listened you." Jimin narrowed his eyes on you as he wiped his cheek. Stunned by his words, you took your hands off him. The blonde was usually so cute and kind, but his cold stare made you shut up. He was scary when he was angry. "We shouldn't talk about dance anymore. I'm done with it, alright?"

"Jimin..." You frowned as he looked away from you.

"What's going on here?"

A voice made you jump. Jimin continued to keep his gaze on the ground. It was obvious he had been crying. His eyes were still puffy and certain areas of his face were bright pink. Turning to face the owner of the voice, Yoongi stood there with his hands in his pockets. You didn't speak a word since he hated the mention of the word 'dance' when Jimin was involved. The blue hair walked over to the first year, protectively bringing him into a side hug. Yoongi glared down at your form as you felt some tears forming too. Crossing your arms, you let your gaze fall to the floor as Jimim mumbled the truth. He had officially given up on his dreams of dancing.

"That's hard, but good for you." Yoongi petted the blonde, letting him weep some more into his jacket. "I told you that dancing was no good for you. Don't worry, Jimin, you still have the gang."

"Jimin—" You started only to jump back.

"You've done enough!" Yoongi barked furiously. Shrinking down, you watched as Jimin didn't bother to spare you a glance. "Let this be a lesson to you to stop telling Jimin to pursue dancing."

"I wanna go back inside, Hyung," uttered Jimin. Yoongi nodded at his request.

"Yeah, let's enter from the back so you can clean yourself up before seeing the others." Yoongi gave you one last scowl as Jimin thanked him. "You can leave."

Yoongi continued comforting Jimin as he took him to the backroom. You didn't move from your spot. All you did was stay tongue tied. The dancing dream was gone now? Feeling your throat tighten up, it made it really hard to breathe. Not to mention your eyes were burning and so you closed your eyes tightly in hopes to prevent tears from escaping. Letting out a shaky breath, you wondered if you should actually go home without saying goodbye. Maybe that would be for the best. Walking onto the little road, you only made it so far before Jungkook's voice shouted your name. At first you didn't turn around only to have him chase after you.

"(F/n), are you going home? You didn't even say goodbye..." Jungkook stopped to see your lip quivering.

"Yeah sorry. I just don't feel well," You lied to see him frown.

"Whatever is going on, it's gonna be okay." Jungkook wrapped his arms around you. Nodding your head against his chest, you stayed in his arms and managed to calm yourself down. He stared happily down at you and pushed away a stray strand of hair. Giving him an appreciative smile, his grip loosened on you as you took a step back. He put his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he watched you take a few more steps down the road. That's when the both of you saw a certain pink haired male making his way over. "Do you wanna stay now that Namjoon hyung is here?"

"Nah, I'm gonna go now. Tell the others I had to go." You waved as he reluctantly agreed to let you go. You passed Namjoon, talking to him briefly. He let you go once you lied to him too about not feeling well. It wasn't a complete lie, but it's not like you were sick. Gosh, you have no idea how physical education will be like tomorrow.

*~*

Physical education was lonely. Jimin didn't talk to you too much which was better than you thought. You figured he wouldn't pay attention to you. That he would possibly treat you like the scum of the earth. Instead he made a few small comments. The two of you talked once during the hall and luckily the other two first years didn't spot anything weird. Jimin and you were like the best of buds, but now you didn't know what to think. He was on Yoongi's side of avoiding his dream of dancing. You didn't mean to force him at all. You just thought you were being supportive, but it was too late to feel bad.

Jungkook talked to you a lot more during math class. Taehyung was surprised that Jungkook was coming out of his shell with all these students around. Mr. Pyo gave Jungkook his fair share of glares today. You knew the light-haired brunette was just trying to see if you felt better from yesterday. He was right on the dot when guessing that it wasn't your stomach feeling sick. Somehow Jungkook was able to pick up on that but didn't ask what was really wrong. Jimin and you headed over to Ms. Lee's line without saying a word. When you guys had to do partner stretches, he still chose you.

It was surprising at first. You could have sworn he was going to leave you for someone else. When he chose you, you didn't question him about it at all since you wanted him to stay. Towards the end of class is when the two of you would always dance for fun. Jimin didn't dance or look at you for the last five minutes of class. Ms. Lee then sent everyone to go change out. Sighing, you went over to the changing room and got into your normal uniform. Things between Jimin and you had changed. It made you want to scream into some kind of void. Why did things have to go down like this? Exiting the locker room, you were surprised see Jimin waiting for you outside. You assumed he was going to stop doing that.

Jimin waited for you to come out to get a couple things off his chest. He wanted to apologize for yelling at you yesterday. His thoughts about giving up dance hadn't changed. That was something he felt was really important for you to know. He wanted you guys to continue having your close friendship, just no dancing. You understood and accepted, but you felt greatly disappointed. You believed the reason your friendship with Jimin was so close was because of dancing. First you embarrassed yourself in front of him by dancing and discovered his dream. Then you were supportive of him in something he hadn't told anyone else. For now, you'll just do what he wants, but you're ready to dance if he comes back to it.

Now it was time for lunch. The awkwardness between Jimin and you hadn't disappeared completely. The both of you came outside to eat with the others. Jungkook had a space next to him that he made after shoving Taehyung farther away from him. The silver hair grumbled about being mistreated every time he wants to eat peacefully. Jimin took his spot next to Taehyung while you sat down in the space Jungkook had left for you. Smiling at Jungkook, he gave you a side hug that made Jimin look away. All of you started eating your food with Taehyung being the only one talking. He was talking about bumping into Mr. Pyo in the hall. He couldn't finish his story when the third years came out.

"I told him to sleep with his eyes open and—only the third years?" Taehyung tilted his head as Yoongi and Seokjin sat down.

"I don't know where Namjoon is. He didn't text me and neither did Hoseok." Yoongi sighed, opening his bag of chips.

"Man, Namjoon is never here anymore." Taehyung frowned with a mix of annoyance and sadness in his eyes.

"Yoongi is now our new leader." Jungkook chuckled, taking his sandwich out of his lunch bag. Seokjin then laughed with the maknae as he looked over at the blue hair. Yoongi had a smirk on his face to see the first years acting like this.

"Min Yoongi is the right hyung for the job." Jimin smiled as Taehyung stared up at the sky with a lost expression.

"Wow, you kicked out Namjoon without even trying." Seokjin patted Yoongi's back.

"Aw come on guys. Namjoon is a good leader," You said.

The mood then shifted from your comment. That's strange. Jungkook's joking smile was now gone and Jimin shifted uncomfortably. Yoongi didn't care about your opinion. Taehyung stopped staring at the sky to give you a light smile. Seokjin went on as normal, telling the group a pun he came up with himself. He managed to make everyone laugh and you felt a grin form on your face. At that moment, the door open to reveal Namjoon and Hoseok coming out to eat. Jungkook and Jimin immediately started poking fun at them for being late. Seokjin enjoyed the show as Jungkook tossed a piece of bread at the pink hair's head.

"Look who finally decided to show up?" Jimin crossed his arms.

"Who are these men?" Jungkook shouted. Namjoon and Hoseok were instantly confused to the sudden hate they were receiving.

"Why are you never here Namjoon hyung!?" Taehyung narrowed his eyes on the tall male. "You said you were going to be our old leader again. Don't go back on your word."

"I only went to the bathroom first..." Namjoon stared at the first years with a frown.

Seokjin started to crack up even louder as embarrassment fell on the younger members. Jimin pretended he wasn't involved in making fun of Namjoon. He drank his orange juice and looked the other direction while Jungkook stuffed the rest of his sandwich into his mouth. Taehyung puckered his lips and raised his eyebrows. The eldest was clapping his hands when Yoongi finally made him stop. Hoseok sat down next to the black hair to smack his shoulder. Namjoon did his bet to muster a small smile, but it didn't stay for that long.

"Sorry, Namjoon." Seokjin calmed down. "The first years were already declaring Yoongi as the new leader."

"What?" Namjoon dropped his food. He stared at the eldest with wide eyes before facing the young members across from him. Taehyung looked down with a lot of shame.

"We were just messing around," He let his silver bangs cover his eyes.

"Yeah, we meant no harm, Hyung." Jungkook grinned.

"We know you're our leader." Jimin assured the second year who was staring at them with unsure eyes. Yoongi hadn't said a word at all. He was just munching on his chips and drinking his soda.

"The first years are stupid. Don't listen to them," Hoseok told his friend, waving his hand at you guys.

"I defended Namjoon." You pouted.

"They were just joking around. It's not like they actually want me." Yoongi gave you a sharp glare.

One look from him and it was enough to leave your lips sealed shut. Namjoon nodded and laughed it off with everyone. You could see it in his eyes that he didn't like these types of jokes. Last time the first years joked about this, he was too tired to care. The joke wasn't gone yet so it was probably making him worried if they started taking it seriously. He's their leader though. Yoongi may be older, depend on the group more, but he didn't have the right qualities you saw in Namjoon. Jungkook and Jimin didn't make eye contact with any of the other members, especially their real leader. Taehyung remained playing with his fingers and staring at the ground. Look likes the group is having another tough time. Just great.

Chapter Text

Ch.32

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Today was Saturday. The day of the deal and the callback. Hyungseong was wondering why I was so excited and then told him I couldn't go. He was so confused. He didn't understand. Neither did (F/n), but she was trying to respect my decision. I didn't mean to yell at her like I did when I found out. She was just trying to comfort me, but I'm done. Dancing has caused me nothing, but pain and it was rude of me to blame that all on her. Now our relationship was awkward. We're not that close anymore and Jungkook saw that. Did I even have a right to be jealous anymore? I ruined my bond with Kwon (F/n).

Right now I was walking to the warehouse with a slightly dead expression. Once I enter that building, I have to put on a friendlier face. They can't know that I'm hurting inside because of the callback. We have more important things to focus on. The sound of the truck turning onto the street made me turn my head. Seokjin was driving his car with (F/n) in the passenger seat. By the time I walked onto the same lot of the warehouse, Seokjin was already parking the car. He gave me an excited smile while (F/n) and I barely acknowledged each other. This was going to drive me crazy. How are we supposed to fix what happened though because I'm not dancing again?

Seokjin announced his entrance loudly. Taehyung and Jungkook didn't care, but Hoseok clapped. Yoongi left the room at the same time (F/n) entered. I was following behind them with my hood up and my hands in my pockets. So far, I was doing a bad job trying to act like I was fine. It looked like I was going through a rough break up. That's when the baggy hoodie had to go. Time for fake smiles instead! Namjoon had a calculator and was writing something down on the coffee table. He always made sure to do a second check on the amount of money the other gang owed. The last thing any of us wanted was to be cheated.

"Good, you guys are here." Namjoon looked up from his calculator. "You don't mind staying here, (F/n)?"

"I'm used to it. Don't worry about me." (F/n) waved his concern away. "I'll have fun here."

"It's so sad that you haven't been here for a minute and we're already leaving." Hoseok went to hug the (h/c) girl. She only giggled as he tried to comfort her on something she didn't mind too much. "It's also getting night."

"You guys always leave me alone during deals." (F/n) patted Hoseok's head as if he was a dog. "I'll be safe."

"We'll be back before you know it." Seokjin grinned as Taehyung zipped up his bag of spray paint.

When Namjoon first saw Taehyung's start of the mural, he tried not to upset the artist. He wasn't mad at all. He just didn't appreciate Taehyung's artistic vision of him. For some reason our leader was taller than the current members on the wall. Namjoon was taller than us, but he was at least a reasonable size. Taehyung was literally making him tower over us with a creepy smile. It was supposed to be a friendly smile, but the paint started to drip down. Now Yoongi complains about seeing that terrifying image at night. Letting Taehyung paint in the warehouse might have been a big mistake. Especially since he made me short and my fingers were like tiny stubs. He's lucky he hasn't done Yoongi yet.

Hoseok viewed himself in the unfinished mural. The silver hair was barely starting Hoseok's face and the red hair was already disliking it. As they complained, Taehyung cleaned his hands and walked over to Namjoon. Jungkook was bringing the ear pieces. We had to buy a new pair since our leader somehow broke them all. That's why Taehyung didn't hear us when there were cops. The pink hair lifted his head up once he finished counting the appropriate amount. (F/n) went over to hesitantly sit down on the rusty chair. Hopefully I had improved on my happy face. No one was questioning me, so I figured I was okay.

"We have everything organized." Taehyung played with his hands.

"That's good to know. Yoongi really helped me out when he watched over you guys." Namjoon chuckled.

"We didn't get the other crate you wanted. We didn't think that would be a good idea and Yoongi made the final decision on that," Taehyung said. He was no longer playing with his fingers. He gave the male sitting down a confident look as those words left his mouth. I had almost forgotten that crazy request Namjoon made.

"What?" Namjoon tilted his head.

"Since Yoongi was the leader and he gets the supplies for us, he decided no," Taehyung admitted.

Jungkook paused right behind (F/n) and looked around for the blue hair. He hasn't come out from the back room from doing whatever. Hoseok and Seokjin were no longer focusing on the mural. Now they were intrigued in the conversation, crossing their arms in confusion. They both glanced at each other with a raised eye brow. Even Namjoon shared the same expression. He was at a loss for words to hear this. It made Taehyung start moving his right foot to feel less awkward.

"When did I say to get another crate?" Namjoon furrowed his brows. Jungkook set down the ear pieces on the coffee table with a sigh.

"The same day you and Hoseok had after school detention," Jungkook stated to stand next to (F/n) again. She kept her gaze on Namjoon and then nervously staring off at the backroom.

"What?...I don't recall ever making that decision." Namjoon scoffed which was a little frustrating.

"Then why would Yoongi tell us that?" I questioned him as he only shrugged.

Taehyung immediately regretted bringing this up. Hoseok and Seokjin watched the conversation as if they were analyzing it. At that moment, Yoongi finally came out of the back room with a lazy look on his face. He strode over to us as everyone became quiet. (F/n) pursed her lips at the new situation. Problems surrounding the gang never seem to end. It was becoming exhausting. Especially since we had our own personal problems to deal with. Namjoon stood up from the couch, sighing and putting his hands in his pockets. Hoseok spoke up before our leader could ask Yoongi any questions about what the first years were talking about.

"Maybe Yoongi told you guys that himself and you guys thought Namjoon did." Hoseok brought it up, but we instantly made a face at his words.

"Yeah, Yoongi has been put in charge a lot recently. Maybe you guys just mixed it up by accident?" Seokjin shrugged.

"No way. Yoongi told us that Namjoon specifically asked for a new crate for another deal." Jungkook huffed as Yoongi licked hit bottom lip to then look away.

"The thing is that I never told him that I wanted another crate." Namjoon raised his hands up in the air.

"Then what?" Taehyung turned to face the faded blue hair. His hyung's bored gaze never changed. It didn't become worried, confused, or angry. He continued acting like nothing was going on. Everyone's attention shifted to the male rubbing his nose. Yoongi looked at everyone without speaking a word.

"Hm?" He raised a brow.

"Have you been telling them that I said to get another crate?" Namjoon kept his patience. "Have you been making up things to the first years?"

"We don't have time for this." Seokjin raised his watch. "We have to leave now if we don't want to be late for the deal."

"Can't we fix this problem first?" Taehyung whined as Namjoon's face grew more conflicted. Jungkook and Hoseok were already heading towards the truck with Seokjin. Yoongi stayed back, lightly glaring at everyone. He doesn't purposely do it. He just does it by habit.

"We can't." Namjoon sighed. "If we're late then we form bad connections and we're trying to get back into doing deals after the incident." He avoided making eye contact with the first year as he mentioned the arrest.

Yoongi started walking forward, swinging his arm around my shoulder. Taehyung was frustrated. He didn't say anything else and started heading to the truck with us. I looked over my shoulder to see (F/n) giving Namjoon some comforting words. He nodded and soon I couldn't see them anymore. We were out of the warehouse and Yoongi was pushing me into the truck. He ruffled my blonde hair first, then roughly shoved me inside with Jungkook. Taehyung then joined inside with us while Yoongi took the bed of the truck.

Our leader came out after saying goodbye to (F/n). He entered the passenger seat as always with Hoseok squished between him and Seokjin in the driver's seat. Hoseok tried to lighten the mood during the ride. He talked about various things and made a couple of jokes. Seokjin eventually joined him with the worst puns I've heard. They were usually funny, but him being nervous was ruining the quality. Jungkook booed the eldest only to get a strong glare through the rear-view mirror. The pain soon ended when we arrived at the deal. They released me early as always and I was so happy to be the spy at that moment. I was set free from all that tension!

Running towards a tall tree, I climbed it as fast as I could. There were no stairs to the roof top since it was a short building. If I wanted to get to the roof, then I would have to go inside and I didn't feel like doing that after last time. The tree was a little hard to climb but I eventually got the hang of it. A large branch hovered near the edge of the roof. Wasting no time, I jumped off the branch to have my hands slap onto the ledge. My feet slammed against the brick wall, but I had good footing. Somehow my hands were able to grip the smooth cement of the ledge and I pulled myself over. Landing safely onto the roof was done. Quietly making my way to the corner, I told everyone I was on the roof.

That let the others know it was time to get out of the truck. Being this high up gave me a good view of the lay out of the alley way. The sun was setting but there was one small light over a dumpster. The gang we were doing the deal with was sitting to the side of the large trash can, so they wouldn't be seen. Soon my gang was making their way over to them. Namjoon stood in front of all of them with Jungkook as the muscle close by. To the side of him was Yoongi with Taehyung and Hoseok behind. All of them wore their intimidating, cold, and hard to read deal faces. Jungkook roughly kicked the dumpster to cause a loud echo. The gang stood up and were a little grumpy to be found like that.

"Making sure there wasn't cops hiding behind that instead of us?" One of them joked. Namjoon continued to give them his best dead eyes.

"Do you have the money?" Namjoon asked.

"Can we see what you got first?" Their leader asked to have Namjoon's eyes narrow down on them.

"We don't work like that," Namjoon said. Their leader laughed and tried to give Namjoon his friendliest smile.

"C'mon Suga, don't act like that." They grinned. Hearing that name made me raise an eyebrow. That was Yoongi's code name so why was he calling Namjoon that?

"I'm not Suga, I'm RM." Namjoon's cool expression changed to frustration.

"What? Then you're not the leader. Which one is Suga?" They scowled, looking our members over. Yoongi lifted up his fingers to make the other gang leader calm down. "Great, I'm Skam then."

Skam lifted his hand to shake Yoongi's. He didn't get the interaction he wanted from the blue hair. Yoongi only sighed in annoyance while Namjoon's hands turned into fists. If he thought I didn't see that then he was dead wrong. My job wasn't just to make sure that the area was safe but to also make sure they kept themselves in check. Namjoon normally was the best at keeping his temper under control. Especially during deals, but lately he's been slacking as a leader. He got Taehyung arrested and now he wasn't focusing on the main goal of the deal. Hoseok raised a brow at Taehyung who only shrugged.

"Keep tough faces," I muttered to see those two harden their features again.

"Alright, can we see a least one bag?" Skam titled his head.

"I'm actually the real leader," Namjoon clarified as I gripped the ledge tightly. What was he doing!? There's no time for that! If Skam thinks Yoongi is the leader then we have to role with that. Trying not to groan at our leader's actions, I watched him confuse Skam.

"Well the guy who called me was Suga and he said he was the leader. Not RM." Skam growled.

"Why would you do that?" Namjoon nudged Yoongi, murmuring angrily.

"Focus on the deal." Yoongi glared at the pink hair before pulling one bag out of his jacket. "Is this what you want?"

"Hell yeah, Suga." Skam licked his lips in anticipation. "Get the money boys!" His men nodded and opened the back door to a building. While they disappeared, Suga tossed that one bag over to Skam. Namjoon hadn't dropped the leader situation. He turned back to ask Taehyung what was going on. If he doesn't stop this then he might get Skam angry. They're about to give us the money!

"Why does he think Suga is the leader? V, you're in charge of setting up the deals." Namjoon huffed, pointing his thumb over his shoulder.

"Suga helped me find this deal. They asked if one of us was the leader since they only wanted to talk to them. Suga said he was so that they'd work with us," Taehyung confessed to only get Namjoon more upset with the situation. It wasn't that big of a deal so I didn't get why it was bothering him so much. He was the true leader. Namjoon turned back to Yoongi as they came out with the money. He called Yoongi 'Suga' in a tone that I knew I had to stop him before things got too heated. Skam was staring at those two weirdly, telling his members to hold on with the money.

"You better cut that crap out, RM." I stared down at them with gritted teeth.

Namjoon froze and turned his body towards me. He made direct eye contact with me and I was shocked. The number one rule during deals was to never look for me or spot me. It can get the other gang upset for us watching from up above like we don't trust them. Which we don't. Skam furrowed his brows and his eyes followed were Namjoon was staring at so angrily. I had already hid away from the ledge and held my breath. My hand was over my chest, feeling how fast my heart was racing. A part of me wished I was at the callback instead. I shouldn't have blocked Hyungseong's number. But I can't return to dance.

Skam started to question what Namjoon was so paranoid about, but Hoseok came in as the distraction. He made a joke of the situation. Saying Namjoon must have saw something shiny and that he was always like this during deals. That must have earned him a glare from his friend. I knew Namjoon was upset that I had spoke to him like that despite him being my hyung. It shouldn't matter during deals. Skam laughed at Hoseok's jokes, taking a liking to J-Hope's humor and his own members were laughing. Taehyung brought over the rest of the drugs as Jungkook took the heavy duffle bags full of money. It was no longer safe for me to peek over the edge to keep watch over them. Now that Namjoon alerted them of the roof top, they would easily see the movement of my head poking up.

I told Seokjin to bring the truck around near the alleyway. The deal was almost over but it was more stressful than it had to be. It made me want to complain to (F/n) once we returned to the warehouse. But I know once we make eye contact, we'll awkwardly look away. I wanted my best friend back. Jumping onto the tree, I made my way down as Seokjin came by with the truck. I hopped into the back as he came towards the alley way. We could both hear Namjoon muttering things in frustration. Yoongi finally shook hands with Skam, saying that they'll possibly work together in the future again.

Jungkook handed the money over to Hoseok and Taehyung. He made sure to be the last one leaving in case they made a sudden attack. Namjoon stormed out of the alleyway, roughly hitting his shoulder against Yoongi's. The male's eyes widened, his eyebrows hiding in his faded blue bangs. He was surprised by our leader's sudden aggression. Even I was at a loss of words at the sight. Taehyung was pouting, a similar look to when Namjoon was stressing him about deals. Hoseok gave the silver hair a worried expression before looking over at his friend with annoyance. Jungkook sighed as he hopped into the back with me. Taehyung placed the money inside but came into the back with us. He didn't lift his head and I sighed heavily, disappointed with Namjoon's behavior.

"What happened during the deal?" Seokjin asked as we drove out of the area.

"Ask Namjoon!" Jungkook scoffed to get Namjoon to look back at him with a frown.

"Yeah, what was up with you today? You lost your cool completely." Hoseok tried to calm down the pink hair with carefully chosen words. I didn't care to jump around what happened.

"Yoongi kept this deal from falling apart. Maybe he should be the real leader," I mumbled under my breath.

It was still heard amongst all my members. Seokjin's eyes widened, his jaw dropping at my words. Taehyung snapped his head up, not expecting me to say such things. It wasn't typical of me to do this. I was regretting my words at first but then decided to stick with them. Yoongi didn't say a word and rested his head against the window. Hoseok pursed his lips as Namjoon gritted his teeth. Jungkook appeared impressed and even nodded. Before the red hair could try to justify my opinion, Namjoon exploded.

"Park Jimin, you show your respect to me!" Namjoon shouted as I bit my lip. Jungkook rolled his eyes and didn't hesitate to defy his hyung.

"You're not perfect, Namjoon. We're allowed to have a say in this. You haven't been a good leader even though you promised!" Jungkook reasoned. "Yoongi has actually been good as a temporary leader for us."

"We still respect you, Namjoon, but...they're right," Taehyung finally spoke out. Namjoon's eyes tried to hide the hurt behind them.

"...I'm disappointed too." Hoseok sighed.

Yoongi lifted his head to stare at the red head next to him. One moment Hoseok was trying to keep everything peaceful, but now he told his truth. Namjoon's lips were parted as if he wanted to speak. Nothing left after Hoseok divulged about how he felt with his friend's leadership skills. Seokjin's grip on the wheel tightened. The ride home has gotten worse. (F/n) is going to be greeted to a lot of yelling when we come into the warehouse. Namjoon shrunk back into his seat, staring at his lap in disbelief. Yoongi poked his head out the window to look at us first years. He mumbled, telling us not to bring the leader thing up anymore. Another example to prove he could be suited for the role. Seokjin coughed awkwardly and glanced at the pink hair.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Namjoon, but it's fair to say that your promise hasn't been kept that much." Seokjin frowned. "I believe you're a good leader, but you've become insecure about it ever since Taehyung got arrested. As your hyung, I want you to really think about that before we go to talk it out in the warehouse."

Namjoon didn't turn to face the eldest member. His shoulders sunk further down as Seokjin spoke. Seokjin asked 'okay?', waiting for some kind of response from the second year. Eventually Namjoon gave him a light nod. I closed the window with a sigh. Jungkook only gave me a shrug as we turned to Taehyung. He was dragging his finger along the bumpy texture of the floor of the truck. He had a connection with the second years that we didn't have. It was the main reason he always felt so bad in questioning Namjoon's leadership. I crawled over to him, rubbing is back as the truck turned onto a different street.

The truck soon drove the long narrow street that led to the warehouse. We all poked our heads up as Seokjin drove the car to his parking space. It was time to discuss the leader of our gang. Even though Namjoon has been slacking, I didn't know how it would feel like to change his role all of a sudden. He was the first real member of this gang. Then Hoseok, Yoongi, Seokjin, Taehyung, and then Jungkook joined the same time as me. Everyone slowly got out of the car. No one was in a rush to get inside. When we entered the warehouse, (F/n) was listening to a girl group song that we both know the dance to. She immediately stopped the music once she saw us coming in. Her usual welcoming smile didn't appear to see us all coming in with frowns.

"Did the deal go bad?" She asked.

"Nope." Hoseok held up the bags of money. He came over to the edge of the stage, jumping off and opening a small door. He tossed the money inside as we all went over towards the couch. (F/n) was baffled by the mood and got off the couch. She looked over to Jungkook for answers instead of me. He didn't tell her anything. He only wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

Seokjin sat down on the couch with Hoseok. Taehyung plopped his body down with them. The maknae and I remained on our feet with (F/n). Yoongi took the rusty chair while Namjoon came over with his tongue pushing the wall of his cheek. We waited for him to speak. I half expected him to attack Yoongi out of nowhere. The third year didn't look the least bit afraid of what was going to happen. He always looked tired and annoyed. Namjoon then opened his mouth to speak. He cleared his mind during the ride but hadn't forgotten the reasons why the problem was occurring.

"I'm sorry for not getting my act together. I really want to make things right." Namjoon sighed. "But I still wonder why Yoongi told you guys about the crate when I never said that."

"I don't know. I think I was looking at an old text." Yoongi shrugged.

"Possibly. Not that I don't believe you, Hyung..." Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck. Yoongi softly nodded his head as he slowly faced Namjoon.

"Is everything okay now?" Yoongi questioned. Namjoon was about to call it a quits before he grew frustrated again.

"...no. Actually, why did you call yourself the leader to the other gang?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.

"Taehyung already explained." Hoseok reminded his friend. (F/n) nudged Jungkook for answers, but he ignored her. He wanted to see where this would lead to.

"Well, you don't actually want to be leader? Right?" Namjoon chuckled as Yoongi looked up at the sky.

"He's not purposely trying to take your job," Seokjin told him. The pink hair sighed, tightening his hands into fists once more. My eyes spotted that right away.

"We were just joking about Yoongi being our new leader," Jungkook said, "But I'm actually starting to think that might be a good idea. I think you have things to work out first, Namjoon."

(F/n)'s eyes widened at the boy next to her. She didn't know exactly what was going on, but she certainly picked up on the basics. Namjoon was shocked by the maknae's words too. He looked so betrayed that it made Hoseok and Seokjin look down. They couldn't look him in the eye anymore. Maybe because they actually agreed with what Jungkook had to say. He wasn't being hostile and actually spoke from a logical stand point. Taehyung was rubbing his hands nervously as I slowly nodded at what was previously said. (F/n) couldn't take the situation anymore and walked off to the back room. The conversation made her upset, earning a sigh from Jungkook and I.

"...He's sort of right," I heard Taehyung say. Namjoon now looked incredibly hurt. Yoongi stood up from the rusty chair, walking away from us. I couldn't see his facial expression at all. He kept walking and disappeared into the back room with (F/n). Namjoon kicked the rusty chair, watching the chair leg break off.

"You got to be kidding me..." He sighed. His brows were knitted tightly together before he looked up at all of us. "Guys, I made this gang. I can see that I've been slacking but there's no reason for me to stop. Min Yoongi, come back!"

"I don't know." I pick up the rusty chair as Namjoon runs a hand through his hair, muttering that this wasn't fair and happening all of a sudden.

Reader's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jungkook didn't tell you what was going on. They all just arrived with an even bigger problem than before. You felt a lot of sympathy towards Namjoon. He is a good leader. He just hasn't had the best luck after Taehyung's arrest for some reason. The first years mainly feel this way because Yoongi has been the temporary leader. They haven't dealt with him during tough times as the leader. Only as an equal member. It was too much to listen to once Jungkook gave his opinion. Then Jimin even agreed with him! It was absolutely ridiculous. It broke your heart to see Namjoon getting his title thrown away like nothing because of a simple misunderstanding.

You decided to go into the backroom, so you wouldn't be there for the rest of the conversation. At least there was no fist fighting. Still, you could see how Namjoon felt from the look in his eyes. Did the younger members not see that? Then Taehyung even agreed, and you felt like bursting! Hoseok and Seokjin weren't trying to defend Namjoon at all. Did they agree or something? Then Yoongi didn't say a word either. He just sat there like a punk. All he did was act like nothing was going on. This was a pivotal moment for the gang. They were questioning their leader and asking if Yoongi would be better. They're literally talking about him and he yawns.

It was unbelievable. You wanted to scream in the back room. As you paced around the room, you then stiffened up to see Yoongi walking in with a smirk. What was he enjoying so much? He came to the other side of the room and started chuckling. His friends were fighting over who should be leader, seriously thinking about nominating him, and he was in here laughing? Min Yoongi was a strange person, but this was too much. Narrowing your eyes on the male, you crossed your arms and walked over to him with a frown. His smile never left as you came closer. He only looked amused to see you this way, two fingers resting against his grinning lips.

"What the hell are you laughing about?" You chided.

"I didn't think it would be this easy." Yoongi removed his hand away from his face.

"What?" You glanced over your shoulder. "What are you going on about? Are you crazy?"

"Everything is going according to plan." Yoongi hid his gummy smile. He then shoved you back as he got off the wall. "Namjoon's leadership has crumbled and I will be in charge. The first years really are impressionable, aren't they?"

His eyes had an evil glint to it. Staring at the monster in front of you, it slowly registered in your head that this was his doing. All of it. He purposely lied about the text Namjoon 'sent'. Did he really want to be the leader so badly? What's wrong with him? You furrowed your brows and shook your head at him. This was somehow so funny to him. Not to mention, he revealed this information to you of all people! Once you tell the members, they're definitely going to see him in a different light. It was only right to tell them the truth. Yoongi did this behind Namjoon's back. Behind the whole gang's back!

"I'm gonna tell them. Thanks for admitting it, smart@ss." You growled to see his smirk grow.

"Why does everything happen for me?" He asked no one in particular. Pausing, you waited for him to explain. He sighed at your confusion and gladly made it clear for you. "They'll put me as leader and then you'll tell them this crazy story about me planning this from the beginning. They won't want to be friends with you. I mean, Jimin already hates you! That makes my job easier!"

"He doesn't hate me..." You murmured as he only laughed.

"Seriously, who knew it would be this easy to make the gang not believe in Namjoon?" Yoongi crossed his arms. "I really liked how Namjoon had power over people. He's respectable but I wanted a taste of that. Make sure to mention that when you go cry to them. No hard feelings to him though. I still like him and the rest of the gang."

"You're sick..." You watched him clap his hands softly. He was so excited to take over the gang after manipulating them. Shaking your head, you then jumped when you heard Namjoon's voice shout Yoongi's name. He didn't sound like he was joking. Walking towards the opendoor frame of the backroom, you saw the deadly look in all the members. What happened while you were gone?

"What?" Yoongi came out of the back room, his heavy grin now a light smile. He only took a few steps farther then you. He saw their looks and felt unsure about walking any closer to them.

Seokjin was pinching the bridge of his nose, bending over his knees in disappointment. Hoseok was ashamed and so was Taehyung. Jungkook almost had a vein bursting on his forehead and neck. Then Jimin roughly tossed the rusty chair down to the floor. Namjoon was scowling as he came towards the middle. Something about this made your stomach do flips. They weren't looking at you, but you wondered how Yoongi felt about this. All these looks were so random. Yoongi asked what was wrong with all of them as Namjoon pulled of his ear piece, lifting it high in the air. Jimin took his off as well as Jungkook. Taehyung ripped it off, his face red with a few tears building up. Hoseok and Seokjin tossed theirs in Yoongi's direction.

His skin was paler than you had ever seen before. Taking a few steps to see Yoongi's face, he looked like was caught by the police. That's when you noticed his ear piece in his ear with a green light on it. Did that mean it was on? You brought your hands up to cover your mouth as you realized why Yoongi looked like he was going to vomit. There was no need for him to have you telling them the truth. He did it himself by accident. The thin male was now breathing heavily as all the gang members stood up. Each and every one of them had a betrayed expression. Plus, rage for being lied and manipulated to like this.

"Min Yoongi, you can get the f*ck out of here." Namjoon seethed in anger.

"Namjoon—" Yoongi tried speaking only to get yelled at even more.

"Shut your mouth before I break your jaw! Do did you understand that?" Jungkook snarled. "To think I even respected you..."

"Please leave, Yoongi. You're not welcome here anymore." Taehyung wiped his right eye.

"...but guys, where am I going to stay? I live at the warehouse!" Yoongi trembled. You've never seen him actually genuinely frightened like this before. Not even when a gun was pointed to his head. "I have nowhere to go!"

"You should have thought about that before you tried to steal Namjoon's power right from under him." Hoseok scoffed. "Some family member you are."

Yoongi swallowed hard as their harsh words hit him in the face. They had the right to be furious. When he revealed his actions, you were completely done with him too. How messed up does he have to be to think that was okay? Didn't he consider these guys family? Nothing made sense. There was no reason for him to do this. Only because he wanted power over people? Jungkook came over to Yoongi with his teeth bared like a wild animal. He grabbed the denim color of the blue hair, lifting him up a few inches off the ground. Though you were disgusted with Yoongi, you didn't want to see violence between them. Reaching your hand out to stop Jungkook, your hand was snatched by Seokjin.

"I'm taking you home. You shouldn't have to see this." Seokjin began practically dragging you out of the warehouse.

"No!" You screamed. "Jungkook, please don't hurt Yoongi! He's wrong but don't do that!"

"Just kick him out already." Jimin shoved his fingers into his hair and then glared at Yoongi. "If I ever see you here again, I swear I'll run you over with Seokjin's truck. I swear to God!"

"GET OUT." Namjoon pointed out the door as Seokjin pulled you away.

He forced you into the passenger seat of his car. You tried to open it, but he already locked it. By the time you tried to open it again, he grabbed your hands and tied them together with rope. He looked apologetic when he took it out of the glove box and flinched as you screamed at him. What was he doing!? Why was he doing this!? You cried out to get out of the car as you struggled to unlock the door. Pounding your fists against the window, you watched as Jungkook brought Yoongi our and slammed his frail body onto the floor outside of the warehouse. The third year was panting on the ground, his nose already bleeding. Seokjin ignored your cries as he drove onto the road. Turning around in your seat, your heart raced to see Jungkook spit on Yoongi. Jimin came out to kick the male who was on the ground. They just kept attacking him.

"Please don't look at that," Seokjin requested as you whimpered.

"I'm mad at him too...but why?" You stared at him.

Seokjin was the eldest member. He always had the best advice. He knew how to make you feel better with wise words. Now he couldn't even look at you as he drove as fast as he could. He continued pressing the pedal, ignoring any red lights. With your tied-up fists, you banged them on his arms. He refused to answer you or even comfort you. All he did was tie you up and expect you to listen to him. Your kind Jungkook left Yoongi bleeding and then your sweet Jimin kicked him relentlessly. It was hard to describe your emotions. You already didn't have the best relationship with Yoongi since he hated you. The boy didn't waste a second to make your life harder and yet you don't believe he should be treated like that. You wanted to punch him too for doing this to the gang and especially Namjoon, but if you had Yoongi in front of you right now...you wouldn't be able to lay a hand on him.

The truck stopped harshly, making you fly forward. Seokjin avoided your sad eyes. His grip on the wheel was tight and you knew he was upset with Yoongi too. They were third years together. Those two already fought once, but they made up. Seokjin took a bullet for that guy! Only to have this happen. He was troubled on what to think. Disappointed for a second time, but Yoongi did commit a crime he can't take back for Seokjin. The elder member removed the rope from your wrists without looking at you once. The moment your hands were free, you grabbed his hands and begged.

"Seokjin oppa! Don't let them hurt Yoongi! Please!" You cried as he ripped his hands away from you.

"Whatever happens to Yoongi happens." Seokjin sighed, the words leaving his mouth were the hardest things for him to say. They brought him pain too. "We're no longer associated with Min Yoongi."

"Seokjin oppa..." Your chest grew heavy.

"Get out of the car and get inside," Seokjin ordered as you shook your head. He groaned, finally reaching his limit for the night. "Get inside before I make you!"

"Fine then." You sniffled, exiting the car with a loud slam. You ran up the stairs with blurry vision. 

Just getting to your door was a hassle. Seokjin really let you down. It made your heart ache. What's going to happen tomorrow at school? Or whenever you guys see Yoongi? What's going to become of him? Why did he have to go and f*ck everything up? It made no sense. He didn't want you destroying his happy little 'family' but then he goes and does it himself. You got inside your apartment to let out a loud sob. God, you wanted to kick Yoongi but you knew you wouldn't. Something you never told Yoongi was that you worried about his weight. He always looked thin and fragile. The guy who spread the rumor about you being a slut! And you ask Seokjin to protect him. Were you the one who had something wrong with them?

Wiping away your tears, you couldn't believe you cried over that. It only infuriated you further as you thought over the events. Yoongi didn't deserve violence, but he didn't deserve luck. He should get a reasonable punishment. Whatever that might be. For now, you're not going to talk to him. It's not like he'll speak to you anyway. He didn't even react when you were screaming 'no' at the top of your lungs when Jungkook threw him. The way the blood traveled onto the dirt. Then there was some blood even staining his fading blue hair. You didn't enjoy seeing the members in pain. Not even him. Letting out a scoff, you wanted to forget tonight. So you stayed at the kitchen table rethinking everything that happened until your brain couldn't take it anymore. Just forget it all—knock knock.

Raising your head, you stared at the front door with confusion. You were currently sitting at your kitchen table. Only one light was on in the entire house. Unnie wasn't here and she always remembers her key. Getting up from the door, you wondered if it were Seokjin coming to apologize. Or Jungkook and Jimin. You felt more tempted to yell at them then at Yoongi. You definitely had something wrong with you. Getting up from the table, you wiped your nose as you walked over to the door. You didn't bother to look through the peep hole. Instead, you just opened it to see Yoongi shivering. The blood had become a bit dry and he looked like he was going to collapse from the cold.

"Yoongi?" You gasped before pulling him inside. "What are you doing here!?"

"...I really have nowhere to go. I wasn't lying about that." Yoongi refused to look you in the eyes. "Please let me stay here."

This night kept getting worse. You stared at the male in front of you fall onto his knees. He looked so broken that you felt bad. Soon memories of him laughing and betraying his group came flooding in. Then all the times he's mistreated you. Out of all his choices, he decides to come here? Yoongi stopped shivering as much, but the blood on his face was still there. Some wounds were still open, bleeding, and dirty. He was clutching his stomach tightly. Biting your lip, you look out of your apartment window to see if any of the members were angrily following him. There was nothing in sight. Turning back to face him, you put your hands on your hips and glared at him.

"And why should I let you stay here? I'm sure you have somewhere else you can hide," You said.

"Did you not listen to me?...I know you hate me, but you're my last option." Yoongi frowned.

"Your parents?" You raised a brow to see him grit his teeth, so you sighed. "Look...do the other members know you're here?" He shook his head.

"They left me alone after a while..." Yoongi confessed making you upset with the other members too. "Let me stay here. Please."

"Are you telling me the truth when you say I'm your only option?" You asked sternly.

"I know you have no reason to believe me or trust me...but I'm not lying." Yoongi swallowed hard. "Please..."

"...my sister can't know you're here." You gave in. "Let's go to my room."

Yoongi nodded as you brought him over. Opening the door for him, you let him sit on your bed as you took out a couple of wet wipes. He didn't enjoy having your face so close to his but didn't protest to you cleaning his face. The blood was cleaned off and he was back to normal. Yoongi stayed silent when you went to throw away the wipes in your trash can. Time to set up a bed for him. Pulling heavy quilts out from your closet, you laid it down on the floor. It's not like your room was the biggest but he had enough space to sleep. It should be comfortable enough. He should be grateful that you care about it even being comfortable. Going back to your closet, you grabbed the biggest shirt you had and some old pajama pants. You looked away as he changed his pants but returned your gaze when he was changing his shirt.

It wasn't because you were tempted to see his bare chest. No, you sucked in your breath when you saw some newly forming bruises and old scars on his milk like skin. He licked his lips, ignoring all the bruises like it was normal. He pulled the shirt down slowly and stared out the window in your room. You walked over to your bed and sat down with him. Your presence brought him out of the lost state he was in. Yoongi eyed you with confusion at first. The blood from his fading blue hair was gone. He was probably still hurting from the hits he took. You could only imagine what school was going to be like tomorrow.

"No need to thank me," You chuckled. You still couldn't believe you were actually doing this. Did Yoongi even deserve this amount of geneoristy from you? Too late now.

"...thanks," He muttered under his breath.

"Everything will be better soon. That is, if you choose to make things right." You placed your hand on his shoulder to only have him slide it off. "Can I ask why you did what you did?" Yoongi blinked silently. He didn't face you for a full minute. That's when he turned to face you, his nose barely grazing against yours.

"I don't know want to talk about that right now," He said in a soft whisper. Your heart pounded loudly when you felt him place his hand on your thigh.

"What are you doing?" You put your hands on his shoulders as he only came closer. "Yoongi, stop!" He pressed you down on the bed. Closing your eyes tightly, you gritted your teeth to feel his hot breath on your neck. Then you heard him chuckle lightly.

"I'm not actually going to do anything." He lifted his faces a few inches away from yours.

"You're so messed up!! What is wrong with you!?" You shoved him off. Yoongi's gummy grin eventually fell down. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed heavily.

"Sorry...sometimes I do things without thinking." He got up from your bed. "I'll sleep on your couch to make you more comfortable."

"No!" You shouted to see him turn around. He stared at you like you were crazy for wanting him to stay. "You gotta sleep in here so my sister doesn't find out." You laughed nervously as he mumbled another apology.

"Okay..." He got under the quilt.

"Forget about it. You're lucky I'm putting up with you so be thankful. Just don't do it again or I'll kick you in the crotch." You threw your blankets over yourself.

"Fair enough."

Chapter Text

Ch.33

Too much happened last night. Yoongi was discovered to have been trying to steal power right from under Namjoon. That led to him getting beat up by some of his members. Since the warehouse is where he lives, he had no place to go and was really desperate. He wouldn't have come to you if he weren't. Or he knows you'll be kind enough to let him stay. You had trouble sleeping through the night. Not because he basically sexually harassed you for the second time and you guys had to sleep in a small space, no. You were surprisingly fine with that. The reason you had trouble sleeping was because Yoongi kept moving around on the floor. He talked in his sleep.

It wasn't cute little words of nonsense. He didn't lightly roll over to the other side. You thanked the universe that your sister didn't wake up. Unnie was luckily a deep sleeper while you weren't. Yoongi shifted back and forth, muttering 'no' multiple times. He shielded himself in his sleep and sounded like he was begging for mercy. It terrified you to no end and you almost believed he was awake at one point. Around four in the morning, you went to comfort him, but he was asleep! That's when you decided to wake him up. He took forever to wake up, but it was sort of worth it. The blue was absolutely confused when you woke him up. He had a lot of questions, but you decided to give him another chance to go to bed.

Yoongi was upset that you woke him up, but you could tell he was a little happy. He must have been having a really bad nightmare. Since he was still sleepy, you stayed on the floor with him and waited. You ignored his protests to be watched. Eventually Yoongi fell asleep peacefully this time. He didn't know, but you whispered comforting words to him. Whatever he had dreamt of, it's over now. It took thirty minutes to get him to go back to sleep. With tired limbs, you reached for your favorite stuffed animal and gave it to the boy. He had been holding onto your hand so you figured he'd probably want to continue holding something. That's why you gave him the toy that you loved and had a lot of nice memories with.

Hyosung unnie never came into your room with confusion. She had gone off to college like it was just another day. You finally got some rest after Yoong's continuous nightmares. School had to start soon though, so it felt like you had barely slept. Why!? Slapping your hand onto your alarm, you stared at the stirring boy on the ground. He groaned loudly at the sound and tried covering his ears. It wasn't until he heard your light giggle that his eyes shot open. Yoongi took a moment to remember where he was and jumped to see the stuffed animal in his arms. You sat up on your bed as he raised the animal up in the air while giving you a glare.

"What is this?" He huffed.

"That's Holly. Treat him with respect!" You crossed your arms. "He helped you sleep."

"Whatever." Yoongi put the stuffed dog to the side. "I'm going back to bed."

"We have school in an hour and a half." You reminded him. Yoongi angrily turned to you again after hiding under the covers.

"I don't have my uniform..." He muttered.

"It's not like the school cares anyway!" You smiled to see the blue sigh. He didn't care about wearing his uniform either. All he wanted was an excuse not to go. "Look, I get it if you don't want to see the other members yet, but you still have to go to school."

"I don't care about them." Yoongi looked up to the ceiling of your room.

The room was dim with a little light entering from your window. Pushing the blinds to the side, the morning sun came rushing in. Yoongi covered is eyes with his arm and gritted his teeth. He was still acting like this after what went down? It was hard to understand Yoongi. One moment he'd go on about how the gang was his family and then the second he didn't give a crap about them. What was the truth? Everything was so complicated when it came to him. All the members were easier to read then this guy. Even Jungkook had less to hide and he never spoke about his home life. Glancing at the clock one last time, you knew you had enough time to have a conversation with him.

"Are you sure? Didn't you consider them your family?" You tilted your head.

"It's complicated..." Yoongi removed his arm from his face. His face remained grumpy though.

"Come on, you can tell me. We still have time before we have to go to school." You rested your head in your hands. "Why did you do that to your gang when you considered them family?"

"...I don't know." Yoongi growled.

"I think you should eat more. You always look sickly thin to be honest," You confessed to see him slowly look towards you for the first time with gentle eyes. "I wish you cared about school more and I want to know your goals in life."

He stayed silent at your confession. Though he treated you like crap, you tried your hardest to humanize him as best as you could. People always say that bullies bully because they were hurt themselves. Only the strong didn't turn to that route so you knew Yoongi must have gone or is going through something rough. For Pete sake's, he's just a teenager and lives at an abandoned warehouse instead of a nice warm home. Used to at least. His parents aren't mentioned but you knew he most likely had a bad relationship with them just like the others. Yoongi always looked alone. Even when he was with the other members, he appeared separated from them at times. Now you were going to help make things right. You were going to help Yoongi fix his relationship with the gang and it isn't going to be easy.

"I don't have goals and I eat fine." Yoongi looked away from you.

"Please tell me, Yoongi oppa~!" You giggled to see him quickly glare at you. It didn't last long. Soon there was a grin on his face.

"D*mn, you really want to know." He shook his head, his gummy smile not leaving his face. "But I really don't know."

"How can you not know?" You questioned.

"...I mean, I liked the power and control Namjoon had. He's a good leader, but I liked how the others did what he said." Yoongi shrugged. "He's the only person I'll actually take orders from."

"Power hungry?" You joined him on the floor. Yoongi got into a sitting position and grabbed Holly. He placed the brown curly haired dog in his lap. The two of you sat only a few inches apart. You smiled at Yoongi, trying your best to let him trust you. Yoongi didn't look you in the eyes though. He spoke while moving Holly around in his hands.

"I guess..." He shrugged. "I don't know. I suck at being a normal functioning human. I want to trust them and be real."

"What stops you?" You watch him pet the fake dog.

"I just have issues. It's like they do a good job at being a family. They're normal even though life is sh*t." Yoongi stopped stroking the dog. "It pisses me off sometimes. How they can do that and I f*cking can't!? Sometimes I think I'm doing something right, but I'm not!"

"Do you find it hard to give them what they give you? Like trust and love?" You kept your eye on his grip around Holly's body. He was squeezing the plush with his hands but was slowly loosening it. He licked his bottom lip before letting out a heavy sigh. You let Yoongi think since he was already telling you so much.

"I think I know that they like me. Well, they did...I just had f*cking problems." Yoongi frowned. "I felt they didn't at times and so I did stuff. Tell Jimin he shouldn't dance and stay."

"Even though he should be dancing," You said as a statement more than a question. He gave you a sharp glare. "So you're closed off."

"Is that new information?" Yoongi's eyes connected with yours. They stopped burning into you and didn't shift away.

"It's something." You sighed.

"They know when to turn it off..." Yoongi uttered under his breath. Those words caught your attention as his eyes drifted away from yours. He began playing with Holly again, fidgeting so you placed your hands on his. Yoongi glared at you and pulled his hands away. "Don't touch me!"

"What do they know how to turn off?" You asked a he got up from the floor.

"We should get going to school." Yoongi walked over to your closet. He picked up your school uniform and tossed it in your direction. "I'll let you change."

Frowning as he closed the door, you groaned in frustration. You got so much information out of him! A lot more than you thought you'd be able to get. It's like once he let something slip, he couldn't stop until the two of you were getting close to the break through. He loved his members, but he was also jealous of them. Plus, he also didn't have complete trust in them. Yoongi certainly did have his own issues. Changing into your uniform, you began planning to continue this conversation at night. He's probably going to stay here for a while. Who knows for how long.

Exiting your room, you found Yoongi sitting at the kitchen table. He had an empty stare. As soon as you started walking down the short hall, he broke out from his thoughts. School was going to start in an hour. Time for breakfast. Unnie had made your food, but now you had a guest. Heating up the food she made, you went to make some toast. Yoongi's eyes watched you move around the small kitchen. He was bored out of his mind. The microwave beeped and unnie's delicious breakfast was ready. The scent floated around the room. Sliding it over to Yoongi, he was shocked to see you giving this to him. Soon your toast popped out from the toaster.

The both of you ate without saying a single thing to each other. The most you did was give him a smile. Yoongi didn't care to return one back as he ate the food quickly. He had food at the warehouse, but it was mainly stuff that you had to buy from a convience store. He must not get homemade stuff that often. Feeling some inspiration, you knew you had to make him dinner tonight! Then he's gonna have to eat it whether he likes it or not. You picked up his finished plate and washed it quickly. Walking to school is going to have to change to running. While you hurriedly put on your shoes, Yoongi muttered a thank you for the meal. He didn't look you in the eye and you just smiled at him.

"C'mon, let's go!" You snatched his wrist and tugged him out of your apartment.

He grunted while you giggled. He hated being pulled at full speed, but it couldn't be helped. The two of you needed to make it to school on time. While you both ran towards SuChin, Yoongi told you he was going in a different direction once you guys make it on campus. He had to go to the third-year side anyway, but he also didn't want to be spotted near you. It's not that he hated you that much, but he knew that being seen next to you wasn't the best. The other members would probably hate you for being with Yoongi. They wouldn't stop talking to you, but they would definitely scold you for just standing next to him. Eventually, you guys had arrived to SuChin. You shouted bye to Yoongi as you rushed over to Mr. Pyo's classroom. The bell had already rung.

Mr. Pyo didn't care to see you enter his class late. He didn't even bat an eye to see you panting like you had just ran for your life. Jungkook and Taehyung were puzzled but didn't say anything. There was some light tension in the air. You witnessed Jungkook hurt Yoongi while you screamed at them to stop. Things with the members would be interesting today for multiple reasons. Class went on as normal, so Taehyung turned to face you. Jungkook didn't waste as second to look back at you too. Giving them both uncomfortable smiles, Taehyung spoke first in a soft voice. He mentioned how disappointed he was in Yoongi, almost calling him hyung before stopping himself. The silver hair pursed his lips and let his shoulders fall down.

Jungkook had a different take on the situation. He told you up front to stay away from Yoongi. He figured it would be easy since the blue hair hated you and you cried internally. Min Yoongi may hate you but it was certainly him who spent the night at your place. The maknae was unforgiving to the third year. He felt manipulated and was in disbelief. You felt like Jungkook was madder at himself then at Yoongi if that made sense. Jungkook was upset that he considered Yoongi family and trusted him. That was all ruined now. It made you want to scream. Getting the members to forgive Yoongi is going to be the hardest thing ever. Could you actually do it? To be honest, you hadn't fully forgiven Yoongi either but you were doing this for him anyway.

Yoongi didn't say it, but you knew he somewhat depended on you to help him make things right with the other members. Great. Curse you for being such a kind and thoughtful person! There was just something inside you that knew these boys were all meant to stick it out together. You only smiled and nodded at the boys despite disagreeing with most of the things they said about Yoongi. When class ended, Jungkook wrapped his arm around your waist and took you to the window in the hall. Jimin was already sitting on the window sill with the rest of the gang members next to him. Was a meeting about to happen? Jimin smiled at you but you knew the maknae's arm around you irked him. It was very apparent since Jungkook was smirking quite smugly.

"We're all here," Taehyung stated as you slid of out Jungkook's hold to sit next to Jimin.

"Good." Namjoon crossed his arms as he stared at you. Hoseok had his arms around his back while Seokjin looked at the floor. You still felt greatly disappointed in him. "(F/n), I know you weren't there for when we finished business with Yoongi."

"Are you really wording it that way?" You furrowed your brows.

"What? Are you taking Yoongi's side?" Hoseok snapped before giving you an apologetic expression. "...we're no longer on speaking terms with him."

"He's out of our lives completely and we think it's safer if you keep him out of yours." Seokjin finally looked at you.

"Guys..." You frowned as Namjoon had to stop you.

"He's a traitor. I know you're a really caring person, but he's always hated you. It should be easy to cut that toxic person out of your life," Namjoon said as you bit your lip.

You wanted to yell in defiance like a fire, but you felt smothered by them. All their eyes were on you. They wanted you to agree with them and you could see why. What Yoongi did was the worst thing ever...but you did believe in second chances. Jungkook started asking if they see Yoongi in the halls. Taehyung thought they should just ignore him and Jimin agreed with the silver hair on that. The look in Jungkook's eyes let you know he wanted to do something else. Possibly harass the third year in the halls or something else that's awful.

"Can't we just do whatever we feel is right?" Jungkook scoffed.

"Trust me, I feel like giving him a piece of my mind too." Namjoon rubbed his shoulder. "But I think the smart choice is to ignore him. I'm not stopping you though."

"So we can?" Jungkook smirked, turning his hand into a tight fist.

"If we want to hurt him so badly than can't we just find him after school?" Jimin asked.

"That'd make things easier," Hoseok replied to your surprise.

"Did you guys not let out all your anger on him last night?" You huffed to see them shocked.

"You shouldn't have seen that." Taehyung frowned as you scoffed.

"Well, I did." You looked out the window as they sighed in frustration.

Jimin hesitated to comfort you. They all believed you were angry because of their violent tendicies. You were, but also because you felt Yoongi got close to a break through this morning. He had a strong chance of being redeemed in your opinion. It made you sound crazy. The gang wanted to beat him up for a second time and that disgusted you. That would make them an actual gang to be scared of. They weren't truly like that but they were letting their anger change them like this. How did it make them better than Yoongi? You took Jimin's comfort and pretended to be fine. It didn't make sense in your head. Yoongi betrayed them and it hurt not just you, but obviously the members. But how could they suddenly want his blood on their hands? Did they truly live in a different world from you?

Namjoon gave you one last lecture before you had to go to physical education. It was basically 'ignore Yoongi, but it's okay to kick him'. He was practically telling you to call the gang if you see Yoongi around. Normally, you'd only see him during lunch or after school. Maybe that's not going to be the case today. The members were trying to keep eyes on you and were looking out for a certain blue hair too. Students walking the halls were more intimidated of the gang since they were still annoyed from last night. Jimin took you to Ms. Lee's class. He was less awkward which made you happier. The two of you could talk with more freedom, but you still had Yoongi on your mind. It was bothersome how much of your thoughts were about him. That punk did so many messed up things and you're here still caring for him. Something had to be wrong with you.

When physical education came to an end, you put on your friendly face. You made up a plan to avoid eating lunch with the gang. Jimin and you talked like normal, avoiding the mention of a certain blue haired male. He didn't even notice you following him into the boy's locker room. That's when you heard a loud whistle. Perfect! Jimin flinched before realizing how close you were to entering. With an embarrassed expression, he hurried off while Ms. Lee waited for you to come talk to her. Walking over to her, you gave her a confident look to help get on her nerves. She didn't like you from the last time you accidentally got close to following Jimin into the boy's locker room.

"Yes?" You waited for a response.

"Lap. Now," She said through her gritted teeth. "Or after school detention."

"I'll take the lap." You walked over to the track.

Her burning gaze didn't leave your back. You knew after school detention was just a threat. She hated doing paper work and there's no way she'd stay after school just to watch you. Ms. Lee loved not being a teacher. Instead of watching to see if you finish the lap or not, she left without a second thought. You were going to continue running until Jimin went off to lunch by himself. Where ever Yoongi was, you'll find him for lunch. As soon as the blonde left for the cafeteria, you ran around the third-year building asking all the older students if they had seen him. Some ignored you and some just didn't know where he was. You looked all around until an older boy told you he saw Yoongi enter the bathroom a minute ago.

The student wasn't prepared for your amount of excitement. Running towards the bathroom, you almost charged in until the sign reminded you of basic social rules. Yoongi is a guy so of course he's in the guy's bathroom! Gosh, you really wished you had balls at this moment. If you just had two then you could enter without a problem. Whatever, guys only go into the bathroom for two reasons. You placed your hand on the door before pausing. Suddenly, you remembered that urinals were a thing. Muttering colorful words in frustration, you really didn't want to see Yoongi's business or any other guy's.

"Min Yoongi!" You screamed at the door. Nothing. "Min Yoongi! I heard you're in here!" No one answered you. Kicking the door in frustration, you soon felt embarrassed to see a boy exit. Before you could apologize, he opened the door wide for you.

"He's in the big stall." He sighed as you smiled wide.

"Thank you, Sunbae!" You bowed and entered the bathroom.

He eyed you weirdly but then shrugged it off. No one really used honorifics in this place. Luckily, there were no guys using the urinals. Bending down to check if there were any legs, all the stalls were empty except the big stall. You saw a boy sitting down on the dirty floor. He wasn't even using the toilet! It was time for lunch so why wasn't he at least in the cafeteria? As you came closer to the big stall, you heard the male on the other side groan in frustration. He knew you were on the other side of the door. You were about to push open the door, but now you weren't so sure anymore.

"Get the f*ck out of here, Kwon (F/n)," Yoongi demanded.

"What? I came to eat lunch with you!" You slowly pushed open the door to see his food on his lap. "What are you doing in here?"

"What does it look like?" Yoongi took a bite of his chip.

"You don't want to eat in the cafeteria? Or you know, somewhere other than here?" You squatted down, taking a look at the area.

The bathroom didn't smell too horrific but that didn't mean you wanted to stay. Yoongi shook his head and continued eating. Looks like you'll have to get used to this. Sitting down on the floor with him, Yoongi raised a brow to see you joining him like this. He would have expected you to be grossed out. And you were. But you were also a stubborn girl who was incredibly nosey. There's no way you're going to leave this bathroom without him. He rolled his eyes as you just smiled at him. You'd rather spend lunch being hated on then listening to a bunch of people bad mouthing someone. Even if they deserved it or not.

"How were classes?" You asked.

"Hell." Yoongi stopped eating his chips. He stared at the bag while licking the few crumbs off his lips. "Seokjin is in one of them. I'm lucky we sit on opposite sides of the room."

"He hasn't given you any problems yet?" You leaned in as he shook his head. That was good to know. Now you weren't as upset with the eldest member. Yoongi then shoved the bag of chips in your face. Surprised, you stared at the bag and then at him. He was looking away from you. "Aren't these yours?"

"Just take 'em." He tossed them into your lap.

"But you need to eat." You frowned.

"And you only had toast this morning. Shut up and eat." Yoongi opened his soda. Though his words were rude, you couldn't help but smile. Behind his tough exterior he must be a really thoughtful person. He has to be with people like the gang around him. Yoongi might have issues, but he has good traits to him. You can't wait for him to show them to you. So far, you've noted this down in your head. He gave you his chips! "...did you talk to other members today?"

"...I did." You nodded, eating a few of the chips already. "They're still mad, but I'm sure you can make things right."

"How?" He retorted.

"We'll think something up. It should be something from the heart and it has to be genuine. I'm sure the guys will be hesitant at first, but they have to still feel a connection towards you whether they like it or not." You shrugged. "How long have you known them?"

"I've known some longer than others." Yoongi thought back. "Seokjin since middle school, Namjoon and Hoseok for two years, and then the first years for one year. I knew Taehyung when he was done with middle school though."

"I see. You know a lot more about them than I do." You sighed. "You can relate to them on things I can't."

"And you can understand the things they do which I can't." Yoongi flicked a peanut at your cheek.

"What?" You rubbed the attacked spot.

"It's like a seesaw. You're one end and I'm on the other while the rest are in the middle," Yoongi grumbled.

"...yeah. Just like a seesaw." You agreed, taking a sip from his soda.

You set it down and the pissed expression he was giving you made you laugh. He shook his head at you. Yoongi probably wanted to dump the soda on you at that moment, but he also needed a place to stay tonight. He made the wise decision of just cussing you out. Eventually, you convinced him to laugh too. A warm feeling grew in your chest as you thought about Yoongi actually considering you a friend. Hell yeah, let's make that happen! While the two of you laughed in the big stall, someone came in to do their business. Yoongi opened the stall and tossed peanuts at them. He shouted at them to get lost and soon you popped your head out to surprise the dude. He jumped to see a female inside here and left as you helped Yoongi throw peanuts. Now that's fun!

The two of you didn't bother cleaning up the peanuts. You were about to until Yoongi told you to just leave them. Yoongi left the bathroom first to make sure the coast was clear. He gave you the all clear and you hurried out, giggling like an idiot. It appears like this bathroom is where you'll be spending lunch until things get better. The blue hair received a hug from you before you left. He made sure to give you one last scoff as you ran to your next class. You'll make your attempts to get him more comfortable around you. Maybe then he'll tell you what he meant earlier this morning. The other members had the ability to turn off something that he couldn't.

Class went quickly like you had hoped. Most of the time, you were trying to figure out ways for Yoongi to get their forgiveness back. The gang is going to be tough. They have trust issues of their own, but you learned that Yoongi was on another level. He gave them a good reason to build their walls even higher. The bell rang and you ran out as fast as you could. You didn't want to get caught by the first years or any other members. Exiting the doors, you ran past the gates to feel someone grab onto your wrist. They tugged you closer to them. They weren't wearing a uniform. You were about to panic until you noticed it was Yoongi pulling you away from the school.

"Let's go." He didn't look back to face you.

"R-Right! Let's go home!" You caught up with his footsteps.

It didn't take long for you guys to arrive to your small apartment. Unnie wasn't here so you it was safe to bring the male in openly. She didn't need to find you sneaking in another third-year boy into your room. She would have a heart attack and claim you have a thing for older boys. Hyosung unnie had quite the imagination that was very hard to stop once it got started. Once Yoongi and you got inside, he wanted to sleep, but you forced him to do homework with you. He hated every second of it. The complaints kept flooding your ears for a full hour then he finally finished. It was not as painful as he thought it would be, but he still wasn't fond of what you forced him to do. After that, you made dinner. He waited impatiently and occasionally pounded his fists against the table.

Dinner was served! He finally stopped beating your poor table. He gobbled up the food without waiting for you. Since you made dinner, you were wrapping unnie's portion for her to eat later. As soon as you turned around, Yoongi was close to finishing the meal. Well you're happy he liked it then. You ate your food as fast as you could. Yoongi was slowly getting sleepy and you couldn't have that just yet. The both of you still had so much to talk about! You tossed the dishes into the sink when Yoongi finally decided to go into your room. There's no time to waste! You entered the room first to change into your pajamas before you let him in.

"You have too much energy." Yoongi sat down on his quilt, grabbing Holly.

"Are you really tired though?" You wiggled your eyebrows.

"I'd really rather not," Yoongi said to make you realize how he took the situation. Maybe you sounded too eager, but you were just trying to get the truth out of him. Not anything unnie would make up in her imagination.

"I'm not suggesting that!" You blushed as he chuckled lightly. "I just wanted to know what you meant by the other members can turn off something you can't..."

"This again?" He groaned.

"Holly and I are curious." You smiled. Yoongi stared down at the dog, thinking for a moment. The room was silent, and you didn't move a single muscle as you waited for some kind of answer.

"For deals we have to be tough...on high alert or something. We can't trust the other guys, obviously." Yoongi sniffed, looking at you with tired eyes.

"Right. You guys are there to do a deal." You nodded.

"...I feel like I stay in that mode even when the deals are over. Even when I've known the members for more than a year." Yoongi held Holly close. "They go back to their normal selves, acting like friends when we're back in the warehouse. And I still feel like I need to be aware of my members."

"You can't let your guard down?" You frowned.

"I try to, but it always goes to sh*t. I can't do anything right." Yoongi growled. "For some f*cking reason I have to f*ck everything up. I don't know how to be a friend or just a normal person!"

"So...you really don't know why you tried to take power under from Namjoon?" You questioned one last time.

"I just felt like doing it even though he's a good leader and person. How sh*tty can a person get?" Yoongi fell down onto his quilt.

"You definitely struggle with how society normally works, but I think you're working on it." You tucked yourself under your blankets. "I think it's just how you grew up compared to the other members. You can make things right, Yoongi."

"I wish..." Yoongi muttered as you turned off the lights. "Good night, (F/n)."

"Night, Yoongi."

Chapter Text

Ch.34

Hiding Yoongi hasn't been that much of a challenge. In the beginning, you were paranoid you sister would find out at any second. She was clueless! It made you cross your fingers for more luck like this. The members haven't said anything about you not eating lunch with them last week. Here goes another week of school! Hopefully, things can continue to ride smoothly. The gang was still angry at Yoongi, but they've cooled down. You liked hanging out with them a lot. It's only when they mentioned Yoongi in a bad light that you wanted to disappear. They haven't found him or beat him up yet so that was good! Everyday you found a reason to run off to the bathroom to meet up with Yoongi during lunch.

Lunch was always your favorite since you got to meet everyone else, but now it was a lot more special. You were quite proud of yourself for improving your relationship with the male. Just this morning, you woke up before the alarm could ring. You turned it off with an evil smirk as you stared at the sleeping boy. He looked so cute cuddling Holly. Ever since he started sleeping with the dog, he stopped getting those nightmares. Time to wake him up! Gently setting your feet on the ground, you tip toed over to the blue hair. You were about to scream and scare him awake. That was the plan at least. Yoongi ruined your fun though by growling 'if you jump me...' in a very threatening tone.

So you gently woke him up, but he still didn't like that. He swore angrily and cutely covered the ears of Holly. The morning process with him has gotten easier. You even managed to get his uniform back for him. He kept it in one of the many closets in the warehouse. It was hard trying to sneak it out without the members wondering about it. They didn't care about the uniform, but they would certainly have questions for you if they caught you trying to take it home. Seokjin dropped you off and you happily gave Yoongi his clothes back. Though that made him happy, the other members were pissed to see him wearing it since that meant he must have returned to the warehouse at one point in time. That wasn't the case at all.

Dealing with this drama was too stressful. It took a toll on you from trying to act natural amongst the gang members and pretending to be on their side. Then you had to come up with all these excuses to hang out with a guy who doesn't even really like you that much. You were happy he didn't exactly hate you anymore, but he did have his moments when he made you feel like sh*t. He did apologize for his insults now though so that's improvement! Yoongi would naturally say hurtful things but he's become a tiny bit kinder towards you. Maybe it's the fact that you house him and feed him. He no longer eats convenience store food since you make his lunch. This boy is getting treated like a prince, so you expect an apology when he calls you b*tch. And it's working!

It might be a little cocky to say this, but you think Yoongi is going to consider you a friend very soon. He's slowly trusting you which is really nice. During the first week he stayed at your house, he became paranoid that the other gang members knew he was with you. He even accused you of telling them and that you were helping them plan some evil scheme. You managed to calm him down from that strange imagination he had. It took some time, but you assured him that he was safe in your care. Yoongi was doing his best to trust you so you appreciated that. You could tell how hard he was trying. Especially since he actually doesn't mind talking to you too much. He only hates in when you can't stop talking.

It's mainly at night when you try coming up with plans to make things right. You've done your best to help the gang see things on your side. Of course, you still have to act like you're furious with Yoongi but not as much. As long as the gang slowly gets it in their head that Yoongi isn't a complete monster. So far Yoongi has sent the group a lot of his money from the deals. They didn't want it though and gave it to you. Namjoon told you to just burn it, but you returned it to Yoongi. He was shocked and you had to remind him to think something up from his heart. Something to help humanize him.

He's been thinking about it all day. During lunch, he stayed lost in his thoughts. The bathroom is usually empty at lunch now. Yoongi made it very apparent that the place was closed at that time. Luckily, Seokjin didn't hear about Yoongi hiding in there. Seokjin being a third year made you super nervous. Right now, you were in your last class of the day and it was hard to focus. They only shared one class. One class could lead to a fight. Once the bell rang, you let out a sigh of relief. All you had to do was hurry to find Yoongi to make sure he didn't have bruises. You wanted to continue having this safe streak. As soon as you stepped out of class, you saw Yoongi waiting across the hall.

"Y-Yoongi? Why are you here!?" You rushed over to him, whisper yelling. He looked around the hall with slight amusement. A lot of the first years didn't dare look in his direction.

"I came to pick you up," He said as if it were obvious.

"How long have you been waiting?" You took his wrist to pull him out of the hall.

"About an hour and a half. I didn't feel like doing my last class." Yoongi shrugged.

Shaking your head at his habits, you began scolding him. He needed to take school more seriously. He even told you how shocked his teachers were when he gave them finished homework. His grades were actually getting better just a bit so that made you happy. In the middle of your lecture, you froze to see a member standing in the hall. Probably the least understanding of them all. And they just had to look in your direction. Yoongi and you swallowed hard as the brunette's eyes grew and his teeth gritted. So much for the safety streak. It wasn't a smart idea for Yoongi to have come here with all these first years around. Three of the members are first years! The brunette charged over like a bull seeing red.

"Why the hell are you near her!?" Jungkook shoved Yoongi away from you.

"Jeon Jungkook, stop it! We were just talking." You stepped in front of him.

"And we can't have that." Jungkook looked at you like you were crazy. His eyes then switched over to the third year. "I'll kill you if you don't get the f*ck out of here and leave us alone."

"How can you talk to him like that?" You forcefully shoved Jungkook back a couple steps. He stared in shock as you pursed your lips. He didn't expect you to fight back like that. That's when you heard more foot steps coming closer to see Taehyung and Jimin angry. Were they shocked by your actions too? Yoongi unzipped his jacket, trying to find something in an inside pocket.

"Why is he here?" Jimin asked.

"Yoongi, you have to get out of here," Taehyung ordered.

"...but I'm going to make things right..." Yoongi mumbled, pausing from shoving his hands in random pockets.

"Make things right?" Jungkook furrowed his brows. "Money didn't fix what you did to our gang."

"I know." Yoongi sighed.

"The other members are going to be here soon if you don't leave." Taehyung frowned.

"Let them come." Yoongi stood up straight as your eyes widened.

"Are you crazy!?" You screamed quietly. The first years were weirded out with your behavior. It was hard for them to tell whose side you were on. They didn't know if you were with them, but just sympathetic or another liar like Yoongi. All this madness made you want to explode into confetti. That would actually make you feel better.

Too bad drama loves to follow the gang. Peace could no longer be kept as the older members came walking down the halls. Their faces were already terrifying. They probably heard a bunch of first years talking about Yoongi or a fight going down. There weren't that many people in the halls though. Most students ran away the moment Jungkook pushed Yoongi away from you. Namjoon looked so disappointed in you as he came over. That face made you ready to just fling yourself out the window. Hoseok had a similar expression but was also frustrated to see that Yoongi had finally made his appearance. Seokjin gave you these eyes like he was expecting this to happen. He couldn't even look at Yoongi yet.

Jungkook began explaining the situation to Namjoon. You fumed as he told a different version, but how could he know the truth? He thought Yoongi came to talk to you about the gang. There's no way he'd know that the two of you were going home together. School ended and you just wanted to go home already. How are you supposed to just leave when this guy is currently sharing a room with you? You wanted to make sure Yoongi returned with you unharmed. Taehyung and Jimin didn't say a word as Namjoon let out a heavy sigh. He crossed his arms as his eyes met yours, trying not to give Yoongi a glance.

"(F/n), Seokjin will take you home. We'll handle things from here," Namjoon said as you jumped away from him.

"I'm staying here!" You shouted. "Nobody is taking me home!"

"(F/n)—" Seokjin spoke up, but you wouldn't let them lay a finger on you or Yoongi.

"No! I'm staying here so you guys don't do something that'll make me hate all of you." You stood your ground. All of them stiffened up. They wanted you to leave so they could roughen Yoongi up. They just didn't want you seeing the 'gang' side of them.

"Come on, why are you acting like this?" Namjoon tilted his head.

"I'm here to make things right." Yoongi stepped in front of you to get an eye roll from the maknae. Namjoon rose an eyebrow. Hoseok looked at Seokjin for an answer, but he didn't know what was going on. "I want to really apologize for what I did to you, Namjoon. And to the rest of the gang."

Seokjin stared down at the ground as he thought deeply. Hoseok's eyes became gentler as he saw Yoongi nervously stand in front of the group. The elder members gave you hope that they could forgive the blue hair next to you. Even Taehyung was ready to listen to what Yoongi had to say. The only ones not as accepting were Jungkook, Jimin, and Namjoon. The leader scoffed and you knew he'd be a hard one to turn over. Yoongi turned his own members on him, made him insecure of his leadership skills, and tried to take his position. Namjoon had the most reason to be furious with Yoongi and the most he has done so far is scoff.

"Sorry is just a meaningless word from you." Namjoon looked away from male as if he were a painful sight to see.

"But I am sorry. I really am. Listen to me!" Yoongi shouted only to get shoved onto the floor by Namjoon.

You covered your mouth in surprise. Namjoon ignored your shocked squeak at first before facing you. His teeth were slightly bared as he panted angrily. Never would you have thought that Namjoon's temper would just explode like that. Seokjin and Hoseok made sure to hold back Namjoon from doing anything else with you standing right there. Taehyung shook his head, looking outside the window instead of at the fight. Jimin eyed the fallen male with a little pity. Then there was Jungkook who was getting ready to fight as well.

"Kim Namjoon!" You shouted.

"I-It's fine." Yoongi worriedly looked at his inside pockets. What did he have in there that he was so focused on? Finally, he found what he's been looking for. He took out what seemed to be a few squished flowers. All the members were confused to see Yoongi on his knees, holding crumbled up flowers in his hands. "I got these flowers for you guys...they weren't squished before. I chose which ones reminded me of you guys."

"The hell...?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.

"This tall pink one made me think of you, Namjoon." Yoongi held up the bent flower for the leader to take. The pink hair hesitantly took it. "Then this flower was really pretty so I thought of Seokjin." Yoongi slowly began to smile as Seokjin grabbed the flat flower with a grin.

"Thanks..." Seokjin lightly chuckled.

"Do I have a flower?" Hoseok asked, catching the attention of Taehyung.

"Which one am I?" Taehyung pushed himself forward. Yoongi was completely stunned. He was speechless, but happily gave those two their flowers. Hoseok received a red flower with large petals since it appeared extra. A white flower was given to Taehyung since Yoongi couldn't find a silver one. They both gave Yoongi thankful grins. The blue hair was only left with two flowers in his hands.

"Jiminie, this one is small and cute like you." Yoongi chuckled as he held it up. "Then Jungkookie, this flower is as strong as it looked. It didn't get squished." Jungkook and Jimin glanced at each other first. It made your stomach twist, but Jimin began reaching for his flower. The gummy smile of Yoongi's was growing wider until Jungkoook smacked both flowers to the ground.

"I'm sorry, but we're not actually accepting flowers." Jungkook turned to the rest of his members. "You guys remember what he did, right?"

"Yeah..." Seokjin held his flower tightly, close to stating his real opinion on the situation. "...bu—"

"Jungkook's right." Namjoon threw the flower on the ground, crushing it beneath his feet. "These are just flowers."

"B-But they came from my heart." Yoongi grew panicked.

"What are you going on about?" Jungkook furrowed his brows. He came over to Yoongi and grabbed him by the collar again.

"Jungkook!" You growled.

"I don't know what you want from me," Yoongi said with a frown before getting punched at the side of his face.

Seokjin called out the maknae's name loudly, but Namjoon stopped Seokjin from interfering. You could feel your blood boiling. Namjoon was someone you respected so much, but this was disgusting behavior on his part. Hoseok and Taehyung didn't move an inch. They only watched Yoongi helplessly fall to the floor again. Yoongi went on his feet as fast as he could to meet eyes with Jungkook. Jimin went over to hold you back from throwing yourself into the fight. Why was he doing this!? Yoongi took a swing at Jungkook only to miss. His fist flew over the brunette who ducked to the side. Jungkook quickly kneed Yoongi in the stomach. Yoongi grunted before getting a hold of Jungkook's throat.

Ripping your arm away from Jimin, you went to stop the scene from escalating further. Yoongi had Jungkook pressed against the wall with one hand on his throat. The other hand was used to repeatedly hit Jungkook's stomach. Yoongi was shouting at the first year, asking what he could do to get their forgiveness. Pulling Yoongi off the maknae, Jungkook fell forward onto his knees. He coughed as he regained his breath. Jungkook lifted his head to glare at the blue hair who was shaking in your arms. Why did the boys have to act like this?

"There! I fought with you! Are you happy now?" Yoongi asked. "Is that what you wanted? Or do you want to leave me close to death? Will that make you guys forgive me!?"

"We want you dead," Jungkook muttered as you gritted your teeth.

"You don't mean that!" You shouted as Yoongi easily freed himself from your hold. He collapsed onto his knees as if all hope was gone.

"Fine! Kill me then. I'm tired of it all." Yoongi held his hands out as he stood vulnerable. "I'm begging you to just kill me already. I don't want to live anymore so please...I'm done." Jungkook's furious eyes lost the fire in them. They no longer stared in hatred, but now showed a hint of worry in them.

"Alright, that's enough!" Namjoon picked up the youngest. "Let's just go our separate ways today."

"Sounds fair." You sighed as Jimin hesitantly walked away from you.

Yoongi leaned against you now, holding his stomach in pain. Namjoon left right away without a second thought, dragging Jungkook with him. The brunette stared at Yoongi with his brows knitted together with a concerned expression. Someone he used to consider family wanted death and you didn't like that. Hoseok frowned at Yoongi for a minute before taking Taehyung with him. The first year was reluctant to leave and soon Jimin followed after them. Seokjin was the last to leave. He stared at his fellow third year with a hard to read expression. Then he stared at the flower in his hands, muttering a thanks to the blue hair. That's when he finally left to catch up with the gang.

"...Seokjin..." Yoongi raised up his head, saddened to see the black-haired male had already gone.

"C'mon. Let's go home for real this time." You put his arm around your shoulder.

The walk home was slow, and you kept looking over your shoulder. You were worried that the boys would be secretly following you guys. Sometimes it felt like Yoongi's paranoia rubbed off on you. It just became hard to trust when you were lying about things all the time. This must be a taste of what Yoongi feels. You were still upset about hearing him tell Jungkook that request. Begging for death changed Jungkook's mind. The maknae with a short temper stopped seeing red the moment those words left his mouth. You're definitely going to have a talk with Yoongi once the two of you get home. There's no way you're going to let him just sleep after today.

When the two of you arrived at your small apartment, you dragged his lazy body over to your room. He could carry his own weight, but he decided to give up half way home. How kind of him. You groaned in relief as you dropped all his weight onto the floor. Yoongi fell onto his back and brought Holly close to his chest. You sat down on your bed as the third year curled up on the quilt. He was so close to earning their forgiveness. Giving them flowers made him so nervous and you could tell some members were readier to give him a second chance than the others. Namjoon was the biggest problem. Jungkook and Jimin appeared to be problems, but now you weren't so sure. They seemed to have a change in perspective from today's little event.

"Did you really mean what you said?" You asked in a soft tone.

"I am sorry," Yoongi spoke into his pillow.

"I know that. But what you told Jungkook..." You frowned as he looked up to the ceiling with dead eyes.

"...sometimes I think it would be easier." Yoongi closed his eyes. "Without the gang—"

"You'll get your family back, but please don't ever think like that again." You went down on the floor with him to grab his hand. He opened his eyes to stare at your teary eyes. You hadn't told him verbally, but you had forgiven him. Especially after the flower incident. Life's too short to continue holding on to such negative energy.

"I can't help it," Yoongi admitted.

"Don't act on it." You squeezed his hand. Yoongi continued to make eye contact with you for the longest time. He usually always looked away at serious moments.

"...I won't."    

Chapter Text

Ch.35

Yesterday ruined the safety streak, but you wouldn't have it any other way. The gang meeting up with Yoongi again after a week let you know their actual feelings. Namjoon seemed to be the only one who wasn't ready to forgive and that was completely understandable. Jungkook got all his anger out by fighting Yoongi and calmed down. He realized he doesn't want Yoongi dead. After all, Yoongi did help make the group wean him off steroids for his safety instead of taking it all away like Namjoon had planned. Jimin was willing to put it all past him since his relationship with dance has changed. Then the rest of the members wanted it to be over already. Taehyung had a close connection with his hyungs. Hoseok wanted everyone to be happy and together again. Finally, Seokjin has known Yoongi the longest and they've been through a lot together. He's also fully recovered from the bullet wound thanks to the medical advice from Yoongi without issues.

All of that meant that Yoongi probably had a good chance of being forgiven. You weren't aware of the flower plan, but it was a good step. The two of you have gotten closer and it's super exciting. He doesn't like it when you consider him your friend though. He refuses to call you the same thing. Hopefully when the gang returns together, he won't hate having you around. That won't stop him from getting annoyed of you and insulting you though. Some things just haven't changed when it comes to that. During physical education, Jimin told you that Namjoon wanted you go to the warehouse with them after school. You said okay before having to run a lap. Ms. Lee didn't like the tone you gave her at the beginning of class when you said 'here'. Now she's just always annoyed of you. Dandy.

This time she actually watched to see if you would do it. What a pain. When you finished, she let you change and go to lunch. Since you were tired, you took a while to change into your uniform. It just felt like a bunch of unnecessary layers. Yoongi would be waiting for you in the bathroom anyway so you didn't run over to the third-year building like you usually do. Luckily the physical education field wasn't too far from the building. It didn't take long to get there and enjoy the fixed air conditioning. Walking down the hall, you pried open the bathroom door and opened the giant stall. Yoongi was glaring at you with his cheeks full.

"You're late." He growled.

"I'm sorry!" You laughed, coming in to sit down. He rolled his eyes and tossed a tiny bag of gummies at you. "Oh thank you."

"Shut up and eat it." Yoongi sighed.

"You're always so rude." You whined as you put one gummy in your mouth.

"And?" Yoongi raised a brow. He didn't care how big your pout was. He was just naturally a grumpy guy. To you at least. You've seen him show a different side to the other members on occasion.

Shaking your head at him, you finished the bag of gummies quickly. The bathroom light flickered above the two of you. For a boy's bathroom, this place was actually pretty clean. There was a lot of graffiti on the stalls but other than that there wasn't much puddles on the ground. Mainly for the single stalls. The walls were a creamy tan while the ground were tiny white tiles. No one could use the big stall because it was broken, and you think it must have been Yoongi's doing. He didn't want anyone stinking up his lunch spot. No one entered this bathroom anymore for that reason. It's become known that you'll get things thrown at you.

"What took you so long?" Yoongi asked.

"I walked." You shrugged.

"How short are your legs?" He scoffed. Despite you treating him so kindly, he treated you like dirt. It was better than when he used to treat you like scum.

"Well then!" You huffed. "Look, you have to walk home alone today."

"Home?" Yoongi questioned as if you made an offensive joke.

"My apartment," You clarified. "Or unnie's. Doesn't matter! I'm going to the warehouse today with the gang so don't wait up for me."

"Don't take too long," He said to get a laugh from you.

"You're always so rude but you show your caring side in a strange way." You poke him to get a glare.

"What does that mean?" Yoongi removed the cap of his drink.

"You don't want to be alone and you'll actually miss my company. That's why you're telling me to hurry with the gang." You clapped your hands. "That's why we're friends now."

"No, you just help make time pass." Yoongi cringed, taking a long sip. He made hanging out with you sound like spending time with a disgusting creature. In your opinion, you felt like a saint for putting up with him most of the times. One day he'll appreciate you more!

"Fine, I'll take what I can get." You smiled.

"Desperate," He mumbled. He didn't hesitate to make those type of comments.

Whatever. At this point you actually took his insults better since you liked to believe they were his way of being caring. Only sometimes were they ever hurtful, but he was starting to mean well. Lunch with Yoongi was fun and you hurried off to your next class when the bell rang. When it came to your last class of the day, you wondered what Namjoon wanted to talk about. He made Jimin tell you despite having classes with Jungkook and Taehyung. He probably wanted someone you trusted a lot to make the order seem less scary. It sort of worked. You couldn't stop wondering what would happen. Either way, you were already planning in trying to see how much Namjoon hated Yoongi at the moment.

Trying to persuade him to forgive Min Yoongi would take more than a few hours. You were certain about that. Soon class came to an end and you were picking up all your things to go. Yoongi should be heading back to the apartment already. You made sure to give him your house key and instructed him to just stay in your room in case your sister makes a surprise visit. If she's there when he shows up, then he's going to have to call you. Unnie would probably think he's some kind of robber and then get upset to find out you've been secretly letting an older boy sleep in your room. That's why she can't know. Exiting the classroom, you spotted Jungkook waiting for you outside the door.

"Follow me." He smiled.

"Making sure I don't runaway or what?" You laughed.

"I just don't get to see you that often anymore. Or spend time alone with you." Jungkoook rubbed the back of his neck. "Jimin tells us that Ms. Lee keeps making you run laps after class."

"Yeah...it sucks." You sighed. "One day she won't make me run though."

"I'll make Seokjin talk to her. Maybe then she'll cheer up and let you eat lunch with us." Jungkook grinned evilly.

"I think he's done talking to female teachers." You giggled loudly, playfully smacking his shoulder.

"But they're not done with him!" Jungkook wrapped his arm around your shoulders.

"Poor Seokjin." You shook your head. "I guess that's just the life of Kim Seokjin."

"Cursed with mediocre looks." Jungkook smirked to get a gasp from you. He's lucky the eldest member wasn't here to hear that. He'd get quite the lesson about respect.

The both of you got close to the gates, cheeks hurting from all the laughter. Near the gates were Taehyung and Jimin who were also waiting. Seokjin was getting the car with Hoseok and Namjoon. Taehyung waved at you excitedly as if it's been years meanwhile Jimin gave you a small smile. His eyes quickly saw the arm around your shoulders and who it was attached to. He bit his lip and looked away as you came over with your arms wide open. Jungkook then shoved his hands into his pockets as Taehyung hugged you tightly. The two of you were jumping up and down, screaming about missing each other despite talking in Mr. Pyo's class.

Taehyung slowly pulled away with that boxy smile of his face. Jimin glanced at you and you quickly went to give him a hug. He probably wasn't going to do it himself. He could be very affectionate with the other members, but things between the two of you still haven't stopped being awkward. A large part of you wanted to mention dance to him again, but you didn't want to anger him. That was a big fear of yours. Seokjin's truck then came around to pick all the first year's up. Taehyung and Jimin entered the back seats while Jungkook told you to sit with him in the bed of the truck. Why not? It's been a while since you've let yourself have some fun with the members. Might as well enjoy some of your time with them before Namjoon and you have a serious talk. You were not looking forward to that.

Jungkook and you messed around during the whole ride to the warehouse. He decided to imitate all his hyungs for the fun of it. They were really funny and incredibly accurate. The window was open so Taehyung and Jimin were watching. Most of the members laughed at their imitations, but sometimes Jungkook was just poking fun. Then Jungkook mimicked Yoongi to get a little laughter from the first years. He looked proud of his imitation before making a slightly uncomfortable expression. Namjoon was stiff in the passenger's seat. You figured that Jungkook did an impression of Yoongi by accident because it was a habit to think of Yoongi being a part of the gang.

Seokjin drove around the warehouse and parked in the back. Every member got out, making their way to the table instead of the couch. Taehyung sat down and told you to join them. Jimin patted the seat next to him, but Jungkook insisted that you sit with him. It was hard to pick so you went next to Taehyung since he was closer. Jungkook frowned and Jimin was trying to hide his disappointment by looking away. Namjoon came walking in with the older members behind him. They sat down next to him, directly across from you and the rest of the first years. Luckily, Hoseok and Seokjin weren't intimidating. The pink hair in between them was definitely trying to be though.

"So can you tell us the full story on what happened yesterday?" Namjoon asked.

"With Yoongi?" You tilted your head to get a nod from him. "I came out of class and he was out in the hall waiting for me. He wanted to talk."

"About what?" Namjoon quizzed.

"The same thing he talked to you guys about. Forgiveness." You shrugged. In your opinion, your acting skills have gotten quite good recently. Besides, you were telling the truth for the most part. They don't need to know where Yoongi is staying. That information is off limits. You'll house Yoongi until it's safe for him to stay in the warehouse again and be with the gang.

"Right." He scoffed. "And what did you say?"

"Well, I didn't get to say a thing. He was barely telling me when Jungkook came over." You crossed your arms. Namjoon sighed as his eyes narrowed down on you. "Let me ask you a question. Do you forgive Yoongi?"

"Me? Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to even look at him with fake joy." Namjoon tapped his fingers on the table. "I know you want everything to be back like how it used to be, but life doesn't always work out that way."

"But what if the other members are willing to give him a second chance?" You questioned to see all the other members become tense. They all avoided connecting eyes with their leader. Namjoon saw that and clicked his tongue in frustration. It immediately struck a chord with him.

"...you got to be kidding me. It's only been a week and you guys are ready to let him back in?" Namjoon furrowed his brows, sounding almost hurt. "That guy made you guys lose trust in me as a leader. I don't get it..."

"Namjoon, we're sorry about that." Seokjin frowned. "But to be fair, it's hard to cut ties with someone we've been through so many things with." Namjoon combed his hair with his fingers, sighing heavily at the news. He was too stuck on his own feelings that he didn't see his own members having opposing opinions. Once again, Yoongi made him feel inferior as a leader.

"Well, you've been through a lot with your parents too." Namjoon growled to receive a dark expression from the eldest.

"I get you're angry, but don't f*cking go there," Seokjin remarked. "Yoongi has the similar sh*t going on and you did too! Don't be such an @ss!"

"Don't push it," Hoseok worriedly told Namjoon. No one wanted another fight to occur.

"Sorry...I'm just frustrated," Namjoon admitted, leaning back in his chair.

"Hyung, we get why you're mad. We were all mad the night we found out too," Jimin stated.

"Yeah, but we've just had time to really sort out our feelings about the situation," Taehyung mumbled.

"When did you guys become so mature?" Hoseok chuckled.

"I feel like I was mad until after the fight with Yoongi. I was so pissed, but then...I remembered he was a person too if that makes sense. It suddenly stopped me," Jungkook admitted. He hoped Namjoon would really listen to his words. The maknae was the last to be upset with Yoongi so he wished Namjoon would take the things he said to heart.

"...has Yoongi ever said that he wanted to be dead?" You frowned.

"We've all said it at least once." Seokjin shrugged. "But only a few of us have ever really meant it at certain points in our lives..."

"The way he said it bothered me. I can't get it out of my head," Jungkook whispered.

Everyone at the table grew silent. Namjoon shifted uncomfortably in his seat. They all had things from their past that they could relate to Yoongi about. It made your heart ache for all of them. Hopefully Namjoon could find it in himself to eventually forgive the blue hair. It doesn't have to be now, but when he's ready. You don't want Namjoon hating Yoongi for forever. Hoseok patted Namjoon's shoulder as he thought deeply on what to do. He wasn't going to have Yoongi roaming around here just yet. You really did want things to be just like they used to be. Why couldn't the gang be all together and happy again? Why couldn't these guys get a break? It was always something else. You weren't even mad at Yoongi for his mistake anymore.

"Namjoon, you told me yourself that Yoongi is someone really important to you," Taehyung spoke up. Catching the attention of the rest of the first years.

"Not now, Taehyung." Hoseok gave the silver hair a look to not talk while Namjoon was thinking, but it was too late. The leader was staring straight at the young boy.

"Did you ever think that was why I felt so betrayed? He helped me in ways I can't repay him, and I trusted him. I felt like he gave me what felt like stars after only seeing nothing but darkness." Namjoon gritted his teeth. "That's why I can't forgive Min Yoongi so easily after what he did. I had something great because of him and then he tried to steal it all from under me when I wasn't at my best. How do you think I feel?"

"Could you ever forgive him?" Jimin interrupted.

"Not now. I don't know. I'm not big on second chances." He sighed.

"You gave me a second chance after catching me with steroids," Jungkook reminded, but Namjoon shook his head right away.

"That's different." Namjoon stood up from the table. "Anyway, I won't tell you what to do anymore, (F/n). I just think all of you should be more careful before letting Yoongi back in your lives if you choose to do so. Personally, I don't want him anywhere near me and so it's gonna be like that here in the warehouse. Okay?"

"Okay..." Everyone agreed unenthusiastically.

You exchanged glances with the other boys at the table. They all wanted this behind them already. It's just going to take Namjoon some more time. He nodded to hear everyone accept. That's when he told Seokjin to take you home now. You got up to follow the black hair to hear Jungkook saying he was coming along. That's when Jimin quickly made the decision to come with too. Taehyung decided to stay with Hoseok since Namjoon wasn't in a playful mood. That was kind of him. Jungkook wrapped his arm around your waist this time, bring you close to his body. It was a little embarrassing but not bothersome. The only thing you didn't like was Jimin glaring at Jungkook for his actions. You wanted them to get along which they were completely capable of.

The third year frowned to see that you didn't sit in the passenger's seat. Not even Jimin sat next to him. The three of you took the back seats. Jimin sat near the window on the left with Jungkook in the middle and you to the right. Seokjin made a lot of Dad jokes to help lift the mood from the serious conversation. Still, you remembered how bitter he had turned once Namjoon mentioned his parents. Then Taehyung knew Namjoon the longest compared to the other first years. He revealed some information that made you curious. There were still so many secrets in the gang and you had a strong feeling that you wouldn't learn all of them. Despite being close friends with them and having gone through some things with them, you still weren't a member that could relate to them the things that Yoongi could. That's why you felt it was important for them to have Yoongi back.

"We're here!" Seokjin chirped.

"Thanks for driving me back home." You exited out of the car as he told you it was nothing.

"Let me walk you upstairs." Jungkook followed you out the car. Good thing Yoongi knows better. He'll be hiding in your room, but you still felt nervous about bringing Jungkook up.

"Me too." Jimin opened his car door.

"That's not necessary." Jungkook took you to the bottom of the staircase. Jimin froze in shock at the maknae's words. You were stunned and looked at Seokjin, but he didn't know what to say. He cocked up a brow as Jungkook held both of your hands.

"Everything okay, Jungkook?" You asked.

"Of course! I just want to know that I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I've been violent and have been acting like a d*ck, huh?" He nervously smiled. "I'm going to try to control my temper to make everyone happier."

"Aw, that's good. I don't like seeing you in a scary light, Kookie." You patted the back of his hands.

"I want you to see me as someone you can love." Jungkook smirked as you tilted your head in confusion. Could he repeat those words for you?

Before you could ask him if he meant platonically, Jungkook had already leaned in to press his lips against yours. You stood without moving a muscle as he closed his eyes. What was going on? Next thing you know, you heard a door slam and Jungkook didn't pull away by choice. He was groaning on the floor with one guy standing over him. Touching your lips in shock, you looked at the car to see Seokjin gripping the wheel tightly. Jimin was no longer in the car but instead yelling at Jungkook to not touch you like that. The maknae was pulled up by Jimin who threw him into the wall. Gasping, you felt yourself shaking already. Jungkook was trying hard not to fight back, but he was clearly getting angry.

"Who do you think you are?" Jimin scoffed.

"You lost your chance!" Jungkook huffed.

"Even if I still had a chance, I wouldn't randomly kiss her!" Jimin scowled. "She didn't even kiss you back and you can't take the hint?"

"Back off!" Jungkook shoved Jimin away from him.

"Can you not fight for once!?" You screamed as Seokjin began getting out of the car.

"He started it!" Jungkook pointed at the blonde, only to get kicked in his stomach.

He stumbled backwards and then gave in to the temptation to fight. Jungkook punched Jimin's jaw without hesitation making Jimin accidentally bite his tongue. The fight was becoming more physical. Seokjin yelled at the boys to separate or he was calling Namjoon to deal with them. They didn't stop at his threats. Jimin continued to kick any part of Jungkook's body. He brought his leg up to hit Jungkook's shoulder, but the brunette grabbed his ankle and twisted it. The blonde fell to the floor with a loud thud. Jungkook made sure to place his foot on Jimin's chest so he couldn't get up. They were both panting while some blood left Jimin's mouth. He tasted it and his expression grew dark. That's when Jimin quickly hit the young member where the sun didn't shine.

"Park Jimin! Why are you doing this!?" You shrieked, taking a step forward.

"Don't get closer!" Both boys barked. How could they make this fight between them went it started because of you? Seokjin finally had enough and came to separate them. As soon as he put his hand on Jimin's shoulder, he got slapped. The eldest was shocked before furiously threatening them.

"Do you both want to die!?" Seokjin huffed as Jungkook repeatedly shoved his knee into Jimin's ribs.

The black hair appeared helpless and you didn't know what to do. Both first years refused to stop fighting for whatever reason. It's not like the winner would get a smile from you. That's when the front door to your apartment opened to reveal Yoongi hurrying out. Your eyes widened to see him coming out. What was he doing!? Seokjin blinked multiple times to make sure he was seeing this right. Min Yoongi came out of your apartment. The blue hair squeezed past you on the stairs by the time Jimin had Jungkook's face forcefully pressed against the wall. Yoongi ripped Jimin off Jungkook and slapped the blonde hard enough to leave a mark. Jungkook's eyes grew to see Yoongi here. Before he could finish saying the third year's name in confusion, he was smacked across the face as well.

"You f*cking idiots!" Yoongi snarled, grabbing the collars of Jungkook and Jimin. He forced them to look each other in the eyes. The brunette let the blood from his nose continue to trickle down while Jimin wiped his chin, smudging the blood on his pale skin. "What do you think you're doing!?"

"Yoongi?" Seokjin stared at the male and then to you.

"Answer me!" Yoongi ignored the other third year.

"I didn't want to fight." Jungkook frowned, trying to escape Yoongi. They were both terrified of the male holding them accountable for their behavior.

"But you did," Yoongi retorted. "And Jimin-a, what the hell?"

"Hyung...I don't know why I did that..." Jimin shifted his gaze away.

"Is this all because Jungkook f*cking kissed (F/n)?" Yoongi questioned in disbelief. Jungkook and Jimin looked down in shame.

"Yoongi...what are you doing here?" Seokjin stepped closer, finally catching the attention of the fading blue hair. Jungkook and Jimin timidly raised their heads towards Yoongi who sucked in his breath. You slowly sat down on a step, burying your face into your hands. This wasn't the plan whatsoever. To think Yoongi would have been smarter than run in the line of fire. Things just keep getting better and better, don't they?    

Chapter Text

Ch.36

After Yoongi was discovered, Seokjin felt it was best to bring the problem back to the warehouse. Did he not remember Namjoon's words? He made them promise not to have Yoongi around. Too late for that reminder. The ride back was extremely awkward. They didn't understand where Yoongi came from or why he was in your apartment. You didn't bother to tell them much since you would have to reveal it all at the warehouse. Seokjin looked through the rear-view mirror to watch the uncomfortable boys in the back. Yoongi sat in the middle of the first years to make sure they didn't try to start something else. Jimin regretted his actions almost immediately after Yoongi knocked some sense into him. Jungkook was cooling down from the fight.

Then there was you. Staring out the window and internally screaming in the passenger's seat. It was hard to process the events that just occurred. Did Jimin seriously start a fight with Jungkook over you? Just thinking about it made you want to groan and shrivel up. You didn't think those two would go that far. There's going to be a lot of talking at the warehouse. Seokjin went back to focusing on the road as he turned onto the narrow street for the warehouse. He ignored a homeless man screaming for money and parked in front of the giant building. All of you were going to be here for a while. Slowly exiting the car, you turned to look at Yoongi who just kept walking. He didn't even spare you a glance which hurt. Hopefully, if he's forgiven by the gang then he won't go back to being his hateful self towards you.

Seokjin put his hand on your back to push you forward. He made sure to keep an eye on the younger boys. They coughed awkwardly as they entered the building. Yoongi stood at the entrance, but hesitated to walk in. Taehyung and Hoseok were playing a game while Namjoon was opening a can. The two playing their game didn't notice everyone coming back in, but Namjoon raised his brows. Before he could welcome everyone back, his eyes landed on you. Little did he know that he had another surprise waiting for him. The pink hair straightened his back and opened his mouth to ask until Seokjin motioned for the surprise to come inside. Yoongi took slow, small steps inside and gave Namjoon a weak smile. The expression on the leader changed right away.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Namjoon raised his voice to catch the attention of the other two members. "You guys promised me!"

"Namjoon, I'm sorry." Seokjin sighed. "But more problems just keep coming up and we have to deal with them."

"What do you mean more problems?" Namjoon furrowed his brows. Seokjin silently shoved Jungkook and Jimin in front of him. The three members at the table took a close look to see that they had been a fight. Yoongi didn't have a new scratch on him so it couldn't be his fault. Besides, Jungkook and Jimin refused to look at each other. This made you feel guilty for causing a bump in their relationship. "What happened?"

"They fought over a certain someone." Seokjin glanced at you, making your face burn bright red. Taehyung stood up from his chair in shock. He rushed over and grabbed Jimin by the shoulders, looking him over first.

"Jiminie..." Taehyung frowned before staring at Jungkook. "Why would you two do that? Jungkook, I can't belie—"

"I started the fight. I hit him first..." Jimin admitted, making Taehyung's eyes open wide.

"Jimin why?" Taehyung perplexed. He held onto Jimin tightly for some time. Then he took his hands off and nodded. "No, I know why. I'm just shocked."

"Yoongi separated us before it got worse. Seokjin couldn't even stop us," Jungkook stated as Hoseok came closer to the rest of the group.

Namjoon remained by the table. He wanted to come closer, but a certain male prevented him from doing so. Hoseok pursed his lips at Yoongi who looked to the side in shame. It made you wonder why he would be feeling that. He's practically gotten the forgiveness of everyone, but Namjoon. He helped stop Jungkook and Jimin from killing each other. Not to mention he's gained a new friend on his little journey. He's repented for his past actions and is working on really changing himself. Hoseok told Yoongi to lift his head which took the blue hair a while. Then he finally looked up to see the red hair smiling at him. Taehyung was even happy to see him back at the warehouse and Seokjin was at peace.

"You're back." Hoseok grinned. "And have you learned your lesson, Hyung?"

"I think I did...(F/n) helped me figure out a lot of things while I was away from you guys." Yoongi rubbed the back of his neck.

"How did you stop the fight? Were you just passing by?" Taehyung asked.

"I saw him come out of (F/n)'s apartment." Seokjin crossed his arms. Jimin was shocked and Jungkook immediately had questions. They thought he had come out of nowhere.

"What? What were you doing inside her apartment?" The maknae turned to face him.

"Oh boy, we'll have to sit down for this long story." You chuckled.

They all slowly joined you in the laughter, growing more comfortable with each other. Yoongi began to cheer up to see the members happy to have him back. Jungkook and Jimin were giving each other apologetic expressions. Everyone started making their way over to the green couch until Namjoon tossed the can in that direction. Hoseok and Seokjin jumped in fear as the can exploded. Taehyung worriedly watched Namjoon glaring at Yoongi, making the blue hair lose his confidence inside the warehouse again. You patted Yoongi's arm for comfort, but he only pulled his arm away from you.

"It's that easy for all of you..." Namjoon tightened his fists. "Do you guys really not respect me as a leader anymore to the point where you guys don't even listen to me?"

"Namjoon, you're a leader who keeps us together and comes up with great tactics. But you don't control our opinions so what's wrong?" Hoseok stepped forward to his best friend. Namjoon clicked his tongue, walking down to meet up with the rest. He didn't look in Yoongi's direction at all.

"I don't know...I'm just worried that my little mess up with Taehyung has ruined me as a leader for good. I don't want to accept that." Namjoon sighed heavily. "My insecurities about my leadership have really gotten to me. That's why I don't want Yoongi back."

"You're a good leader, Namjoon hyung. You're just doing what's best for us, but I think you need to realize that you can't be perfect," Taehyung spoke up with a smile. "And that's okay!"

"Grow from this experience. Don't go back to old Namjoon and just improve from here," Seokjin told the pink hair.

Namjoon stayed silent for a long time before telling everyone to head to the couch. All the members wisely chose a place to sit. You sat on the arm of the couch with Taehyung to your left. Next to him was Jimin with Seokjin in the middle of him and Jungkook. On the other arm of the couch was Hoseok while Namjoon and Yoongi sat in new fold up chairs. The last one they had was really rusty. Plus, Namjoon broke it. Instead of beating around the bush, Yoongi told Namjoon that he could hit him anywhere he wanted. Just like what Jungkook did, Yoongi wanted Namjoon to let out his anger physically. The offer was declined right away by Namjoon who mainly wanted to talk.

The conversation started out by Namjoon asking Yoongi the questions you had asked before. Why did you do it? The blue hair recalled those nights when he talked to you before going to bed or early morning chats. He told Namjoon what he could. How he didn't really know why and did it because he felt like it. That power-hungry feeling he got from when the gang started. Yoongi let everything off his chest that you helped dig out after constantly questioning him. He had to be really tired for you to get any information out of him or very vulnerable. Namjoon silently listened, nodding his head to whenever anything made sense. He could tell Yoongi felt guilty, but the second year needed more than that.

Plenty more questions were thrown at Yoongi by the leader. They were more personal to Namjoon. He asked Yoongi if he was aware how his actions would hurt the group or him if they found out. Namjoon made sure to drill these questions into the third year. Yoongi answered honestly as he could, scratching his fading blue hair. No one on the couch interfered their conversation once. Even if at moments when Namjoon sounded harsh. They let him get out all his emotions which led to Namjoon growing teary eyed. Soon the questions were on about the complete beginning.

"When you first met me, did you always have bad intentions?" Namjoon bit his lip to stop it from shaking.

"No...I didn't think about using you in any way." Yoongi let his shoulders fall down. "I saw you as just some reckless kid, so I didn't see you as useful to me."

"...I know you've changed a lot since the gang has first started," Namjoon said, "But have you changed again?"

"I'm making my efforts to be better...I want to be there for you guys because I-I'm sorry..." Yoongi tried his hardest to keep eye contact with Namjoon. That changed the hard expression Namjoon was holding. He seemed almost moved now.

"Did (F/n) really help you?" Namjoon stared at you.

"Yeah, surprisingly." Yoongi chuckled with slight amusement to see you beaming. "She let me sleep at her place, gave me food, ate with me at lunch, and made me understand..."

"D-Did you sleep in her room?" Jungkook mumbled.

"On the floor." Yoongi smirked.

"Don't let him get too jealous." Namjoon joked, letting Yoongi's gummy smile appear on his face. That was definitely improvement now that Namjoon can joke with Yoongi again. It made your shoulders feel less heavy. Namjoon turned to you with his dimples cutely showing. "So that's where you been during lunch?"

"I didn't want him to be alone." You giggled.

"I told her I was fine." Yoongi sighed, slouching in his chair.

"They were hiding in the boy's bathroom in the third-year building." Seokjin scoffed. Yoongi and you instantly snapped your head's in Seokjin's direction.

"How'd you know?" Your mouth was agape.

"It's hard not to hear about it when I'm a third year myself. I kept hearing guys complaining that they can't piss in the good bathroom because of Yoongi." Seokjin laughed loudly. The other boys snickered too to hear Yoongi was still causing trouble when he was supposed to be under cover. The second oldest grinned.

"And you didn't tell the others when you knew?" Yoongi began.

"No, I kept your dirty secret," Seokjin said proudly of himself. He got up from the couch and went to hug Yoongi tightly. This time Yoongi didn't even make a face of protest. The blue hair just sat in his chair with a small smile. Namjoon sighed before scolding Yoongi harshly one more time.

"Aish, I'm older than you. Do you really have to be that hard on me?" Yoongi whined to get a sharp look from his leader. "Fine..."

"You're welcome back as long as you walk on egg shells. That means you can sleep here again," Namjoon stated which made Yoongi extremely happy. He turned to you with a giant grin.

"I need to get my stuff from your place! And Holly!" Yoongi laughed.

"What? But Holly's mine!" You complained to see his grin shrink slightly. "...forget it. You can keep Holly as long as you promise to respect him."

"Obviously. I was gonna steal him if you said no anyway." Yoongi happily jumped up and started shouting with Seokjin and Hoseok. While those three jumped around, Namjoon shook his head with a light chuckle. Taehyung questioned who Holly was but no one answered him so he left it be.

That left Jimin and Jungkook sitting next to each other with an empty space between them. They didn't even want to take the new free space. Taehyung cleared his throat loudly as he watched the two boys. He clearly wanted his two friends to make up already. You wanted the same, but you also wished that they wouldn't force you to choose or anything like that. Those dramas always made you throw a pillow at the screen. Hopefully, they can accept you just wanting to stay friends for now. You valued your friendship with them too much to start anything deeper. Namjoon told the older members to quiet down. Eventually, all the attention was on the light-haired brunette and the blonde.

Jimin started first by apologizing for his thoughtless actions. He then told the full story on what happened for the rest of the members to hear. All his words were truthful, and he didn't lie about a single part to make someone look better or worse. He stated his faults for continuously attacking Jungkook until he fought back. Jimin told everyone that Jungkook suddenly kissed you and was blinded by jealously. He described it as white-hot rage when he saw that. All his hyungs listened intently while Taehyung eyed your face to see how you felt. For the most part you were fine, but only felt embarrassed at the mention of the kiss.

Jungkook took in a large breath when Jimin was finished. He slapped his hands together and gave his apology without looking at the blonde. The maknae told everyone the promise he told you about not fighting and holding his anger back. He felt ashamed for breaking it in less than five minutes. It was ridiculous to him and Jimin felt bad. They made up easily but were still hesitant to completely become comfortable around each other. Taehyung had enough of that and forced a group hug on them. They were stiff at first before laughing with the silver hair. All of them hugged each other tightly, appreciating their first-year bond with one another.

"That's good that everything's been cleared up." Namjoon stood up from his chair. "I almost forgot the importance of talking things out until the end. It really helps clear up misunderstandings."

"Aw! I missed you, Namjoon hyung!" Taehyung left the first years to hug the leader. "I can't wait to see you in action again as our new leader."

"Me too." Namjoon chuckled, petting Taehyung's fluffy hair. Jungkook and Jimin stood up to shake hands with each other. They promised not to let their friendship suffer anymore because of girls.

"Good. Because we're friends." You crossed your arms to see them both pout. "Don't give me that!"

"Fine." Jungkook laughed, grinning like a cute bunny. "Ah, but what happened between you and Jimin though? You guys were really close then all of a sudden—"

"She rejected my feelings," Jimin lied. Jungkook's brows jumped in surprise. He would never expect Jimin to do something so courageous as confessing his feelings. At that moment, Yoongi came in to tell the truth.

"He's lying. Jimin was upset because he couldn't complete his dream of becoming a dancer and then got mad at (F/n) for not understanding." Yoongi shoved his hands into his pockets. All the members were confused to know about this information. They didn't know Jimin was a dancer and you know Jimin didn't want them to ever find out. Protectively turning to face Jimin, his face grew pale.

"Y-Yoongi! That's something for me—" Jimin panicked, but Yoongi gave him a quick side hug.

"No more secrets in the gang." Yoongi sighed. "Do what you want...but don't leave us, please."

"Hyung..." Jimin was stunned before shaking his head. "No, I don't dance anymore."

"Why not just do it for fun? From time to time instead of professionally or with classes?" You slowly came into the conversation. Yoongi shook his head at your shameless attempts. Jimin was silent for what felt like the longest time. Hoseok then came over to Jimin with a lot of enthusiasm.

"Why didn't you tell us!?" Hoseok bounced up and down. "Show us what you can do!"

"W-What? I'm really not that good..." Jimin nervously rubbed his arm.

"He's good!!" You shouted to get a playful glare from Jimin.

Finally, the awkwardness between the two of you had melted away. After a storm there's a rainbow. The skies were cleared, and the day was brighter. Jimin hesitantly showed a little snippet of a dance that caught the attention of his members. Even Yoongi nodded with some approval. Hoseok clapped excitedly and told Jimin to teach him the steps. The grin on Jimin' face was the biggest you had seen in a long time. His eyes had turned into lines as he slowly taught the choreography to the red head. Jimin apologized for not knowing the counts, but Hoseok told him that it was fine. Soon Jungkook and Taehyung joined in on the fun. They asked questions whenever they were confused on certain movements. Jimin kept laughing, saying his cheeks hurt while teaching them.

Once they all got the movement down, you played the music for them on your phone. Jimin showed the boys how the dance went with the music. They all stared in awe and clapped for him. Jimin clearly enjoyed their praise, bowing at them multiple times. That's when the four boys performed the girl group dance proudly to get Seokjin and Namjoon excited. Yoongi's tired expression didn't change as he watched the boys go. Then he finally had a reaction by laughing when Hoseok made the finishing move incredibly exaggerated. Hoseok and Jimin were happy with the dance, still jumping around in excitement. You were so happy to have Jimin dancing and smiling again. There better be nothing but sunshine from now on.

"You're really good, Hoseok hyung!" Jimin complimented.

"You think so? I guess I should practice!" Hoseok laughed.

"It's not fair how perfect Jungkook is at everything. I had to look at him since I forgot the choreo at one point." Taehyung pouted while Jungkook shrugged.

"You guys should join in too!" Hoseok motioned the three boys to attempt dancing. Seokjin came over while Namjoon begrudgingly followed. Yoongi stayed in his seat with a look that dared them to get him out of the chair. "Don't be like that, Yoongi!"

"I'm not dancing." Yoongi shook his head.

"Yoongi is no fun." Hoseok whined as Jimin retaught the moves to Namjoon and Seokjin.

They struggled a little more than the first four boys. The leader and eldest kept bumping into each other or getting off beat. It was making them grow frustrated, but the others told them to keep going. After some practice, Namjoon and Seokjin were able to keep up when the music was playing. Those two high-fived at their hard work. All they needed was practice and now they were golden for this dance. One thing you did notice was Yoongi had gotten out of his chair. He didn't leave its side since his hand was still on it, but you saw his small feet movement. He was dancing! A smirk grew on your lips as you pointed it out to Jimin in the middle of the music. Jimin jumped so high in the air before running over to the blue hair.

"Hyung!" Jimin grabbed Yoongi, trying his best to take him over to the 'dance floor'. Yoongi refused and that's when Jungkook came over to help a friend out. Jungkook threw Yoongi over his shoulder and brought him to dance with the others. "You already know the dance?"

"I was forced to watch it multiple times because of those two," Yoongi grumbled, referencing the pink hair and black hair.

"Hey! You better dance good then." Namjoon called him out, making sure to get a scared nod from Yoongi before giving you a thumbs up. "Turn on the music!"

"Yay!" You pressed play on your phone to see them all dance in synch. It was mesmerizing, but also entertaining. Yoongi even made sure to act cute at the end of the dance. "Oh my gosh, that was perfect! You guys should actually become an idol group!"

"Ahaha, yeah! We'll be the Bullet Boys!" Taehyung cheered.

"Maybe the Bullet Proof Boy Scouts instead?" Seokjin suggested.

"Beyond the Scene?" Hoseok tilted his head.

"BTS!" Namjoon clapped his hands. "We're Bangtansonyeondan together."

"God, no. I don't approve of any of this." Yoongi fell back into his chair.

"You just got back into the gang, don't make me regret it." Namjoon teased while Yoongi took it more seriously.

"...I wasn't that good. We wouldn't do well." Yoongi shook his head.

"You were actually pretty good at dancing, Hyung," Jungkook commented. All the boys were wowed to see the golden maknae approving one of his hyung's skills. Still, Yoongi wouldn't take it.

"Yeah, and our manager is a hitman." Yoongi rolled his eyes.

"Aw, c'mon this is just for fun." Hoseok grinned, walking over to squish Yoongi's face. Seokjin went to mess around with the blue hair as well. Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin repeated the dance happily for fun. Namjoon walked over to you as he released a happy sigh. You were letting the song continue playing on your phone, but you turned your attention to Namjoon instead.

"I'm glad you're here," Namjoon said.

"Really?" You bounced up in your seat.

"Sure, more drama happens but you do help the gang in ways that I can't. You even help me." Namjoon nodded.

"That's not true..." You tucked some hair behind your ear.

"It is. So I wanted to thank you for that." Namjoon held out his hand for you. "I'll always appreciate it."

Staring at his hand, you shook your head before quickly bringing him into a tight hug. He laughed and patted your back. "No problem!"

Chapter Text

Ch.37

Seokjin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Life has been working out pretty well in my opinion. There's been a lot of bumps this year, obviously. We didn't plan to make any new friends, but the gang has taken quite the liking to (F/n) and so have I. She was mainly friends with the first years in the beginning. Especially Jimin's friend, but she's made efforts to befriend all of us. Even Yoongi! He's still rude to her at times though. But as someone whose known him for such a long time, I can see the improvement. She's become an irreplaceable person to the gang. She's also really fun to flirt with since she gets so embarrassed at times. I don't mean any of my flirts. They're all for fun and sometimes I wonder if I should stop. Who knows? Maybe she might actually fall for me.

No, I don't think so. She became really upset with me the night Yoongi was discovered as a traitor. Things have been patched up now. Yoongi has been forgiven and (F/n) is happy to have him back. Everyone is. A lot has happened since the beginning of the school year. We got two new members, Jimin and Jungkook who are incredibly important. Then (F/n) came along, plus all the drama that came with. There was the steroid issue, the rumors, the rival gang, Taehyung's arrest, and then the betrayal of Yoongi. And those are the only problems I'm aware of. But in the end, I'm glad that they're all cleared up. The only thing I'm sad about is that the school year is almost ending. We only have a few more weeks until Yoongi and I graduate. I'm pretty sure he can graduate with me. (F/n) helped him raise his grades thankfully so now I won't graduate alone.

Graduating sounded exciting at first. School would finally be over with and I'd get all this free time. But then I've started to grow more afraid as the date came closer. I hate thinking about it. It makes me want to fail all my classes so I can repeat. The gang is all I have so what I am actually supposed to do when I'm done with school? I never really thought about it. There was always the plan of just staying in the gang, but for how long? It pissed me off to think about it. Especially since there was no way I was going to a university. I mean, I definitely could go to one. The thing is that I don't want to. School isn't for me. The whole point of graduating is to be finally done with school. Not go through two or even four more years of that crap. But how am I supposed to tell that to my counselor?

"Seokjin, are you listening?" The old woman across from me raised her voice. Not enough to yell. Only enough to catch my attention again and break me out of my thoughts. "Do you know what college you want to go to? So far you haven't told us any of your plans."

"I don't know." I shrugged, slouching in my seat. My counselor had called me out of class to have this discussion about my 'future'. Right now, I sat in a surprisingly comfortable chair while she sat behind her large desk. There were multiple photos of her grandchildren on the wall and some of her degrees that didn't matter too much to me. What were they supposed to prove? "Does it really matter? School doesn't end until a few more weeks."

"I see. Now I know SuChin isn't the greatest high school out there, but please try." She smiled at me, the wrinkles around her mouth lifting up. She didn't mind that I had my arms crossed and had the usual moody teenager attitude. "We do care about you and want you to succeed in life."

"...Ms. Hong, I don't think college is for me." I sighed, leaning forward with a serious tone. Her squinted eyes widened and she immediately began to frown.

"Oh Seokjin, don't say that." Ms. Hong looked at me over the rim of her glasses. "I'm sure you just haven't found the right school yet. What are you passionate about? Tell me your passion."

Passion? Sometimes I wished I could be like Yoongi. He has a strong 'I don't give a f*ck' attitude that I wish I was bold enough to pull off. Unfortunately, I can't bring myself to speak sarcastically to my counselor. She had a nice atmosphere around her. It was obvious how family oriented she was which made her office not as intimidating. Ms. Hong is probably the only faculty member at this school that I actually liked. No matter how many times Yoongi cussed at her, she only smiled and calmed him down. Then with me, she felt like she was filling in a strong mother role. Ms. Hong is nice, but the only things that have ever made me feel alive were deals and I can't tell her that.

"I don't know..." I muttered. How painfully lost do I have to be to not know what makes me passionate?

"Well, how about you think about it? It's a tough decision but don't give up. We'll talk about this later." Ms. Hong closed the notebook on her desk. "Okay?"

"Okay."

And that was it. Ms. Hong let me go back to class. Instead of going to class right away, I wandered the halls. It gave me time to think. What exactly did I want to do with my life? All I really want is to stay with the gang, to be happy, and eat well. Also, I'd like people to appreciate my looks around the world if that isn't too much to ask. The further I went down the halls, the more I thought to myself about the beginning for me. When I first joined the gang that is. My home life wasn't perfect back then too, but it was livable. Joining the criminal life style never interested me beforehand. The gang was only three members until I was recruited. Then we became a team of four. Everything was different back then. We didn't have the warehouse yet. I remember it clearly since it was only last year. When I was just a second year.

*~*

It was the middle of my second year. Time was going by painfully slow. While my body was in the classroom, it felt like I was somewhere else. It didn't feel like I was actually attached to my body. This feeling happened a lot. Sometimes I could be walking down the hall to my next class, but I was just watching myself walk by. Things either went by slow or quickly. Either way, it all felt like a dream. Every day I woke up, ate, denied love confessions, and went to bed. Nothing ever made me feel completely together. I was lost. That's when I suddenly felt someone jerk my desk forward. For some reason that instantly pissed me off and I had to say something. When I turned around, it was Min Yoongi. I've known him since middle school.

"What's your deal?" I scoffed. He glared at me with his white hair, messy uniform, and delinquent reputation. The complete opposite compared to me. My hair was brown, my uniform was freshly steamed, and I was known as a heart breaker.

"Can you deal with all the sluts giggling around you? I'm trying to take a nap, but they keep bothering me." Yoongi cracked his back before slouching in his seat again.

"Huh, not my problem." I laughed to see his eyes grow darker. Yoongi was someone people really feared. None of the students ever looked him the eye. Teacher's didn't even bother this guy. It got on my nerves sometimes.

"I can make it your problem," He threatened. Our teacher wasn't paying attention to the class. They were grading paper work while we had to work on a piece of paper. We clearly weren't though.

"Are you trying to start a fight with me?" I raised a brow.

"It'd be nice to make the prince of the school look like the hunchback." Yoongi took off his shoes from his desk. Letting his comment slide, I realized this was our first real conversation. He was already frustrating me so much. There's no way I could ever get along with this guy.

"Whatever. I don't know what to tell you. I can't stop the girls from acting like that." I turned around in my seat. Yoongi laughed in amusement as I heard him clear his throat. What was he going to do? My eyes grew as I heard him shout.

"Seokjin has chla—!!!" Yoongi opened his mouth but couldn't finish his sentence. I lunged at him at full force to protect my pathetic reputation. It's not like I cared for the title 'Prince of SuChin'. I just hated the thought of people thinking I had something I didn't.

"Piece of sh*t!" I growled as the teacher yelled at me to get off the white hair. Slowly, I got up as I calmed myself down. Yoongi remained on the floor to prop himself up on his elbows. He laughed, showing a friendly gummy smile that I never thought I would see from a guy like him. His eyes appeared impressed by my actions.

"You actually flung yourself...you're real f*cking crazy, huh?" Yoongi got back into his chair. Somehow, he was entertained by my attempt to stop him.

"Yeah, well..." I shrugged and chuckled. The everyone in class was puzzled. One moment I was attacking Yoongi, the second I was laughing with him. Still, jumping at him did give me a rush of adrenaline.

School eventually ended for the day. While most students were walking home, I made my way to my truck. Technically, I wasn't legally allowed to drive until one more year and this was also my Dad's car. Too bad. He's always too drunk to drive it anyway. He doesn't care about me using it and I've never been caught. My charms always trick people into thinking that I'm too good to do bad things. Good looking people really do have it easy. Getting into my truck, I started driving out of the parking lot. Everything was all fine and good until someone decided to randomly walk across the street. There wasn't even a cross walk!

Beeping my horn at them, I slammed my foot on the break in panic. They had white hair and their uniform sloppily put on. Who else would be causing this much trouble just for fun? Yoongi smirked before making eye contact with me. He was most likely surprised to see me driving. He stood shocked until he realized that I could run him over if I wanted to. Yoongi finished crossing to the other side, glancing at my truck over his shoulder multiple times. He's a strange one alright. Pressing the gas again, I made my way home without random pedestrians throwing themselves in the middle of the road.

The next day of school, my problems with Yoongi didn't stop. He didn't bother me during class. All he did was stare at the back of my head. It was hard to drift off with that strong of a feeling. Class ended, and it was time for lunch. As soon as I could leave, I did. I went down the halls to hear footsteps coming from behind me. Was he becoming a stalker now? Stopping in my steps all of a sudden, I let out a huff to then feel them bump into my back. He's smaller than I thought. Turning around to face him with an annoyed expression, I was shocked to not see someone at my eye level. What I got was a girl shyly holding a pink letter in her hand. Oh sh*t, she's not Yoongi.

"Can I help you?" I asked, my previous frustrations melting away.

"S-Seokjin oppa...I-I made this f-for yo—" She adjusted her glasses only to get cut off by a certain male. His presence made her become more nervous, her letter almost slipping out of her fingers.

"Are you going to take the whole lunch period just trying to say one sentence?" Yoongi glared at the girl. He ripped the letter from her hands and shoved it into my chest. "He'll read it later. My turn to talk to him."

"But—" She frowned as Yoongi growled.

There wasn't much I could do. Sure, I could tell Yoongi off, but how many more pink letters like this did I have waiting for me in my locker? There were plenty of girls just like her, shy and in love. It made me feel bad for not caring, but they all cared for my looks in the end. I don't even know this girl's name to begin with. So in a way, I guess I was kind of grateful for Yoongi telling her to run off. I wish I had the guts to be cold like him, but I just couldn't bring myself to be. She gave me a sad expression, but I winked to make her feel better. She instantly got excited and ran off with a smile. So predictable. Turning my attention to Yoongi, he kept a devilish smirk on his face.

"What's the sudden interest with me? I've gotten plenty of admirers before, but I'd say you're the strangest one." I crossed my arms.

"Choke on a d*ck, I came to ask you about something. A favor," Yoongi clarified as I furrowed my brows.

"You expect me to help you with a favor after those first few words out of your mouth?" I scoffed. "You're really something else, Min Yoongi."

"And you too. I didn't know you could drive, much less own a car." Yoongi grinned.

"What? You care if it's legal or not?" I asked to see him laugh.

"I couldn't care less about something being legal or not." Yoongi rolled his eyes. Soon his voice lowered down to a whisper, "It's a truck so it can hold a lot of weight. Plus, it's black and can hide that way."

"What do you mean?" I truly lost myself in the conversation. Where was he going with this?

"How do you feel about driving fast?" Yoongi questioned. "Are you scared of getting arrested?"

"Can you be less vague?" I sighed.

"Get away driver," Yoongi said. I didn't understand what he meant. Like in the movies? "Come with me."

I didn't know it then, but I'm so happy that I decided to follow him. Even though it was out of confusion. Even when I felt like he was going to possibly kill me and sell my kidneys for a lot of money. We went down the halls together as an interesting pair. SuChin's Prince and SuChin's Angel of Death. Yoongi walked down the halls without a care despite all the students looking at him. They looked away in fear at him and I had to wonder if it ever bothered him. Meanwhile girls were doing double takes when they saw me walking or squealing with their friends. I got a lot of crap when I was a first year from the older students. The male students hated how I stole the attention of a lot of the female population. Luckily, their torment has stopped, and I had a feeling that now that I was associated with Yoongi, all dirty looks from guys will stop. Now people might fear me. That'll be an interesting feeling.

I still didn't know where Yoongi was taking me for lunch. All I knew was that we passed all the seats in the cafeteria. He pushed open a door that led to the outside. That's against the rules, but its not like it matters. No one here really gave a crap anyway. Yoongi shoved his hands in his pockets as I spotted two young boys eating lunch. They were surprised to see my presence and stopped eating. I didn't know whether to sit down with them or not. The white hair next to me stayed standing up with a smirk. It wasn't until one of the boys spoke that the ice was then broken.

"Hi, I'm Kim Namjoon, first year," He said in a clear and strong voice. He nudged his friend to speak.

"I'm Hoseok! Jung Hoseok, also a first year." He grinned at me. It was really infectious actually.

"I'm Kim Seokjin. Second year." I bowed at them to hear Yoongi chuckle.

"We don't use formal language here." Yoongi sat down with them. "Because here, we're all equal."

"Isn't it in our culture to respect the elders?" I joined them on the floor. "I'm '92."

"'93." Yoongi frowned as I jumped in excitement. That meant he had to treat me right for the most part.

"So what's this I hear about being a get away driver?" I asked to see Namjoon glance at the second year next to him.

"You found us a get away driver?" He said in awe.

"Technically, he hasn't accepted, but yes." Yoongi nodded. "Look Seokjin, would you mind helping us out tonight with a deal? You don't have to continue. Just do this one deal with us tonight and then you'll decide."

"Deal?" I furrowed my brows.

"...does he not know?" Hoseok mumbled to his friend.

"Drugs," Namjoon flatly stated. "We sell them for cash."

"What the...you want me to get involved in this?" I turned to Yoongi, only to hear him sigh heavily. My worries were completely valid! Handsome guys like me suffer in prison.

"Just for tonight. Can you do it?" He raised a brow at me.

Biting my lip, I eyed all three of the boys in front of me. Namjoon and Hoseok looked fairly innocent. They didn't have their hair dyed like my classmate or a negative reputation hanging over them. They just looked like average students. Then there was Yoongi who I wasn't so sure could be trusted. But I was bored. School is a waste of time, letters repeat the same words, and home was nothing to run back to. It was just for tonight. That's all they needed from me. Namjoon nervously explained my job on how I just had to sit in a car and wait for them. I didn't have to show my looks or talk to thugs? The job sounded easy enough yet they still depended on someone who could drive a car. Who better than me?

"Why not?" I grinned as they all high fived.

The first years thanked me multiple times. Soon they explained the plan with a lot of joy. It must be hard to be a gang of three members. What if they became four? I liked watching the teamwork they had and being added to the mix no problem made me happy. I didn't really have friends. I had people I could get along with, but this could be something special. Tonight, was planned and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. But it was also exciting. It was a strange feeling to have when you thought about what I was doing. I had to pick up the three members at a park and drive them to a location near a bridge. While they went under, I stayed up on top with my car a good distance away.

When the deal started, I felt like I had nothing to worry about. The job was kind of boring. All I was doing was sitting in a car and waiting. Was the action more fun down there with them? The moon was high up, and my engine was silently rumbling. I leaned against the wheel, feeling like I was watching myself again. Just sitting alone at this random spot. Then all of a sudden, I felt myself get pulled together when I heard Yoongi shouting. Looking out the window, I spotted Yoongi running with a duffel bag with Namjoon and Hoseok behind him. I instantly turned my car closer to them out of instinct. It made their job easier as they all packed inside. Multiple men were chasing after them with angry faces. What did these idiots do!? It was a kind of funny though.

They didn't even have to tell me to hit the gas. I was already speeding out of the location with a lot of adrenaline pulsing through me. Hoseok and Namjoon were bouncing in the back while Yoongi was clutching the bag. He had a large grin on his face as he sighed in relief. I couldn't help but laugh and smile with them. Checking my rear view mirror, I noticed we were getting followed by the guys we did a deal with tonight. I told Yoongi right away and he swore. Namjoon didn't hesitate to give me directions. He told me random roads to take as the car came closer. We kept swerving left and right. I couldn't lose track of them. They were only making me burn my tires from the sharp turns. For some reason, I wasn't upset at the idea of dying tonight. I only felt myself pressing the gas harder and holding the wheel tighter.

We panicked slightly when we heard a gun go off. They luckily missed my car, but the sound echoed throughout neighborhood. People were probably hiding in their houses, nervous at what was going on. Hoseok was squealing anytime it looked like they were going to get a hit on my truck, but they had terrible aim. That's when we saw a police car waiting at a corner to check people's speed. Luckily, I was slowing down just fine but noticed the light was getting ready to turn red. I was going to brake in panic, but Namjoon told me I could make it. Was he serious? Not at the speed I was going at, but he assured me I could do it. That's when I passed the limit line and the light turned red, but I was safe. Meanwhile the other car had to slow down in fear of the cops.

"Holy sh*t..." My jaw dropped as we lost them.

"Nice job thinking on your feet." Yoongi turned to Namjoon who was grinning widely.

"That was so cool! How'd you know he could make it?" Hoseok said with big eyes.

"I've been at this street before. It takes forever for the light to go red." Namjoon chuckled before turning to me. "Thank goodness you kept your cool. You really helped us out there."

"That...was awesome!" I cheered. Having them depend on me made me feel important. Then that rush I just felt? There's no way I could feel that anywhere else! This was amazing. It's so much fun.

"Alright, here's your guy's cut." Yoongi passed Namjoon and Hoseok stacks of money. I was stunned as Yoongi pulled out the same amount and handed it to me as I arrived at the park I had originally picked them up at. "Here's yours."

"For me? Why?" I held the money in shock. This was a lot. It could help me a ton with gas! Lifting my head, I faced all them with confusion.

"You helped us out tonight. So you get your fair share, obviously." Yoongi scoffed.

"Thanks..." I gripped the money tightly. "W-When do you guys have another deal?"

"You want to join us!?" Hoseok grinned.

"Yoongi and I are going to plan that out. You're more than welcome to help us out." Namjoon shook my hand. "I'm the leader so you can always talk to me."

"Well, I'm sure you'll become a greater one with time." I unbuckled myself as I stared at the cash. That's when something popped in my head. "Hey guys, why do cows never have money?"

"What?" Namjoon tilted his head in bewilderment.

"Why?" Hoseok listened intently.

"Because they're always milked dry!" I slapped my thigh. Hoseok joined in the laughter with me. We were loudly enjoying the joke I came up with while Namjoon understood it and only smiled in amusement. Yoongi gave me a look as if he was dead inside. Some people just can't appreciate good humor!

"If everyone knew the Prince made corny jokes like this, you wouldn't be called the Prince of SuChin anymore," Yoongi said as I shook my head.

"I can't hear you over all the laughter my joke got!" I grinned. I think I'm going to take a liking to this gang. I can see a lot of memories and bonds being formed. That's what thrilled me. It made me want to stay for as long as I possibly can.

*~*

I dropped everybody off at their houses. Sadly, I couldn't stay at the warehouse longer since I had to check up on a few things at home. Just the thought of going there makes my whole chest feel heavy. It's better to leave as early as I can and come home as late as I can. Occasionally, I wonder if I should just become roommates with Yoongi at the warehouse. I'm pretty sure we could work out a good living space there. Besides, I'm very good at cooking so maybe he'll actually eat healthy food instead of just convenience store food. Ever since he stayed with (F/n), he looks healthier which makes everyone in the gang happy. Driving onto my street, my shoulders sink as I park in the driveway. It's not like I'm going to be here for more than an hour.

Exiting the truck, I slammed the car door and opened the front door to my house. As soon as I stepped inside, my nose was greeted by the stench of sweat and alcohol. It made me want to vomit when I was younger, but I've grown accustomed to it. It's barely noticeable. I closed the door behind me and sighed. It was hard to see in this place. All the blinds were down for one specific reason. Taking off my shoes and sliding on my slippers, I went over to a window and let the light in. Right away, a body on the couch began to move. What a surprise. I thought he was passed out on the kitchen table. No, instead he was sprawled out on the couch with a bunch of food crumbs and an empty bottle of vodka. His eyes opened wide then shut tightly together as he groaned.

Some sights were enough to make me want to burn this house down. Just to have it all be over with. The bottle slipped off his fat stomach and hit the floor. He continued to toss around on the couch with his hangover probably beating heavily in his head. This time I didn't have time to help him get better. He can die of alcohol poisoning for all I care. Finally, he adjusted to the light entering the messy house. Many empty shot glasses and half empty bottles of alcohol covered the table. Stacks of newspaper sat on the couch as well as recent receipts from the liquor store. How disgusting can a human get? The man's blood shot eyes landed on me with rage.

"Close the blinds!" He shouted, his voice raspy.

"It was too dark to walk in here." I huffed, stepping over trash to get to my room.

"Ungrateful child! You close the blinds right now!" He barked. "Don't you have any sympathy?"

"You're closer to the blinds. You do it. I don't see you having broken arms." I scoffed. "And how can I be sympathetic when you're the one who made yourself this way?"

"Aish, you can starve to death! You're nothing but selfish!" He grabbed a shot glass and threw it in my direction. Quickly ducking, I held my arms over my head as the glass shattered against the wall. "You think other f*cking parents would want to be your father!? HUH!? ANWSER ME!"

"...no..." I mumbled as he panted heavily, falling back down into his seat.

"Now close the d*mn blinds already you useless piece of sh*t," He grumbled, finding an unopened beer can on the floor.

Dragging my feet as much as I could towards the blinds, I shut them and blindly made my way to my room. All I needed was to check up on things and go to bed for the next day to come sooner. It wasn't worth it. I hate it here. I should just run away to the warehouse. But then there's always something that makes me want to stay here. Leaving my bedroom door, I knock on my parent's room. It's practically just my mom's room since he stays out most of the time. Her voice tells me to come in. Once I step into the room, my eyes adjust to the light as I see my younger sister playing with her toys. She's still in primary school. Then my eyes landed on my mother who looked so incredibly weak. Shutting the door behind me, she stared at me with pursed lips.

"Are you hungry?" She asked.

"No, I'm already ate with my friends." I shrugged. "Are you okay though, Eomma?"

"I'm fine. I'm always fine." She chuckled as Jiwoo looked up at me.

"Oppa!" She waved her small hand. We had a large age gap since she wasn't planned.

"Hey there." I waved back before turning back to my mom who was silently watching her drama. "Eomma...you said you would get him to stop passing out."

"I'm trying." She gritted her teeth. "I don't see you doing anything but angering him."

"Just divorce him already! You deserve better than—" I frowned as she got up from her bed.

"Seokjin, why are you trying to ruin this family!? We can't divorce, are you crazy!? I wouldn't survive out there with Jiwoo all alone." Mom huffed. "We could be such a happy family if you just stopped with your nonsense."

"Happy family? I'm the crazy one? Jiwoo spends most of her time in her since that—that thing! Is always out there drinking! We could be happier, but you don't understand!" I shouted as Jiwoo pretended not to hear. She was used to this unfortunately. Mom never saw things my way.

"If you're hungry and need food, I'm here. If you need your mother then I'm here," She said, "But if you come here just to say your father is nothing but a drunk then you don't deserve our family name."

"Do you think I want to be related to that thing?" I scoffed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Seokjin, he was fired from his third job. He's having a rough time. Why can't you just find it in your heart to forgive him for the rude things he says?" Mom asked. "He doesn't mean them. And stop calling him 'thing'!"

"He doesn't deserve to be forgiven." I grabbed the knob of the door.

"Fine, then go ahead! Get lost! Jiwoo here at least appreciates her father! She understands what family is!" Mom turned her head to Jiwoo who was watching us fight. "Go back to playing!"

"I'll be back, Jiwoo." I frowned as she nodded.

Stepping out of the house, I tried not to scream until I made it back into the truck. That's when I released the loudest shout of frustration I could possibly muster. This has been my life since middle school. Nothing has changed since then. It was night by now, but my parents didn't care if I came back at midnight or five in the morning. All the others were back at home except for Yoongi. Putting the car in reverse, I drove off to the warehouse again to talk to somebody who would understand. Yoongi hasn't seen his parents since he became a first year when he made the choice to run away. He lived hidden at that park we used to go to. Then when Taehyung found the warehouse, he moved there. Licking my dry lips, I turned towards the street of the warehouse. It didn't take long for me to hop out and go inside to see Yoongi pulling out a cigarette as he laid on the couch. When his eyes landed on me, he stopped.

"Something happen?" He asked as I stopped in my steps. Letting out a heavy sigh, I told him what he probably expected.

"Parents..." I looked down.

"Let's talk outside." Yoongi got up from the couch, putting away his cigarette in his pocket again.

He turned me around and wrapped his arm around my shoulder as we stepped outside. The air was cold, but bearable. We went over to my truck and pulled the tail gate down to sit on it. There, we stared up at the stars and I got some things off my chest. Stuff I didn't want to burden the other members with. They had their own crap too, but Yoongi always listened to my crap. It was either him or Jimin. One who has been through something similar and the other was a very understanding friend. Yoongi sat with his legs crossed while mine hung off the tail gate.

"He's still drinking a lot," I started. "My mom doesn't know how to stop him and refuses to see it as a problem. She still thinks we're a family while Jiwoo just hears all of this. She's only in third grade."

"He's not going to change," Yoongi said.

"I know that." I closed my eyes to feel the breeze hit my face. The giant wheat field across from us swayed backwards. Crickets were being loud as the moon rose higher in the sky. "But my mom..."

"She might, but you can't force her to change. It's gonna be tough for her to realize it." Yoongi cracked his neck. "Ah, you should mainly focus on your sister and yourself."

"Do you think I should run to the warehouse?" I turned to him as he chuckled.

"I wouldn't be as lonely." He grinned. "But Jiwoo?"

"That's my problem." I faced the sky again. "I always come home just to check if she's safe. He can throw as many shot glasses as he wants at me. As long as he leaves her alone."

"I get that..." Yoongi frowned, his eyes falling down to the ground. He understood the feeling of being protective over a younger sibling. At least he used to.

"Then my counselor talked to me today." I leaned forward, clasping my hands together.

"About your 'future'?" He rolled his eyes. "I'm done with school. Ms. Hong can tell me all kinds of crap, but I'm done."

"...I'm done too. But I don't know at the same time." I nervously began to rub my knees. "I just feel lost when I think about leaving the gang."

"Don't," Yoongi instantly replied before sighing. "No...do what you feel is right. I know school isn't for me, but you actually have a chance for something. Whatever that might be."

"I just don't want to go to a university for no reason. I need it to have purpose." I shrugged, falling back onto the bed of the truck.

Yoongi nodded his head in agreement as he stretched his arms over his head. We stayed silent as the sky slowly moved with time. The cold was getting through my jeans and light sweater. But I preferred freezing than to go back now. Jiwoo was safe with mom since she was actually loved. Mom has grown a distaste for me as the 'home wrecker' for my opinions. Then the thing can't stand the sight of me. That feeling is strongly mutual. Yoongi eventually fell back with me, staring at the sky with no real reason. It's not like I knew constellations. They were just random dots in the sky to me. My future wasn't for certain but Yoongi knew he was done. So what did he have planned?

"So are you staying with the gang or going to work right away?" I asked him. He stayed quiet for a while.

"The gang," He tiredly mumbled. I should have figured that would have been his answer. He just didn't say it as quick as I thought he would.

"Will you always stay with the gang? What happens when it's all over?" I frowned. "What are we gonna do when the gang ends?"

The thought hurt a lot. It punched a hole where my heart was supposed to be. Just imagining it, I already felt pain heavy in my chest. If we ever separated, I wanted to stay in touch with every member. There's no way we could all forget each other like that and lose the bond we have with each other. We're family. The gang is all I have and Yoongi felt the same. The question hit him the hardest though. He didn't even know how to answer my question for the longest time. He stared at the sky with his mouth slightly parted. As if all his air was taken away and speaking would hurt him. If my heart was gone without the gang, what did he have left?

"...I don't know..." Yoongi gripped his sweater tightly. I don't know either.

Chapter Text

Ch.38

Yoongi's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The question Seokjin had asked me last night was still bothering me. Of course, I was going to stay with the gang. There shouldn't be another f*cking option. But then he went on to when the gang won't exist because we sure as hell won't be doing deals when we're sixty. I don't know. What am I supposed to do? Today I've been walking around the warehouse since it was night already. I wasn't ready to go to bed just yet. D*mn it, I really didn't want the gang to be over yet. I wanted to blame it on (F/n) and I did in the past, but even if she weren't in our lives the gang would still come to an end eventually. It's not like we're looking for new members to pass the gang onto next. This was just for us. No one else could have this family that we formed. It was only ours. No outsiders.

Kicking a small rock in my way, I watched it roll over into a ditch. It was possible to feel all kinds of pebbles underneath my boots. This place was littered with trash. Even right now, I have to be careful not to step on broken glass. The outside wasn't so pretty. What mattered to me was the warehouse. That place meant a lot to me. It gives me freedom, plus all the memories I have with the gang. Staring over at the large building, I could feel myself slowly smirk. Thanks to Taehyung, the gang has a place to hide out at. A place to proudly be themselves than some stupid park. Walking back towards the warehouse, I figured my walk for the day was over. It's not like I'm going to figure out the answer to Seokjin's question tonight. For now, I'll be with the gang for as long as I can.

Entering inside of the warehouse, my fingers played with my right earring as I went over towards the closet. It was already past midnight, so I might as well go to bed. It's weird. Sometimes I feel so tired that I can fall asleep anywhere. Then there are moments where I can't fall asleep at all and it's like torture. When I slept over at (F/n)'s apartment, I'd say that was the only time I ever felt completely comfortable sleeping. There was nothing to be alert of. Only the first night I had trouble, but after that I was completely okay. Opening the closet door, I took out the blankets and brought it over to the couch. Time to hopefully knock out.

Kicking off my shoes, I collapsed onto the couch and covered myself with the heavy blankets. They managed to help keep me warm in this place. The warehouse mainly had a friendly feel because of the memories and the gang. When I stayed here alone, the image slightly changed. It's a lot better than where I used to live though. There were no actual doors in the warehouse except for the closets. Not even the roof was completed. There was a couple gaps in the ceiling that let you see the sky. All this let the place freeze up at night. Nothing really held the heat inside, but I managed with these blankets. Closing my eyes that hurt to keep open, I slowly felt myself relax. I'm going to sleep now and it's going to be okay.

*~*

Was I asleep? It didn't feel like it. Everything around me felt so real. The ground beneath me was clearly soil. My surroundings were nothing but a dump. A lot of smoke was in the sky, homeless people were burning things for warmth, and...the trailer home. It looked the same as when I left it. Why am I even here? Taking a step, I felt my body fall forward. The f*ck? I looked down to see my foot had sunk into a muddy puddle. Poking out of the puddle was a broken mirror that showed my reflection. My hair wasn't a faded blue anymore. It was white. I haven't had this color since...wait, what year is it?

Swallowing hard, I brought my hands up to my hair as I brought my foot out of the mud. The trailer home was there and I'm here with white hair. No yells were coming from inside it so was it safe to enter? No, it was never safe to go inside. That was a stupid question. Scoffing, I was getting ready to turn around until I heard a familiar voice call me hyung. It was coming from inside the trailer home and my heart fell. The door opened to reveal my younger brother. He poked his head out and smiled to see me standing here. Forgetting about all my worries, I rushed over to him with a relieved grin. He's actually here! He's fine. He was so clear and I could feel myself hugging him. It was really him.

"Jaehyuk!" I wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could. He laughed as he squeezed me back.

"C'mon, Hyung! Get inside before Appa comes back." He pulled away to open the door wide.

I jumped inside and took a look around. The place was still a pig sty as always. There was an unfinished pizza on the tiny kitchen table. Kicking a can on the ground, I could hear the static from the broken TV. Then the sputtering that came from the filter on the fish tank. There was only one fish still alive that swam close to the ground. Jaehyuk remembered to feed it all the time while I couldn't be bothered to. All the blinds were close, so the lights were on, but they were pretty dim. Visible dust was floating in the air. This wasn't really a place I was excited to see. It didn't make me feel nostalgic or have me bouncing with joy. It made my stomach twitch with disgust. I repeatedly looked over my shoulder with growing paranoia. Anytime Jaehyuk bumped into something and made a sound, I flinched without a second thought. The feelings I got from this place pissed me off.

"We should leave," I said to my younger brother who reached for the pizza slice.

"What? But I'm hungry." Jaehyuk frowned.

I quickly grabbed his hand and began tugging him towards the door. There's no way I'm going to let him continue staying here. This was our chance to finally escape together. He dropped the pizza on the ground, no longer protesting against me. Before I could open the door, it was opened for me by the pathetic excuse of man I wanted to escape from. He reeked yet he had a practically nude girl on him. Instantly he was annoyed to see us standing here. He pushed us back as he brought the woman inside. My blood began to boil as he told the girl to wait for him in his bedroom. How badly I wanted this motherf*cker dead. One day I want his blood on my hands.

"What'd I say about leaving your side of the house?" He growled.

"Appa, we just wanted to go outside," Jaehyuk said as the monster glared at him. For some reason Jaehyuk still called him that. I stopped a long time ago.

"If you leave then you stay outside! I don't want the women I bring to know I have two f*cks to take care of," He threw his hands in the air, yelling at us for just existing. We either had to stay in our rooms or not return home. What did he want from us? "I blame it on those two b*tches that left you with me."

Jaehyuk and I were half siblings, but it was enough to make him just like any other brother. It didn't matter to me. We both didn't know who our real mother was. I didn't care to find out. She could be a prostitute for all I care. Jaehyuk was more pure hearted than I was. He actually wants to know who his mom is. Sometimes he asks the monster but it's not like he knows himself. Maybe he should keep it in his pants if he doesn't want more children! I'd be glad to just shoot him down there. Then the world can be cleaner. Being related to him was a nightmare. It explained how I turned out, but Jaehyuk was like a diamond in the rough. He gave me a reason to return. He was something I needed to protect at all costs.

"We'll stay in our room then." Jaehyuk frowned to only enrage the monster more.

"Does it look like I give a sh*t anymore!?" He grabbed Jaehyuk and tossed him to the floor. I was done. I kicked the monster back as if he were the plague. He hit the wall and bared his teeth. That's when I heard his slut whining, coming out of the room to see what was going on.

"Don't hurt him!" I shouted. All I could see was red as the slut glared at me.

"You shouldn't hurt my man you annoying sh*t." She scoffed, but I ignored her.

Every girl the monster brought home treated us horribly. There was never a good one. Why would a good-hearted girl want to be with that creature? The monster stumbled, grabbing a plate and smashed it on my head. My head was throbbing as some blood started to drip down my forehead. Jaehyuk tried defending me by being a shield. What was he doing!? Without effort, the monster tossed him aside again. His interest was no longer with me. Instead he decided to take on someone weaker first. The annoying slut threw her heel at me when I tried to stop the monster. Does she have to be here? Picking up the heel she threw, I flung it a lot harder at her. The heel hit her head and knocked her body down. Good.

Turning back to Jaehyuk, the monster was choking him on the ground. Jaehyuk had a bunch of new scratches on him. The piercing in his ear was ripped out and a bruise was going to form on his eye tomorrow. The monster pressured his knee further into Jaehyuk's ribs, probably enjoying his son's sharp gaps for life. I grabbed his jacket and pulled him off of my brother. While Jaehyuk coughed, I was going to kill the monster once and for all. Let's add his b*tch for more fun! The monster kicked at me when I came over. He got a few hits on me, but he was getting tired. I punched his face as I lost all my sanity. The crack of his nose was exhilarating. Hearing that satisfying 'pop' was something else. Blood started to spill out of his nose and the smirk on my face grew wider.

He eventually had enough of me attacking him like this. The monster kicked me off and I landed roughly on my back. I want him dead. I don't want him breathing anymore. The hatred in my body was so dark and burned so strongly in my chest. Slowly bringing myself up onto my two feet, the monster played cheap and banged a metal fold up chair on my back. My body crashed down as I felt something so incredibly wrong with my shoulder. These events were becoming so familiar as the monster dragged my body towards our side of the trailer. Jaehyuk was already crouching under the table like a child scared of thunder. There was no energy in my body anymore. The monster kicked me in the gut a few more times before spitting on my panting form.

"Does that teach you a f*cking lesson? Did you get what you want, you pain in the @ss!?" The monster shouted. He didn't care if we responded or not. As long as we understood our place. He left the room to pick up his slut who was still on the ground. Whether she was conscious or not didn't bother him. He was sickening.

The blood on my forehead trickled down my chin. I was bleeding more now that I had that chair hit me. Coughing some blood up, I groaned at my shoulder. Jaehyuk crawled over to me in fear as I realized what was wrong. Why can't I move my arm? Panicking, I told Jaehyuk there was something wrong with my arm in a hushed whisper. My words were quick as he checked out what was wrong. He told me to stay still as he popped my shoulder back in. Apparently, I had dislocated it and it still felt awful. There's going to be a lot of swelling tomorrow. Wrapping my good arm around Jaehyuk, I apologized for not protecting him better. I was still weak compared to that fat f*ck.

"It's okay, hyung. Don't worry." Jaehyuk shook his head. "I'm still fine." He smiled at me despite those marks around his neck. This was not okay in my book.

"We're in this together." I protectively held him tighter. We both rocked ourselves in the darkness, wondering if we'd survive until adulthood.

"Yeah. Don't ever leave me, Hyung." Jaehyuk tightened his grip on my jacket.

"I'd never..." I stared at him.

I felt bad that he had to experience this. He always smiled and had an innocent expression all the time. Closing my eyes for a second, Jaehyuk's body was suddenly gone. Widening my eyes in panic, I looked around, but he was nowhere in sight. It was day time already? The scene grew more familiar as I stood up. There was something in the air that let me know that something was off. My eyes landed on the dirty fish tank. The last fish was dead. I didn't know what it was but my stomach was twisting as I left my side of the trailer. As I got closer to the monster's side, I noticed legs coming out of the bathroom door. They were Jaehyuk's...oh god. My whole body was trembling as I knew. I rushed over to him, falling onto my knees to see the sight. Blood was all over the floor. It all came from his neck and there was a knife in his hand. No, no, no.

"JAEHYUK," I cried out as I picked up his small body in my arms. I didn't care if I got my clothes all bloody. "WHY!?"

Screaming at his limpness, I couldn't stop the tears making my vision blurry. I never want anyone I care about dead. Jaehyuk's eyes were dull and he didn't respond to a single word. We promised each other! We were in this together so why would he do this!? This is something I expect from myself. Not from my younger brother. Everything inside me broke as I screamed his name louder. I hunched over his body as I sobbed wildly. Jaehyuk was so pure to me. How could he even think of this!? What made him think this was the solution to dealing with the monster? He left me all alone. No...I couldn't protect him. This is all my fault. I didn't do my job as his big brother.

"J-Jaehyuk...answer me..." My lips quivered as I saw his fist tightened. I forced his hand open to reveal a tiny note. One that read 'I'm sorry hyung' and that was it. Is that all I get? "COME BACK!!"

"What are you yelling about!?" The monster slammed open the door. He snarled before freezing in his spot. He didn't expect to see me screaming over a dead body. I told him as much as I knew, hoping that this would change him. For Jaehyuk.

"H-He killed himself...because of you!!" I barked back. His stunned expression turned dark as he pulled me away from Jaehyuk's body. "What are you doing!?"

"He's gone now! Leave him!" The monster pushed my weak body onto the ground, about teen feet from Jaehyuk's lifeless form.

"Do you feel sorry now!?" I glared at him only to get kicked.

"It makes things harder, but at least I only have to deal with one now. The worst one!" The monster huffed, glancing at Jaehyuk again. I gritted my teeth as I tried crawling over to Jaehyuk. "Hell no!"

"Stop it! Jaehyuk!!" I tried reaching out at him, but it was useless.

He was too far away from me and the monster was holding me back. All my struggling was pointless. I was hysterical in the monster's grip. Instead of changing, he beat me to keep me under control. He shoved my face against the dirty floor, hitting me until my body ached too much. He left a giant scratch on my cheek and bruised my body even further. Everything hurt so much. This was the most pain I felt in my life. After growing up on the streets, I always told myself that at least I had Jaehyuk to keep me sane. What now? What was the point in living anymore if all I have is this sh*t? Blood came out of my mouth as my vision began to get blurrier. Jaehyuk's face was staring at me, but he couldn't do a thing. He was gone. I stayed still and let the monster leave me in my own puddle of blood. But I won't let him kill me.

NEVER .

*~*

"JAEHYUK!!" I shot up from the couch, gasping violently for air. I was back at the warehouse with my faded blue hair. The air was a cold contrast with my warm body. Touching my forehead, it wasn't blood but sweat.

It was a dream...sort of. They were real memories of my past that kept haunting me. More happened in between but my brain only showed me what hurt. They wouldn't leave me alone and that's why I always had these nightmares. Always of that monster beating me. Or Jaehyuk's hopeless body. I couldn't help it. Kicking off the blankets, I got up from the couch to calm myself down. I'm okay in the end. I left the trailer home once and for all. That monster doesn't have to deal with me anymore. Grabbing from my stash in the warehouse, I brought the weed over to coffee table. Sitting down on the fold up chair, I bounced my right leg impatiently as I struggled to get my lighter out. This was so f*cked! Let me relax already! Once I got my lighter out, it flew out of my hands onto the ground.

"You gotta be f*cking with me..." I got up from the chair angrily.

I was about to kick the inanimate object until I spotted Holly on the floor. What was he doing there? Crouching down to pick up the poodle, I slowly began to pet the stuffed animal. I let my fingers tangle themselves up in his curly hair. Soon enough, I was breathing normally again. Looking back at the weed, I went to toss it into the closet. Looks like I won't be needing that anymore when I got Holly. Getting back into the couch, I held the dog close to my chest. He might have belonged to (F/n) once, but he's mine now. He helps me. I was never really a dog person or cared for animals much, but I'd like to have a real Holly one day. Sleep came to me easy this time again. Just now there were no haunting memories of the monster or my brother who committed suicide when he was about to be a sixth grader. No evil women who constantly hurting me in favor of the monster. None of that.

When I woke up, it was already the afternoon. My sleep schedule was a mess. I still felt tired and groggy, but someone was making a lot a noise. How am I not supposed to wake up? Swearing loudly, I lifted myself up to see which member was bothering me. Scanning the warehouse, I found Hoseok eating cereal loudly. This is a good surprise, I guess. He's not some random homeless guy. Hoseok grinned to see me waking up. I felt tempted to smack him for eating so loudly, but whatever. I'm getting hungry too. Dragging my feet over to the table, his crunching was louder up close. He said good afternoon with too much enthusiasm for me right now. Wiping my eyes, I pulled back a chair and fell down in it. Hoseok made me a bowl right in front of me and then returned to his own bowl.

"Eat up!" Hoseok laughed.

"It's just cereal." I chuckled, furrowing my brows at him. He helped me cheer up and forget about the tough night I had. So did Holly who was currently hiding under a pile of blankets. The other members would laugh if they found out a stuffed animal was my comfort object.

Hoseok and I actually had a lot to talk about. It was mainly him talking, but I did have a few things to say though. He made a lot of jokes and I joined in. It was currently the weekend, so everyone was doing their own thing. Sometimes they come over to the warehouse, but it always depended. Namjoon always tried to stay home on the weekends to be with his mom. Seokjin came to the warehouse like Hoseok or went somewhere other than home. The first-year boys would always hang out with each other. If one of them was at the warehouse, then I could expect all of those annoying little sh*ts to show up. They're lucky I put up with them. But in reality, I'm happy they're part of the gang. They have their moments to remind me of my brother. Especially Jimin. He carries a similar innocence which was why I hated the thought of him leaving for dance so much. I have to learn to let go though. My conversation with Hoseok soon became one sided as I felt lost in my thoughts.

"Everything okay, Yoongi?" Hoseok asked.

"Hm? Yeah, I'm just tired still..." I shrugged, finishing my cereal. We both sat in our chairs and stretched.

"Are we getting a new supply soon?" Hoseok picked up the bowls.

"Nah, not right now. Namjoon decided to not do a deal for a week or two," I stated. Hoseok nodded his head as he came back to the table.

"I'm glad Namjoon is becoming the good leader he is again." Hoseok smiled, resting his chin in his hands.

"Me too..." I sighed, staring up at the ceiling. Hoseok made me think of my brother too sometimes. The way he smiled at everything despite having his share of a crappy home life. "Hey Hoseok, would you ever runaway from home to live at the warehouse?"

"What? Aah, are you feeling lonely?" Hoseok teased, getting a strong scoff from me.

"Answer the d*mn question." I rolled my eyes.

"Alright. I don't think I would, Yoongi. I got a younger sister that I have to watch over," Hoseok said. He shared that same problem with Seokjin. I used to too. Hoseok rubbed my shoulder before slouching in his seat again. The red head looked around with a smile, making me talk again.

"You're gonna be a third-year next year..." I pursed my lips to see him frown.

"Don't remind me! Ew!" He shook his head at the thought.

"Yeah, it sucks. Have fun." I grinned. "They're gonna continuously ask you what you want to do after you graduate."

"Seriously?" Hoseok whined. "Man, I don't know!"

"Exactly." I chuckled. "I'm not going to college. Had enough of that learning bullsh*t."

"Really? Oh..." Hoseok nodded his head, now thinking in his head. "I wonder what I'm gonna do."

"You're not staying with the gang? Are you telling me you want to have a plan when the gang ends?" I tilted my head to see him tense up. I guess I still make them scared about leaving. But it's not like I have control over them. I'm not gonna be the monster and (F/n) actually helped me see things differently. Makes me want to squeeze her in a tight hug to thank her, but also so she begs for air.

"Of course I'm staying! But...I'm just wondering since I don't know, ya know?" Hoseok nervously smiled.

"Join the club." I got comfortable in the plastic chair, closing my eyes and quickly taking a nap. Hoseok won't mind.

Chapter Text

Ch.39

Hoseok's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Did he seriously take a nap in the middle of our conversation? Oh hyung. Only Yoongi is bold enough and sleepy enough to pull this kind of sh*t. Guess I should go exploring. No one seems to be coming to the warehouse today. At least I got to talk to Yoongi. I'll just see the other members at school tomorrow then. Getting up from the table, I start walking out of the warehouse with a pep in my step. The sun was shining brightly and hitting my skin. It wasn't too bad with the light breeze in the air. Taking walks could always be fun! It felt nice to just appreciate the scenery even if some things weren't so pleasant to look at. That's okay though!

Since Yoongi was busy sleeping, I decided to just head home. All the other members were probably busy too. Sucks to be them. I'm such a delight to be around! During my whole walk, I waved to strangers on the streets and cats just passing by. They both looked startled, but it didn't bother me at all. Maybe the red hair was a bold statement. It was my favorite hair color while my normal favorite color is green. Playing with a rock on the ground, I kicked it hard one last time to leave it alone. The little stone bounced off a tree and got lost in tall grass. I looked up at the tall tree in awe. It was the tallest tree in town and towered over a lot of the buildings. Personally, it was my favorite tree since it created a lot of shade and stretched out into the sky. It was beautiful to me, so I made sure to apologize for hitting it with the rock.

All the weird looks I got from people slowly disappeared. They were used to me and there were much crazier people out here. Just a second ago, I saw a homeless person acting as if they were talking to a dog. Instead of a dog, they were talking to a squirell that had been run over. That was a little unsettling, but I just had to walk away faster. The walk home took almost an hour since I lived pretty far from the town. Towards the edge of the town is where my house sat. One that my parents struggled to afford constantly. Sometimes I just want to be living in a dump or homeless, so I don't have to live constantly in fear that I don't have a stable home. But it's not like my parent's will listen to me or my sister.

My sister was currently in her second year of middle school so she's an eighth grader. As I went up to my house, I couldn't help but sigh at how fake it felt. Homes were supposed to feel different. I don't know. It's not like I knew how they were supposed to feel. I just imagined they would feel like how the warehouse did with the gang. My house looked nicer then the other houses around, but it was all a lie. Stepping inside the house, I closed the door to see a lot going on already. Haeun, my sister was doing her homework on a new coffee table that I had never seen before. Dad was walking around in his suit that he seemed to live in. He didn't even have a job that required him to wear one! Then Mom came into the living room wearing a new dress with sparkingling jewelry. Please tell me she already owned them or that they're fake.

Mom adjusted her earrings as she looked at the mirror. Haeun smiled to see me back home while my parents kept running around. Where they going out tonight? Mom patted her hair for the billionth time and checked herself once more. It was annoying to put up with, but I made sure to smile at them. Dad was already glaring at me, so I think he already saw me jugding his wife. That's always nice. Haeun instantly put her head down as Dad past her to put his hands on Mom's shoudlers. He assured her that she looked fine. Once she finally agreed with the words coming out of his mouth, she turned towards the door and jumped at the sight of me.

"Oh Hoseok! When did you arrive?" She asked, playing with the jewlwery on her wrist. I don't think she cared. They were in a hurry, but I liked to take these chances. They were all I could get from them. I know the other members hated my parents and I could see why. I just still made attempts to try with them.

"About a minute ago. Are you guys—?" I started until she frowned at me in disgust.

"Hoseok, what is that outfit?" Mom touched my sweater like it was a dirty diaper. Her nose scrunched up as she eyed me down.

"What? I like it." I pursed my lips as I stared down at what I had on. I was wearing a bright blue sweater that had the word 'golf' all over it. Then my pants were a flashy orange. In my opinion, this was a pretty fierce look.

"He looks like an idol!" Haeun shouted, looking up from her homework. I made sure to give her a thankful smile.

"Go back to doing your homework. We can't let your grades fail." Dad snapped. "What will your teachers think?" The happy expression on Haeun turned down to a look I refused to grow accustomed to. They always cared what others thought about them.

"You're not an idol!" Mom snickered.

"Dad's not a CEO of a company, but he still wears suits," I retorted to receive their hate.

At least I tried to talk to them, but it is hard to put up with them. I try to smile through and be strong for my sister. It's complicated in this household. Dad instantly began to scold me for talking back like that. He continued onto his typical rant on how important image is. If other people in the neighborhood or even our friends saw me treating them like this then I would be seen as a horrible son. Mom nodded her head to every word leaving my father's lips. She went on to say that this is for our protection because they can't stop rumors from destroying us. It seems like they didn't learn their lesson when Yoongi spread that rumor in our neighborhood. All he spread was that my father lost his job and that we possibly had to leave. Of course, we had to stay and fix everything. We can't let people think that my Dad lost his job.

"Be understanding, Hoseok honey." Mom sighed. "I also bought you more face wash and left it in your room. Make sure to take care of your skin!"

"I already have a lot." I furrowed my brows as Mom and Dad went to the front door. "Where are you guys going?"

"Out. To a restaurant like adults do." Dad's cold eyes tried telling me to shut up.

"The usual restrurant we go to. You know the one, Hoseokie." Mom giggled, trying to act cute instead of her age.

"That one is so expensive though. Should't we all just eat here at home together? Maybe order cheaper food?" I suggested. Mom gasped right away as if I had just committed the greatest sin.

They never made sense to me. My parents had the habit of wasting money like it was nothing. They almost couldn't control themselves from doing so. It frustrated me ever since I was young. For the longest time they could somehow afford luxury items, but never could afford to buy me new notebooks for school. It's like my real neccssities were always pushed aside. Then they had Haeun and she's experiencing the same thing except my sister is a lot smarter then I was at her age. That's why Dad continuously forces her to study and work hard in school since many teachers expected nothing but the best from her. She barely hung out with her friends because of this.

Mom and Dad never expected anything from me. Haeun was at first, the accident child that ruined Mom's body after me. Then Haeun soon became the Jung's precious daughter who was pretty, smart, and talented. This put a lot of pressure on her while Haeun felt bad for me. Unlike the compliments she was constantly showered in, I got the insults. Either about my clothing, looks, or anything that my parents weren't fond of. For the longest time I tried to get them to love me too and resented Haeun for it. It wasn't until I realized that Haeun also had a tough life and all my attempts were useless. I appreciate her now, but I still try to smile at my parents. I guess I'm just a little hopeful that I one day might receive a compliment that's genuine.

"We always eat at that restaurant! We're regulars! What will they think if we don't show up?" Mom crossed her arms.

"Nothing? Look, I just want you guys to stay here," I reasoned. "I mean, can't you just return that dress and all the new jewelry? You don't need it."

"Are you crazy? Don't you know how embarrassing it is to return items? Especially expensive ones!" Mom stomped her heel. Dad let out a frustrated sigh.

"We have to go, Son. Our reservation is very soon. We can't be late," He said.

"Why do you guys buy things you can't afford?" I asked as Mom clutched her chest. "Wouldn't it be wiser to save money or spend it on useful things?"

"We're adults! We spend the money we work hard for however we want. If you want anything then use your own money." She huffed as my eyes fell down to the floor. Dad had enough of me talking and started shouting. Enough to reprimand me, but quiet enough so the neighbors can't hear it. That's important.

I didn't listen to whatever he was shouting at me. Mom doesn't even work. She doesn't have a job! She hates working or putting any effort into anything. She just likes to sit down and have a manicure. Dad is the only one who works and he's a taxi driver. They refused to believe that they're low class. Since my parent's struggle to be responsible with money, I save and take care of every buck that I get from doing deals with the gang. I hide them in a place my parent's will never find. While some members like Taehyung and Namjoon use their money to help support their family, I save it with no real purpose. I only ever touch the money when Haeun or I really need something.

"Respect us as your parents. You should know better, Hoseok." Dad growled, storming out of the house to get in the car.

"Now look! You got him mad." Mom frowned, stomping her heel once more.

"I'm sorry, Eomma." I sigh in defeat. "Tell Appa that I meant well."

"Meant well?" Mom scoffed. "You should really watch what comes out of that mouth of yours." Her lips thinned as she looked me up and down with a judgmental stare. "And what goes in."

With that, Mom slammed the door closed to meet up with Dad in the car. In their eyes I was the one with no manners. Whenever I upset them in any way, they would get defensive. Nothing but insults and complaints would flood out from them. Haeun watched me with sympathy as I dragged my feet over to the couch. Something my parents struggled to pay off for the longest time. It's ridiculous. Hauen sat on the floor instead and worked on her homework. Well, she was. She paused to look over at me as I regretted the words that left me. My parents could be frustrating, but I wanted to make the effort to be somewhat grateful. In the end, they still gave me a place to sleep and didn't really hate me.

"Are you okay?" She put her pencil down.

"Yeah...I'm fine. How are you though?" I grinned at her. Enough about me.

"Tired." She laughed to see me jumping in excitement. She always laughed whenever I showed a lot of interest in her life. I do care. I want to make sure she's taking care of herself and because I hated her for almost half of my life. "By the way, auntie's letter has arrived!"

"Letter?" I raised my brow. Haeun pointed to a yellow envelop that had already been opened.

"Remember when she called to see if your birthday card arrived?" Haeun asked. "Mom found it."

"Oh! Sweet!" I grabbed it and pulled out the card inside. Auntie was telling me to work hard in school, take care of myself, and wishing good health. Auntie was always so caring. It's too bad I don't see her often since Mom and her aren't on the greatest of terms. As I got to the bottom of the card, Auntie said some confusing words. "Spend the money wisely? Did Auntie give me money?"

"Did she?" Haeun opened the envelope, but it was empty. There was clearly nothing with the card. I closed the card with a smile on my face. I have a feeling that Mom got some extra cash recently. Wonder where that came from. Especially when Mom told me to use my own money. Hard to do that when she's a thief. Sadly, this isn't the first time.

"It's okay! Don't worry." I patted Haeun's back to make her stop looking. "I think Auntie was just telling me to be wise with money since she know's how Mom can be."

"I see." Haeun nodded her head slowly, a bit unsure. She went with what I had said anyway.

"I'm happy Auntie gave me such a nice card though! Look, there's a puppy on the front!" I jumped onto my feet.

"It's cute." Haeun giggled before pouting. "You're really fun, Hoseok oppa, but I have to do my homework."

"Do you have a lot?" I looked over her shoulder to see her work. The problems look familiar, but I shoved school memories into a shredder. It's one of the main reasons I'm not the greatest student. I enjoy messing around with the teachers a lot more. Haeun groaned at all the papers so I made sure to jump around as her personal cheerleader.

"YOU CAN DO IT, HAEUN! GO HAEUN!" I attempted my best splits and jazziest jazz hands. Haeun bursted out laughing. Hopefully she wasn't as stressed out on her homework.

"You're so extra." She covered her mouth with her hand. Calming people down from stress or nerves was my specialty. It felt like exaggerating myself made others feel better and that always made me happy. I'd like to be a piece of peace even if it's just in this rough town we all live in.

*~*

Uniforms were always so suffocating. I never liked them. All they did was prevent me from showing my amazing self-expression. These teachers were really missing out on my fashion sense. Currently, I sat in science class with Namjoon right next to me as my lab buddy. Everyone in class knew we were the tightest turtles up in this b*tch. Any time Mr. Shin told us to pick a lab partner, the whole class knew trouble was going to start brewing. Technically Namjoon is a good student. He's really smart but doesn't make it public. He mainly sits in class without saying a word. He pays attention to everything the teacher's have to say while I on the other hand can't. It's hard to sit still in class when there's so much going on. There's a whole world out the window and then they have all these dangerous chemicals in front of us. How do they expect me to focus?

Namjoon would be a great student if it weren't for me always causing trouble. He listened to the instructions being given as I stared at the scale in front of me. Then there was also a pipe with a knob on it. If I turned the knob, then fire would come out. Mr. Shin was repeatedly telling us not to turn it, but I didn't see the harm. He probably won't notice if I turned it just a little bit. It won't be obvious! Random words were just being spewed out of Mr. Shin's lips at this point. Namjoon nodded his head seriously at the same time he was doing things with these bottles. He stirred something as my hand slithered over to the knob. Mr. Shin quickly glanced at our table and I put my hand away. He came closer to us and I was worried that I had been caught. Instead, he picked up Namjoon's bottle and praised his skill. He presented the perfect example to the class before handing it back. Namjoon bowed as other student's whispered. They probably didn't expect a thug to have a brain. Rude!

My hand found its way to the knob. This is fine. It'll be a small fire and then I'll turn it off. I just need that little fire. As I began to turn the knob, Namjoon held the bottle over the open flame by accident. He went to reach for his mechanical pencil that was rolling away. I watched the thin pencil almost reach then end before realizing I didn't stop turning the knob. Someone in class screamed as Namjoon's sleeve caught on fire. Sh*t! I couldn't shut the fire because Namjoon dropped the chemical in panic. We both jumped away as a large fire broke out in the class. The explosion reached up to the roof, an alarm now screeching in our ears. Normally, I'd be laughing but I was worried for my friend. Namjoon was panicking wildly at his sleeve. Eventually, he fell on the ground and someone tossed a special blanket over his arm. Mr. Shin ordered us to exit the second-year building.

"You okay, Namjoon?" I walked over to him, covering my mouth with my hand. The air smelled awful.

"Y-Yeah..." Namjoon got up. He coughed loudly as we started to leave class together. Mr. Shin gave me a glare as he hurried all his students out of the classroom.

That wasn't supposed to happen. I felt really bad for Namjoon, but he didn't yell at me for it. Sometimes I forget that he's not always my leader. Though Namjoon is my best friend, I still felt an awkward wall at times. Only because he's the leader and has yelled at me before for acting stupid. I think everyone feels that way with Namjoon despite having him as a friend first and then leader. Maybe Taehyung didn't feel that strange wall. (F/n) was also a sweetheart who only had Namjoon as a friend. She wasn't a part of our gang. She was a part of our family though. Kwon (F/n) started out as the friend of the first years but has thankfully befriended all of us. She reminds me of my little sister, so I figured she saw me as a big brother.

When school ended, Namjoon had to come home right away. The school apparently called his mom to let her know that he was involved in a science accident. She was worried sick over Namjoon. He told the rest of the members to just go over to the warehouse without him today. I felt really bad for causing this mess. That led to me walking home with the pink hair to properly apologize to his mom. A face to face talk is necessary. Ms. Kim is like a second mom to me. She'll probably shake her head to find out I was the reason. At least that's what I wish will happen. We both stood outside of his house now. Before Namjoon could even touch the door, it was slammed open by his mother with worried eyes.

"Joonie!" She hugged him. She pulled back, squishing his face between her hands. There was a lot of fear in her expression as she checked him over. "Are you okay!?"

"Yeah, it was just my sleeve that caught on fire," Namjoon stated.

"You're so clumsy, you might die young." Ms. Kim sighed in relief.

"Actually, I was the one that caused the fire. I'm so sorry." I bowed my head down. Ms. Kim noticied my presence and watched me keep my head down. She didn't stay a word. For a second, I thought she was going to slap me.

"Ahaha! Oh you boys are always causing trouble, aren't you?" Ms. Kim lifted my head to pinch my cheeks.

"Ow!" I grinned, rubbing my cheeks as she clapped her hands.

"Come in! Come in! The place is messy, but you're more than welcome to stay." Ms. Kim opened the door wide. "Is (F/n) with you guys, by any chance?"

"Oh~? She knows about (F/n)?" I wiggled my brows as Namjoon shook his head.

"I swear, you two are delusional. (F/n) isn't with us, Eomma." Namjoon crossed his arms. We shut the door as we walked over to Namjoon's room. "Sorry to disappoint you."

"They'd be so cute together! I really like her!" Ms. Kim pouted.

"Right!?" I jumped before getting pulled in Namjoon's room.

"That's enough, Eomma." Namjoon chuckled, closing his door. Ms. Kim only smirked to see his ears burning bright red.

He was so embarrassed that it was hard not to be entertained. Namjoon didn't appreciate me pairing him up with (F/n), but I'm so glad Ms. Kim sees it too. I think they could really be an item. Unfortunately, it looks like Jungkook and Jimin are already fighting over her. They did have a physical fight which shocked me so much. My soft Jimin fighting muscle Kookie? He must really like (F/n). Namjoon probably doesn't like the idea of competition. Either way, (F/n) basically friendzoned the first-year boys for now. That meant Namjoon still had a chance, so I wanted him to grab it before Jimin and Jungkook get hotter. I need my boy to win!

My conversation with Namjoon wasn't about (F/n). We talked about other things. There was really no topic to what we were talking about. We both sat on the floor of his small room as we played a video game on his old Nintendo. The game was surprisingly intense at some moments. I shouted in panic and Namjoon yelled anytime he did well. This wasn't fair! I pressed random buttons in hopes that they would help me get in the lead. They didn't really do that, but that's okay! It was really funny to see how poorly I did as I got desperate. Namjoon laughed, letting his guard down. That's when I got my sh*t together and defeated him without any mercy. He whined at his loss as my character claimed victory. The game returned to character selection, but we didn't pick them right away.

"Your parents seriously got you nothing for your birthday?" Namjoon chuckled. "It's been months."

"Well, they got me socks." I grinned. "That's something"

"Barely. Even I got you something better." Namjoon rolled his eyes.

"That's because you're my best friend and know me better than anyone." I brought up my hand for him to bist bump. Namjoon smirked and roughly hit my knuckles.

"Hey, during summer vacation, do you think we should do more deals?" Namjoon turned to me.

"We could!" I nodded my head. I had no problem with that. Then my mind returned to that conversation I previously had with Yoongi. "Oh god no, we're going to become third years."

"Finally, one more year." Namjoon groaned as I shook my head.

"No! That's too close to adulthood!" I complained.

"Shouldn't we be excited for that?" Namjoon furrowed his brows, choosing a new character.

"Well, do you plan on leaving the gang after we graduate?" I asked, selecting my character too. "What do you have planned?"

"What? I'm staying with the gang." Namjoon scoffed. "There's no way I'm ending what I made. Besides, deals are so f*cking fun. The adrenaline is great."

"Definitely." I nodded as he chose a location. "How long do you think the gang will last though? Not saying it will end soon. Just asking what you'd do if the gang comes to an end."

"Hm...I don't really like thinking about it." Namjoon sighed. "I guess once one member leaves then it'll end. Are you saying you're going to be that member?" He turned to me with worried eyes. He was trying to hide it, but it couldn't work with me. The gang was extremely important to Namjoon. After all, he created it to what it is now. He's a bit like Yoongi when it comes to the subject of leaving the gang though.

"No way." I shook my head, returning my focus to the screen. "I just want to know what my leader thinks." Namjoon slowly smiled and continued playing the game with me.

Chapter Text

Ch.40

Namjoon's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Hoseok and I played video games for the longest time. When it was finally getting late, the red head decided to call it a night. He said goodbye to my Mom before leaving the house. I was happy to have him over since it's been a long time. Mom always asks me how Hoseok or the rest of the gang are. Especially (F/n) ever since they met. For some reason, Mom really thinks I should date her. It was embarrassing to think about. She's just a friend! Then the gang never really comes over to just hang out though. Everything usually ends up being becoming about the gang or the deals. I can't let Mom know that I've gotten myself involved in that. So far, I've kept this secret since I was a first year. She doesn't know about any of it. There's hasn't even been a time where she was close to finding out. Mom has been surpsingly clueless about it. She doesn't mind the fact that I dye my hair too much and thinks I just do it because my friends do it.

Technically the gang does it to separate ourselves from society. School wants us to all look the same. Our uniforms have to be perfectly put on and our thoughts should be controlled. That's at least what I've grown to see it as. I still make attempts to be a good student, but what's the point? SuChin isn't a great school. Colleges won't be going crazy over me. I'm not the greatest student at school anymore. It's been a long time since I've shed that reputation. Turning off the console, I laid down on the floor to look up at the ceiling. The gang was everything to me, so I didn't worry too much about college or anything like that. Mom never asked me about school anymore. She probably wanted me to go to college, but I don't think I'll go. It just sounds like a waste of time and money to me.

Rubbing my temples, I tried to get comfortable on the floor. It wasn't too night, but I felt like taking a nap. The problem was that I kept thinking about what Hoseok said. He better not leave. Well, I don't want to control the actions of my friends or members. They should be able to decide for themselves. I just didn't like the idea of the gang ending so soon. We've only been a gang for about two years. I didn't want to act like I was some kind of God, but the gang has saved the lives of some of the members. They found a place to call home amongst the members. When I first met Yoongi, he really needed us. He had heavy things going on in his life. Hoseok was fine but joined as a good friend. Seokjin found himself in the gang. They all have their own reasons for joining the gang and staying.

Closing my eyes, my mind wandered off into the past. All the bad memories came flooding in first. The ones about the man called my father. When I used to have a real future. The truth is, I could've been an amazing student with a bright future. But it was taken away by my father. He used to have a decent paying job where he'd wear a suit and talk to clients. I just remember watching him tighten his tie in the morning, wave goodbye at me while I watched cartoons, and he'd go off to work. Those were the black and white memories I've tried to forget. We used to be a cute, little happy family. Father always praised me for my hard work when I was younger. Then Mom was just a house wife who took care of me with a smile and did the hard chores.

All that came crashing down when father grew an interest in gambling. That d*mn f*cker wouldn't come home for what felt like days. He'd be out at casinos and clubbing. He never really got drunk at that point. No, he started getting in debt first. The money he earned from work didn't go to our family anymore. Instead it went to the habit that one of his clients had introduced him to. Father went crazy over gambling and let it destroy our family. Mom and him fought nonstop whenever they got the chance to. It was always hard to listen to. Then he got fired from his work. Did that stop him? Did that give him a slap into reality? Not in the slightest. He tried using anything he could. Pawning Mom's jewlery and leaving us in a bigger hole.

One day Dad didn't come home. He didn't say anything. He didn't leave me a letter, a hug, and not even a word. The only thing he left my Mom and I with was a mountain of debt. No banks wanted to work with Mom. We were terrified for our future. Mom tried to act like everything was fine. She put herself to work to help pay off the debt. This was during the end of middle school for me. I was finally becoming a high school student with all these issues dragging me down. It worried me to see her doing multiple jobs with barely any rest. We had to get enough money by the end of the month to pay everything back little by little. Mom made us move to a new town that was more dangerous, but cheaper to live in. We're doing much better with the debt because of me. Mom thinks I'm doing well paying odd jobs because that's what I told her. I tried doing legal jobs in the beginning. I wanted to help her out and not be useless to her. The thing is, most people can't deal with how clumsy I can be. That became a problem.

*~*

This is my third job this week. WEEK. I've had so many in one month that I must have broken a record. It's not like I'm lazy or don't know how to take directions. That's not the case at all. Maybe it's my eagerness that ruins me? Either way, Mom can't know that I'm being fired from this job right now. She still thinks I work at the butcher shop near the middle school, but I've was fired from that job two weeks ago. I stood outside of the supermarket as my boss gave me a harangue about how my work performance was ridiculous. My apologies didn't matter to her. She was still upset that I dropped that box of cans in an aisle. Then I also fell against a shelf, knocking a lot of items down. She was so furious that she didn't even let me fix my mistakes. Getting these jobs were supposed to be my way of making my Mom less stressed. In the end, I'm giving everyone heart attacks by how clumsy I am.

My boss wanted to scold me outside of the store so that I would feel shame. Trust me, it was working though she didn't have to take me out to do so. She complained about how I broke the cash register in less than a minute. To be honest, I don't even know how that happened. All these things made me so sad. Should I be upset? I've gotten used to breaking things, but I don't want to destroy all my Mom's effort to protect me. Just taking these jobs, I've gotten some extra debt for breaking certain things. I didn't want to be like my father. I kept my head down as my boss sighed. She finished reprimanding me and told me to just keep the uniform. 'Get lost', she says. Maybe I'm nothing but a nuisance for Mom? To this whole town? Everyone would be better off without me. What am I good for when I can't even a hold a box without the cans escaping from me?

I walked over to the park with my head down. Today has been another awful day. It's all because of him. He ruined my future. I used to be considered number one in the f*cking country! Hard to be that when you don't have time to study. Everday I have to figure out a way to earn money. Something to help Mom who is already doing so much with a smile. She shouldn't have to act for me. She's hurt that her husband left everything they've built together. He let me down in so many ways too. Sitting down on a bench, I sat there for hours. My mind was everywhere. What job should I take next? Have I been blacklisted already? I need a new job.

"Hey, have you seen Gloss anywhere?" A guy spoke, breaking me out of my thoughts. When I was brought back to the real world, I noticed the sun was already down. The park was empty and it was freezing. The guy talking had a bunch of piercings on his ears. His hair was bleached and extremely short.

"Gloss? No..." I furrowed my brows at him. The guy's fingers were shaking a lot. Was he okay?

"Sh*t. He told me he would do the job!" He scratched his head, panicking. Maybe I should go home now. Sometimes I forget this place can be really shady. The guy then began to stare at me with wild eyes. "Are you a cop?"

"What? No." I shook my head. This guy was definitely on something.

"Oh...did Gloss send you to do the job?" Piercings narrowed his eyes down on me. Who the hell is Gloss? "I f*cking knew it!"

"Uh..." I looked around for help. The park was completely empty. It'd be pretty hard to ditch this guy. Who knows how dangerous he actually is?

"Whatever. I'll still give you the money if you do the job. Forget Gloss," The guy said, catching my attention. Money? I need that. This sounded incredibly sketchy though. That terrified me, but what choice did I have? Legal jobs weren't cutting it anymore and I was getting desperate. Let me just do this one thing just once. Just so I can actually get paid for something today.

"What's the job?" I raised a brow, lying through my teeth. He wouldn't know the difference. "Gloss didn't really give me too much details."

"Typical." He rolled his eyes before shoving something in my pocket. "It's not much, but it still goes for a high price. Don't take anything less than 350,000 won and I'll give you the money when you come back. Meet them by the bridge since I'm just the supplier."

"This is a drug deal?" I stood up, feeling my heart pound. What have I done? Did I seriously just get myself into something illegal for money? I'm regretting everything already. Am I that much of a wimp? I just didn't want to get caught.

"Quiet!" He shouted. "What even if your name?" He eyed me. Whoever this 'Gloss' guy is, he was obviously using a fake name. That means I have to make one up too.

"Runch Randa." I straightened my posture, growing confidence with the name. The guy stopped being suspicious as I did my best to be intimidating. It's a good thing I had a tall height compared to this guy. Then again, he was also slouching over.

He patted my shoulder and shoved me in the direction of the bridge. I still wasn't good with directions in this town, but I knew where the brigde was. I had a job where I had to walk over the bridge to get to it. Piercings stayed on the bench, keeping it warm for me as I went to where he told me to go. Looks like I have become Runch Randa, the one-time drug dealer. Thanks to Gloss whoever he may be. His loss for ignoring this job. When I made it over to the bridge, there was a guy smoking a cigarette who instantly put it out the moment I showed up.

He walked over to me instead of waiting. For a moment, I thought I was going to die. This was a horrible idea. But next thing I know, the guy asked me if I was Gloss. He didn't randomly pull out a gun or look too dangerous. I shook my head and told him Gloss sent me. The change of dealers wasn't too important to him. He only cared if I had heroin. Heroin!? Is that what Piercings shoved in my pocket? Holy sh*t, I'm a drug dealer now. Before I gave him the stuff though, I asked him to give me money. All the things coming out of my mouth were from lines in movies that I had seen. I had no idea how real deals actually worked! The guy grumbled, pulling out about 200,000 won. That's not what Piercing wanted.

"Are you trying to cheat me?" I scoffed.

"I know it's a little short from what I told Gloss, but it's fine. I'll pay him back later!" The guy insisted.

"350,000 won or get f*cking lost." I growled to see him grit his teeth. Did I accidentally go too far? The guy shoved his hand into his pocket to bring out more money. There's the money Piercing wanted! He handed it over as I tossed the packet of white powder to the guy. That much for this much money? Crazy. And so that's how heroin looks like? You learn something new everyday.

I left the scene right after that. I made sure to look over my shoulder a lot as I made my way back to the park. Good thing it was night already. It was easy to be secretive. As I came near the park, I could feel my heart pounding in my head. That was amazing. I never felt that kind of feeling in my life. Did I actually just sell heroin? That wasn't something to be proud of, but why did I feel so hyper? It felt like I could take on the world. This was a more dangerous feeling than the actual deal itself. This could get me to do worse things, so I tried to keep myself under control. Piercings was still on the bench and got up when he saw me coming over. He took a look around as I slid the money into his hand.

"Good job, Runch Randa. You're more useful than Gloss." He smirked. "You don't talk back. Why don't we do another deal together?"

"Another one?" I frowned before he handed over a lot of won into my hand. "Whoa..."

"There's your cut for doing the deal." Piercings crossed his arms. "I got a lot of supply and need someone to sell what I got. You up for the job?"

"I can do it." I stared at the money. "When do you need me?" I lifted my head to see his smirk grow wider. Did I sell my soul to the devil?

Piercings later revealed to me that his fake name was Silver, but I liked Piercings better. It did match him after all. When I came back home, I handed the money over to Mom. She was shocked at the amount and I had to make a few white lies. The look of happiness on her face made me have butterflies in my stomach. It's like I actually accomplished something in my life. Grades didn't matter. This did. Mom cried a lot that night and I knew this was the path I was taking to make her happy. Piercings and I did more deals. He would hand me over a drug and I would sell it to some desperate druggie. Eventually, I became confident during the deals. I was the one who held the power. I had what they wanted.

That thought process got into my head during the summer. School then started, but I didn't care too much about my grades anymore. SuChin was a joke. No one addressed the teachers with honorifics and no one spoke formally to each other. This place was practically infested with deliquents. How was I any different? Maybe I've become a part of this town. As a first year, I figured I would mainly focus on the deals I did with Piercing. They made Mom proud of me for being generous. Of course, she didn't know I obtained the money illegally, but I could never tell her that and I never will. This was my plan. As I thought that, the kid next to me was being annoying. He couldn't stop fidgeting around in his seat. That annoying click of his pen was getting on my nerves.

"Can you knock that sh*t off?" I huffed. He froze, his eyes wide in shock as he frowned.

"S-Sorry..." He looked down. His name was Jung Hoseok, I think. It didn't matter to me. He ws so frustrating.

Sometimes Mr. Pyo would be teaching a lesson and Hoseok would ask an unrelated question. Turns out that during one thirty-minute lecture from our teacher, all Hoseok got was essentially, 'was your nose always that big?'. He didn't do it to be funny. Hoseok would be talking to another student and get easily distracted. I had to talk to him during partner work once and he asked me to repeat all my words. He let himself get distracted by my dimples. He couldn't remember me having them before so that bugged him for a long time. That's all he thought about as I discussed the material. How does he get distracted so easily!? It made it hard to put up with him. A bunch of classmates laughed at him, but he just smiled at everyone. Was he stupid?

"Work problems five to twenty with the person sitting next to you." Mr. Pyo fell into his seat. Are you kidding me?

"It's okay. I can do it on my own..." Hoseok grinned and turned back to his notebook. I watched him struggle with the first problem. He somewhat understood the new material but messed up anyway. He wasn't supposed to carry the four. Why was he doing the second problem when he messed up the first one? Okay, the second one doesn't even make sense. You're supposed to distribute. I let out a heavy sigh and brought my notebook closer to him. Hoseok turned to me with a confused expression.

"You're doing the problems wrong. Here, watch me and I'll explain them to you." I pointed to my paper with my mechanical pencil. "But you have to focus."

"Okay." Hoseok nodded as I reviewed the new lesson with him. He did his best to pay attention. There was only one time when he looked away, but I made sure he ignored whatever the sound was.

Eventually Hoseok understood and didn't mess up. He did ask me a bunch of questions though when he was stuck on a problem. By the time class was coming to an end, we were both finished with all the problems Mr. Pyo had assigned us. Now we had a couple minutes to waste. Hoseok's smile was bigger than I had ever seen it before. He was in a good mood now. Shaking my head with a weak smile, I went to grab my bag to get out of here. When I went to reach for my bag, I accidentally knocked my textbook off the desk. It roughly fell on my bag which caused the strap to break. Right away, all the contents in my bag began to spill out. The classroom had been dead silent prior to my bag ripping. Now my face was on fire as everyone stared in my direction. How lucky am I?

"How the hell did you break your bag?" A student snickered.

"Clutz," Someone mumbled. Tightening my fists, I avoided looking at anyone as I went down to get my stuff. All of a sudden, I heard the loud screech of someone getting out of their chair. Hoseok had abruptly stood up to make everyone look at him now.

"Mr. Pyo! The color of my underwear is pink!" Hoseok shouted as I stifled back laughter. I quickly put my stuff back in my bag as all my classmates judged Hoseok harshly. "I just thought you should know."

"...Why?" Mr. Pyo sighed. "Please don't say inappropriate things like that again at school."

"But it's important." Hoseok frowned as I got back into my seat. No one even noticed me pick up all my things. I held my bag close to my chest as more kids laughed.

"No." Mr. Pyo shook his head sternly.

At that moment, class was let out. Girls giggled at Hoseok, making fun of him to their friends. The guys rolled their eyes at him and just considered him stupid. Meanwhile they did that, I stayed in my chair and admired Hoseok. Most people at this school had one brain cell but I had enough to know he did that for me. He distracted everyone, so they wouldn't laugh at me. Hoseok got his things and left the class without a word. Where was he going? I hurried out, looking for him in the halls.

"Are you looking for me?" Hoseok's voice came from behind me. I was startled, but at the same time quite relieved to find him.

"You...you embarrassed yourself for me. Why?" I asked.

"What do you mean? I thought I was just being funny." Hoseok grinned, laughing at what had happened. Soon I let out a light chuckle. "I'm new to this town so I figured I might as well be like a class clown."

"You're new? I'm new in this town too!" I grinned, realizing that I was making a connection with someone. The only other person I had in this town was mom and I guess Piercing, but he didn't really count. I never took the idea of making friends here seriously. Hoseok was growing on me though. He seemed like a lot of fun.

"Really!?" Hoseok jumped. We began walking down the hall together to our next class. "Ah, I finally found someone. So far no one tries to talk to me..."

"Well they're idiots." I scoffed. "And to be honest, I was too."

"Don't worry about it. I know my fidgeting habits can be annoying." Hoseok flashed me a friendly smile. He was like sunshine after a year of rain.

"No, they're fine."

And that's how I met Hoseok. We instantly became the best of friends after that. The both of us were loners at school. Eating lunch alone and having a hard time befriending anyone who wasn't too problematic. We were already like two peas in a pod which was really neat. This town felt like a curse to me, but maybe it isn't so bad. Hoseok and I talk nonstop whenever we get the chance. I try to focus in class and then he'll be making weird faces at the corner of my eyes. It's hard to keep a straight face then. Mr. Pyo will be talking about cosine and I'll just burst out laughing. I can't help it. Hoseok is really funny and gets my humor. Finally, I can get a break from the debt the usually drowns my thoughts.

Speaking of the debt, I had another deal today to help with that problem. Just one day, Mom and I won't have over five hundred million won dragging us down. Until then, I'll work hard with Piercing. He gave me the drug of the day which was cocaine! I've been doing deals almost every day to end the debt faster. The more money I earn, the better. Whenever I left school, my thoughts were all about money. Caculating how much I'm earning today and how much of the debt is left. Today's deal was taking place at under this bridge near a trailer location. I slid down to the waiting spot and took a look around at the riverbed. It looked like the perfect place for drag racing. That's when I heard a few footsteps and turned my head to see about three intimidating guys.

"You Runch Randa?" The tallest one asked.

"That's me." I crossed my arms.

"Hand it over." He held his hand out.

"Dumb@ss. Give me the money first." I glared at him. Their leader only scoffed to give his two guys a look. What's going on? For once, I didn't feel in control of the situation. It's hard to feel tough when he's got a team backing him up. All I had was me. Soon his two guys quickly got a hold of me. "HEY! Let me go!" I struggled. They held onto my arms tightly as the leader rammed his fist into my stomach.

"Silver screwed me over once. I'm not gonna let his little messenager talk back to me." He looked me in the eyes as I began to tremble. "Heh, you're just a kid trying to act like a man."

"...d-do you not want cocaine?" I questioned as he started to laugh loudly.

"Of course! We're just not paying for it." He smirked. "Now where do you have it hidden? Do I have to beat it out of ya?"

Another grunt escaped me as he took another punch at my gut at the word 'beat'. I hung my head down as saliva fell down my chin. Did Piercing know this guy was angry at him? Did he screw me over? This wasn't fun anymore. All three of them laughed at me for giving up so quickly. The toughness was just an act but I was so mad at myself for not being stronger. This was the path in life that I decided to take and now I'm backing out when things get tough? In the end, I just feel like an exact copy of my father. I don't want to be him though. I want to be different. Someone Mom can be proud of to call her son. Not this pathetic piece of sh*t that is letting himself get hit by a thug.

"Let the kid go, Sh*theads," A voice spoke. They were calm, but tired and annoyed. The two holding me tightened their hold while the leader stepped to the side. Lifting my head slightly, I mainly saw a dark figure. He walked over with his hands in his pockets. The first thing I noticed was his white dyed hair. His eyes looked dead as he stared at my face.

"Gloss...finally came out of that trailer after your old man practically left you for dead?" The leader chuckled. My heart began to pound. This guy saving me is Gloss? I never thought I would meet this Gloss who was always so talked about amongst the drug dealers. They talked about him like he wasn't human. Instead, a heartless creature.

"Skull, make your men drop him," Gloss ordered.

"What? Is he the same age as your brother?" Skull grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at Gloss. A flash of hatred went through Gloss's eyes. His brother? Nothing was making sense. I just wanted to be free. I was just trying to do something nice for my Mom. But were these all excuses?

"Do you want to die?" Gloss snarled.

"I'd rather not make this town have two funerals." Skull grinned as Gloss pulled out a knife. I looked at Skull who stopped talking. Now him and his men were less interested in fighting. "Release him."

Dropping onto my knees, I clutched my stomach. Hopefully they didn't break any of my ribs. All of Skull's hits knocked the air out of me. Skull and his men left without a care. When they were gone, I let myself cry silently at the pain. At everything going on in my life. How can Mom act so tough with what's going on? I can't handle it anymore. I want the debt gone already. Footsteps came closer as my sobs were becoming more apparent. I saw Gloss's feet, making me stop my gross crying. He was crouching down as he looked down on me. I had a better look at him now. He was pale and very thin with a lot of bruises on his body. A giant cut was on his cheek too. Probably from his old man from what Skull said. Looks like he has problems with his father too.

"Are you gonna get up or keep crying?" Gloss sighed.

"I-I took your job...with Silver." I slowly pushed myself up, wiping my face.

"I heard. You're Runch Randa." Gloss brought me up to my feet. "I didn't work with Silver because he tends to screw over a lot of people. Just look at yourself. Perfect example." He dusted off my shoulders with a smirk then began to walk away. Gloss was a lot nicer than people made him out to be.

"...what do I do now?" I frowned, making him stop in his tracks. "I need money."

"Don't work with Silver and don't work alone." Gloss looked at me over his shoulder. "...God, how young are you?"

"I'm a first year in high school at SuChin. I worked with Silver during the summer though," I stated to see his eyes grow sadder.

"They keep getting younger..." He mumbled before looking up to me. "SuChin, huh? Don't go spreading information like that." Gloss turned away again.

"My name is Kim Namjoon!" I shouted as he groaned in annoyance.

"What'd I just say?" He glared at me. "What? Do you expect me to tell you my name?"

"I want to thank you..." I walked over to him with one arm holding my stomach. He looked away whenever he saw me in pain. Something in him was broken and I started to wonder if I was making it worse. Gloss then looked defeated as he put his hand on my head.

"Min Yoongi. Second year at SuChin." He pursed his lips and finally walked away. Yoongi? A smile grew on my face to know he went to my school. How lucky am I? So this famous Gloss is just one grade above than me? "Don't go looking for me."

"Thank you, Yoongi hyung!" I yelled as I bowed, making him look back at me with a smile. I'm so grateful. Now that I thanked him, I made sure to escape this area. I didn't want Skull and his guys coming after me again. I'm also losing all contact with Piercing for what he did. Yoongi really helped me out there with his advice.

The next day at school, I kept my eyes peeled. I was looking for Yoongi at school despite him telling me not to do so. How could I not? He left me with a lot of questions with how to do things. I needed money fast. It was hard searching for him though. Hoseok was always with me and I didn't want to tell him about my personal life. We were friends, sure, but there are just some things you keep to yourself. He doesn't need to know about the debt, the deals, or how I met Yoongi. Unfortunately, Hoseok noticied me getting distracted easily. It's been one day! He frowned at me as I looked around the cafeteria for Yoongi. He was nowhere in sight! It should be easy to find someone with white hair!

Hoseok didn't say anything to me. He let me look around without knowing what I was doing. Tonight, I had a deal planned! It was something I set up myself with the bag of cocaine that was never collected. Technically, I was still alone for this deal which Yoongi told me not to do either. I was hoping for him to join me in this! He seemed experienced and knew what he was doing. I'd like to work with him. After school, I went around the whole town without a care. The deal was happening at the park where I had met Piercing. Using my only other connection that I have made in this criminal world, I planned to meet them as soon as the sun was down. Things were going to work out this time!

Running to the park, I made sure no one was around at first. Piercing wasn't lingering around whatsoever so I was thankful for that. It'd be really weird to see him. Taking a walk around the small park, I went under a giant tube to hear a scoff. That's even weirder. Little kids should be sleeping. Not scoffing at someone much older than them. Raising a suspicious brow, I went to check who was inside the tube. Was it the person I was going to sell the cocaine to? My eyes then connected with someone hiding in the darkness. I messed up again, didn't I? Even my head felt light. Planning my own deal was a mistake. This really isn't my thing.

"You're a f*cking idiot." The voice huffed. Someone then crawled out of the tube, revealing a familiar white haired boy.

"Gloss!" I cheered, relieved to see him. "You like cocaine?"

"Of course, I f*cking don't! I just heard Runch Randa was trying to sell a pack and I thought 'he's not that big of an idiot, right?'" Gloss stood up. "I was wrong. What the hell were you thinking?"

"Hey, it's all good now though. It's you!" I looked up to him as he eyed me down. He leaned against the rails while my shoes sunk in the sand.

"What if it wasn't? You're being careless." Yoongi tsked. "You're too d*mn young to understand."

"No, I'm not!" I growled. "You're just one grade above me! I have problems you don't—"

"You think I don't have issues too?" Yoongi jumped over the rails. He landed on the sand to glare at me intensely. I shut my mouth right away before noticing something in the tube. Was a blanket in there? Feeling shame wash over me, I began to put all the pieces together from all the hints I had gotten.

"Your father is abusive, you ranaway from home, and someone you know died," I said as he took a step back from me.

"...W-Who told you all that?" Yoongi stopped trying to intimidate me.

"So it's true? I just guessed from what Skull said and I can see a blanket in the tube," I stated. "I'm sorry..." Yoongi's eyes were wide for a second. Soon he began to laugh and shook his head at me. I stood there awkwardly as he laughed at whatever he found funny.

"You're actually pretty smart." Yoongi smirked. He stared at the ground as the corners of his lips went down. "Yeah, I got that crap in my life...it's my brother who's dead. Killed himself..."

"...my father left my Mom and I in a bunch of debt. We owe over five hundred million won." I bit my lip. Yoongi didn't seem like the type to appreciate sympathy. He would take it as pity so I figured telling him my problems would work better with him.

"Well, aren't we living the life?" Yoongi met his eyes with me. I gave him a weak smile as he returned to his tube. Was he seriously living at the park like a homeless person? It was kind of creepy, but I didn't want to hurt his feelings. As long as he leaves before kids come to play. "Go home. And don't do anything stupid again since I can tell you're smart."

"Got it." I grinned, leaving the park with cocaine still in my pocket. I seriously need to get rid of this though.

Yoongi told me I couldn't do this alone. What if I formed my own gang? Something that he would be compelled to join. Maybe that could work. I spent all night thinking it up. Looks like I'll have a talk with Hoseok about it. He seems gullible enough to just join easily. That wasn't to be mean. I only thought that since he was so excited to be my friend that he would instantly join my gang without much thought. That's okay though! I won't make him regret it at all. Being in a gang sounds fun, right? I'm sure Hoseok will be up for it once I bring it up. And so that led me to grinning wildly during lunch. I had set up another deal at the same location I had met Yoongi the first time. I was hoping that it was him who accepted the deal this time too.

"What are you so excited about?" Hoseok ate his pudding.

"I have an idea." I leaned in close, bringing my voice down to a whisper. "I'm creating a gang. Do you want to join?"

"A gang?" Hoseok furrowed his brows. He looked around and was quiet like me which was interesting to hear. "Like a group or...?"

"I mean like illegal activity. Vandalizing the town and selling drugs. That type of sh*t." I grew nervous. This didn't sound so tempting. "I need help for a deal tonight. It's dangerous to do it alone."

"You need help?" Hoseok leaned back. He didn't think about it for long and said with a smile, "Okay! I'll help you!"

"Seriously?" My mouth dropped. I didn't think it would be this easy.

"What are friends for? Plus, you said it was dangerous to do it alone." Hoseok pointed out. "This sounds like it'll be interesting. Fun even!"

"You sure like to think things on the positive side." I grinned, giving him a fist bump. Hoseok nodded his head as I began to eat my own food. I was so nervous that I couldn't touch it at first.

"Is this what has been bothering you?" He tilted his head.

"Hm?" I cocked up a brow as chewed on my sandwich.

"I've noticied that something's up with you. Is it something personal?" Hoseok frowned as I put my food down. I wasn't a fan of complaining about my issues, but I did feel better when I told Yoongi about it. Hoseok's also my friend. He's someone I can trust.

At that moment, I spilled everything that's been bothering me for last few months. About how my father left my Mom and I without even saying a word. Like he didn't care about his family. The fights my parents had prior. How I can't keep a job to help my Mom out in the slightest. Somehow, I manage to break things by barely touching them. Then how some guy named Silver got me into drug dealing and eventually screwed me over. I told him about how guys held me back as I got punched. Hoseok listened to every word with a lot of sympathy. I'm not just mad at the debt. It's all the little things that are putting cracks in me and I feel about ready to just break, but I couldn't. For Mom. Hoseok made sure to give me a tight hug.

"Hopefully this deal tonight goes well. I got you," Hoseok said, pulling away from the hug. "And my parents suck. They spend my birthday money on themselves and always buy things they can't afford."

"Money sucks," I grumbled as we threw away our trash. He agreed as we walked to our next class.

When school ended, Hoseok followed me to the location where the deal was taking place. The sun would be setting soon, and I made sure to set the deal before then. I'd like Hoseok to meet Yoongi when the sun's out so he has a better memory of the second year. I wasn't quite sure it was Yoongi who accepted the deal, but either way, we were meeting someone. One ending could be that Yoongi shows up, the second could be that Hoseok experiences his first deal, and the third is where we both end up dead. Not to be biased, but I liked the sound of the first ending better. It just sounded more appealing than the third one, but the second one was good too. Hoseok and I stood under the bridge, waiting for the person who accepted my deal. Then footsteps could be heard.

"People think I'm into cocaine thanks to you," His voice echoed loud and clear.

"Gloss!" I jumped as Hoseok raised a brow. "Dude, this is the guy I told you about! The one who saved me!"

"Oh! Nice to meet you, Gloss!" Hoseok bowed. Yoongi eyed him with a frown. He didn't like what was going on at all.

"What is this?" Yoongi asked, gesturing at the bowing male.

"My name is Jung Hoseok." My friend stood up with a smile.

"No, I meant why were you brought. Runch Randa?" Yoongi scowled.

"He's in my gang. You told me not to do this alone." I crossed my arms. "Now are you going to buy cocaine or not?"

Yoongi stood speechless. He probably was getting the hint that I wasn't dropping this life style. There's no way I'm going to stop now. It's easier to get money this way and I don't break things. Most of my deals didn't go bad. It felt like I was actually good at something for once. Hoseok stood next to me with a proud smile. We may not be the toughest thugs out there, but we'll work hard to create a good gang. All I need is Yoongi to join. He tries to act like he doesn't care about me, but I feel like he's got a soft spot for me. The white-haired male rubbed his eyes as he processed the new information. The kid he told to scram now had a partner and his own business.

"Let me get this straight. You created a gang?" Yoongi kept switching glances between Hoseok and I.

"Yes! And you can join if you want." I wiggled my eyebrows to hear him scoff.

"Cute. I don't really like working with others though." Yoongi smirked.

"Fine...pay up then." I tossed the cocaine at him.

"What the hell? No, I don't want this!" Yoongi kicked it over to me.

"I'm tired of keeping it! You take it for free!" I kicked it back. Yoongi tried returning it, but Hoseok made sure to kick it back.

"If Namjoon says you're taking it, then you're taking it!" Hoseok shouted with a small smile. He was trying his best to look intimidating, but we were having a lot of fun. Yoongi groaned in frustration as the packet sat on his shoes.

"Why!?" He huffed.

"I'm the leader of the gang. I call the shots." I smirked. "Hoseok, fight Gloss if he gives us the cocaine back."

"Got it!" Hoseok got into a fighting stance. Yoongi was surprised to see Hoseok listen to me that easily. It's not something I would abuse. He was a good friend who would do anything for me so I'd like to be the same. Yoongi slowly began to smirk, chuckling lightly.

"This one's funny. He just listens to everything you say?" Yoongi asked, liking the idea of it.

"He's my best friend. He smiles even when things are rough and is like sunshine," I said. Yoongi's smirk almost faded when I said Hoseok smiled no matter what. Did Hoseok strike a chord with him?

"He's the leader so I follow his orders!" Hoseok saluted the male across from us for some reason.

"Interesting..." Yoongi nodded his head. "Your gang is pretty small. Three members is workable though."

"Three?" I jumped with Hoseok. Was my stupid plan actually working!?

"My name is Min Yoongi. I eat outside of the cafeteria. We're going to have to do something about your hair," Yoongi told Hoseok before looking at both of us. "Don't make me feel like I'm babysitting, got that? You're lucky I feel like retiring the name Gloss."

"You won't be disappointed! I'm going to become a great leader!" I threw my fist in the air. Things were working out! After months of mistakes, this is what doesn't let me down. Finally.

*~*

Gosh, that was just a year ago, but it felt like centuries had past. The members have grown into a family. They've shaped me into the leader I am now. Second year Namjoon is mature and has tougher skin. The debt is also shrinking so I'm pretty happy with that. Chuckling at my memories, I couldn't believe how much I've changed since then. The gang made me take responsibility for a lot of things and understand different perspectives. It gave the members and I a reason to keep pushing in life. A place for us to feel cared about or anything missing from our lives. Sometimes I wondered how stupid first year me could have created the gang. I guess some things just work out.

The longer I stared at the ceiling, the more I realized how hungry I was. There was nothing in the fridge, so I might as well get some stuff from the store. Getting up from the ground, I told my Mom where I was going and left the house. Time to buy some tasty snacks! With one hand in my pocket, I walked over to the closest store I could find. It was more of a convience store, but same thing. I went around the entire place grabbing my favorite foods. Chips, cookies, and a soda. I'm classy like that. Once I paid for all my things, my attention drifted to the rack of magazines. Usually, I ignored them all but one was hard to look away from. I walked over to get a closer look at it. Did this make me a pervert? The cover was of a woman wearing lingerie.

"Hyung, you're so perverted." A soft voice laughed at me. Turning around in panic, I spotted Jimin smiling at me. Did he really find this so entertaining? His eyes had turned to lines.

"Jimin-a!" I frowned. "We'll talk about this outside of the store!"

"Okay!" Jimin wrapped his arm around mine as we left. This boy was a lot, I swear. He required a lot of love and affection. It felt like owning a pet or even a child. He happily skipped by my side as we got out of the store he embarrassed me in. "Gosh Namjoon, you're lucky it wasn't (F/n) who found you staring at that."

"Why bring her up!?" I almost dropped my things.

"Because she's a girl." Jimin tilted his head like I should understand which I did. Explaining to (F/n) would be harder. Jimin tries to act innocent but I know how he can be. I know how the mind of boy's work! I was once his age.

"What are you doing out so late?" I sighed, changing the subject with no shame.

"I was just walking around when I saw you inside and found you looking at something dirty." Jimin grinned.

"You won't let that go, huh?" I let my head fall. He laughed and nodded his head.

Compared to the other first years, Jimin probably had more morals than them. He was like a voice of reason. He was the only one to ask if they should actually do something before they do it. Not to mention, he's always the first to apologize if him and the other first years screw up. Taehyung was like a troublesome son too. Jimin would always insist that he's my favorite, but I tried not to play favorites. They were just like kids. Jungkook didn't care about being my favorite or not which is nice. Taehyung says he lets Jimin believe he's my favorite and then gives me a big wink. I've known Taehyung longer, but Jimin has left me with the same amount of memories. They're both important to me. I have no favorites.

"This isn't new information, Namjoon. I always knew." Jimin patted my shoulder.

"Oh lord, forget about what you saw." I shook my head. "So...are you dancing more?"

"Ah, just for fun." Jimin shrugged. "I don't think I'll do dance classes or anymore auditions."

"Alright. I know Yoongi told me that your original plan was to leave the group to eventually dance," I said as his ears grew red.

"Y-Yeah, but I won't leave you, Namjoon! Or the gang!" Jimin hugged me. "I know how important I am to you."

"I have no favorites," I replied to see him pout, puffing out his bottom lip a lot. Though I didn't like the thought of the gang ending, I did want to be realistic. "...what would you do if the gang does end?"

"Me?" Jimin's eyes grew. "Um...I don't know." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Yeah, it's tough to think about. Don't worry about it too much. We'll stay a gang for life!" I threw my fist in the air to earn his light chuckle. Jimin threw his fist in the air with me too.

"Definitely, Hyung! I'll see you later." Jimin waved as I started walking back home.

"Bye, Jiminie! Forget what you saw!" I shouted while he stuck out his tongue. What a little punk. What am I going to do with that boy?

Chapter Text

Ch.41

Jimin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Namjoon went home shaking his head after our little encounter. How typical of him to be staring at that magazine. All of us members admired him as a good leader, but we knew how he still behaved. It's a good thing (F/n) only knows him as the mature leader she sees him as. I'm afraid she'd be disappointed in hyung once she finds out he has a dirty mind. It's really fun to tease him about it! Though he may a pervert, I still respect him a lot. When I first joined the gang, Namjoon made a lot of time for me in the beginning. He saw how hard I was struggling to adjust to a gang life. Jungkook was giving me a hard time about it and Taehyung was getting nervous. Namjoon saw this and took it as a chance to earn my trust. He made me feel better with how I was struggling as member. He assured me that I wasn't dragging the gang down and that I was welcomed with open arms. Mistakes were bound to happen, but that I was essential. Those little conversations got me very close to Namjoon and I was able to see why Taehyung admired him so much. That's why we fought over who was his favorite all the time.

Turning around, I pulled out my phone to text (F/n). We always talk with each other and now we're getting back into the habit again. When I stopped dancing, we stopped completely. It was too awkward to talk in person. I remember staying up late at night just staring at our old messages and chats. I wanted to send her a message. Even a simple 'hi,' to start something off, but it was too hard to do. Pressing send sounded like regrets would come my way if she didn't respond. Now we're talking all the the time. It made me feel warm and fuzzy. She knows how much attention I like. Namjoon can handle how much I require, but sometimes it feels like he can't. That's why there's seven members in the gang in total and (F/n). It gives me someone else to text when one gets tired.

As soon as I text (F/n), she responds right away. It's a lot better than talking to Jungkook. He never responds to any of our texts, but you can clearly see that he read the message! Aish, that maknae can be so frustrating sometimes. We don't really use formal language, but I feel Jungkook had gotten too used to it. He sometimes his teasing can be too much! Maybe I should tell Namjoon hyung to do something about it since Jungkook already steps all over Seokjin. Shrugging, I focus on my conversation with (F/n). She was back in her apartment while I returned to my home. I had company coming over soon, so I quickly bought some small snacks. She had nothing going on. Things were pretty calm lately these past few days. Finally! And there better be no more betrayals! Or whatever else kind of drama that can happen.

My All 💘💘

My All 💘💘

Be careful walking home!! 😤

This town isn't the safest

Don't make me worry about you too much

JM

Haha you're so sweet

I can take care of myself

I like you worrying about me tho ❤️

My All 💘💘

If I hear on the news that you're dead then I'm going to kill you

JM

But then I'm already dead? 😞

So rude

My All 💘💘

I say this because I care

JM

You're gonna kill me because you care? 😂

That's messed up logic (F/n)

My All 💘💘

Says you 😋

JM

I'm too cute to kill

😜

My All 💘💘

Heartless killers don't know that

JM

💜💜💜

I'll be safe!

Grinning at the screen, I was really happy to know that (F/n) basically agreed with me. I'm too cute to kill! Even though she did tell Jungkook and I she wanted to remain friends, I feel like I can change her my by the time we're second years. Jungkook might think he's in the lead because he kissed her, but I'm in the lead. Especially since I'm her best friend first. We also get along really well so I'm hoping for the best. In the end, it's her decision. Shoving my phone in my back pocket, I hurried back to my house. It was almost twenty two PM. That was the main reason (F/n) was nervous when I told her I was out. It's no big deal for me. Getting jumped wasn't that realistic in my opinion. People out in the streets knew which gang I belonged to. Do they really want to mess with me?

Namjoon's gang was not a terrifying gang, but people were familiar with how we worked. They know we had the Min Yoongi in our group. They knew what he did to take care of Myon and his members. Hurting us would cause a bunch of unnecessary problems. Crossing the street, I walked home with my hair bouncing with each step. In my opinion, I looked really good with blonde hair. I know in the beginning that I asked Seokjin multiple times if I looked good with it, but I think I really pull it off now. My house wasn't too far from where I was currently at. It was a small, but cozy house. I liked everything about it.

The only thing that I didn't like about the house was how lonely it felt. You'd think one person living in a giant house would cause them to feel lonely, but I felt it in my small house. My parents had a room but they never come home. They're too busy working and doing whatever. They occasionally send me messages and check up on me that way. I haven't seen them in ten months and that's just doing a facetime call. I've forgotten how long it's been since I've seen them right in front of me. They're not horrible parents at all like the others have. Their only flaw is letting work consume their lives to forget about me. We need help affording just this small place so getting a dance class was crazy to them. Mom and Dad are either always working or taking vacations together to relax. Just once, I'd like to eat dinner with them.

Standing in front of the house, I unlocked it and turned on the lights. My guest will be over in about twenty minutes. The place is cleaned up just enough. It's not like I'm that messy. I shut the door and set down the tiny snacks I had bought. It felt like I lived on my own most of the times, but I didn't think I had the right to complain. The others have gone through a lot worse and are still dealing with issues. It'd be rude of me to whine about missing affection from my parent's when the member's hate at least one of their parents with a burning passion. It'd be insensitive of me, wouldn't it?

*~*

There were loud knocks on the door. It was so loud that it woke me up from my sleep right away. At first, I was groggy and didn't care. Then the idea of it being Mom and Dad got me so excited. Were they actually home!? Leaping out from my bed, my legs got tangled up with my blankets. In the process of my excitement, I landed face first on the ground. Ouch. That hurt a lot. Rubbing my nose, I glanced at my mirror to check if I was hurt that badly. It looked like I was fine. Shrugging, I hurried over to the front door and opened it without much thought. When I opened it though, it wasn't Mom and Dad at the door though. It was a woman in a suit. She stared down at me, trying to look gentle but I was panicking. She's not Mom. Who is she? I want Mom. Where is she? Why are Mom and Dad never around?

"Hello, are your parents around?" She asked.

"N-No..." I stammered.

"I see. I was called by your neighbor next door about child neglect. Do you know what that is?" She tilted her head as she crouched down to my eye level. "It's when Mommy and Daddy are never around. Do you feel that's true?"

"I...I'm not allowed to talk to strangers!!" I screamed, shutting the door right away. Hot tears were rushing down my face as I put all the locks on the door. Why did the neighbors have to call? They only hurt me more by doing that. Did they think they were helping me?

Rubbing my eyes, I continued sobbing to know others were aware of this. Tears wouldn't stop streaming down my face. They knew Mom and Dad didn't love me enough to ever be at home. I missed them a lot, but that was never enough to bring them back home. Still, it's not like I'm alone atll the time. They would show up sometimes, but they always acted like guests in their own home. It never felt right. We're supposed to be a family like the ones I see in the cartoons! Sniffling loudly, the knocks from the woman eventually stopped. She yelled through the door that she'd contact my parents. Hopefully not. I never want to see that woman again. Seeing her is only a reminder that I'm lonely. I walked over to the couch to turn on the TV.

When I turned on the TV, it didn't show me my cartoons. It wasn't showing me my favorite animated characters, but I was okay with that. My eyes widened to see the beauty on screen. A woman was dancing gracefully with her elegant outfit flowing with her body movements. All her actions were controlled and had a purpose that seemed to make my heart ache again. The way her expressions were hit me hard once more and I began to cry. Not for a bad reason this time though. Seeing her dance made me feel like I wasn't alone. It's like she knew how I felt just by her movements. When she finished dancing, she was interviewed by the host. She was panting breathlessly but kept a smile on her face.

"Contemporary pieces tend to have a story behind them. Just seeing the dance evoked a lot of emotions that touched the audience. Would you like to share the meaning behind the dance?" The host asked as the woman took the microphone.

"Well, I choreographed it out of frustration to be honest. Sometimes schedules keep me so busy and things are so hectic," She said as I crawled closer to the screen. "The dance was basically my portrayal of what it felt like to be lonely. How I felt like no one understood me and how strong loneliness can be even when others are around you."

The host kept speaking, but I didn't care. The show continued to discuss the dance and replayed some clips as the woman explained certain parts. One section of the dance was so pretty that I felt myself copy it. My body moved and I felt a great sense of relief. It was exciting. Though the dance was kind of sad, a smile found itself on my face instead. After they finished breaking down her choreography, they went on to show another dance. This went on for an hour and I copied each part I liked. I enjoyed learning the dance terms and seeing which aspects of dance connected with me the most. When the show ended, I felt really sad. I want to see more dancing. Pouting heavily, I glared at the screen until the phone rang. I rushed over to it without a thought.

"Eomma?? Appa??" I asked with excitement.

"Hello Jimin-a." Mom's voice came through. It's actually her. I wanted to cry again, but I told myself to not do it. I have to be a big boy for Mom.

"Eomma, I miss you so much! Appa too! Are you coming over?" I jumped around the living room.

"I'm sorry. We can't come over at the moment. We're working really hard and after this, your Appa and I are going to the Bahamas. We need to relax. You understand that, right Jimin-a? Don't take that away from us," Mom said, "C'mon. Show me how mature you are."

"Oh...okay. Have fun at the...where ever you're going." I let my body fall onto the couch. They always go somewhere else to relax. Why can't they do it at home? "Are you coming to for my tenth birthday though?"

"Your birthday? Isn't it months away?" Mom questioned in confusion.

"Yeah, but Appa told me to ask in advance," I stated as she sighed softly.

"We'll try, Jimin-a. We'll try. I promise you that. October ten is marked on my calendar," Mom spoke as I frowned. That's not right.

"October thirteen, Eomma." My heart felt like it was sinking.

"Right, how could I forget? Sorry, a lot has been going on at work. I'm just so stressed out that little things slip my mind." Mom became silent for a second to realize how she considered her son's birthday that insignificant. "I have to go Jimin-a. Take care of yourself! Don't open the door for strangers and spend the money we send you wisely."

"I know." I nodded despite her not being able to see me. "Oh Eomma, I learned to dance a little bit!"

"Really? That sounds cute. You'll have to show me one day." I felt myself smile at that. Mom was interested in seeing me dance? I'm going to have to work hard to improve then!

"I'll have to see that too." Appa's voice appeared as I jumped in joy.

"Appa!" I cheered.

"Hey there. Sorry that I can't talk to you long. We just wanted to check up on you," Appa said. "When you get older, things will get easier. I'm sure of it."

"Okay." I nodded as they began to say their goodbyes. It sounded like someone was rushing them on the other side. "I love you!" I smiled as I sat on the couch waiting for them to reply, 'I love you too'. My smile only weakened as the silence continued to linger. I was tired of white noise constantly mocking me. Then the beeps to alert me that they hung up were like punches to my heart. They got closer to shattering my heart with each beep. Pull the phone away, Jimin. Slouching down, I didn't know if I really was a big boy like Mom wanted me to be. Then Dad said things will get easier as I get older. Will it actually get better? I don't want to be alone anymore. It hurts too much.

*~*

Hearing a knock on the door, I jumped up from my seat and rushed to the front door. That trip down memory lane made a small lump form in my throat. No sad feelings tonight. Getting to the door took about three steps. The living room and kitchen where in the same space, but three people seemed to be the maximum for this space. I opened the door to smile at my guest. He stared down at me with a smirk, scoffing at my cheesy smile and uncrossing his arms. I welcomed him inside and took notice that he had redyed his hair. It was no longer the strange color he had during the auditions. He sat down on the couch and rubbed his knees as I came over with a lot of excitement. We've only talked during text, but this is our first-time meeting after the auditions.

"Hyungseong!" I went to sit down with him. "You're here!!"

"You're too excited." He chuckled.

"You changed your hair!" I pointed to his lavender hair.

"Yeah, I ditched that stupid color that was happening to my hair." Hyungseong ruffled his hair. "I don't know what happened. I used to have orange and red and then it went to sh*t."

"Well, it looks better now." I assured him as he grabbed a small packet of oreos on the coffee table.

A part of me cheered at the fact that he grabbed the snacks I got. I wanted to be a good host. Especially since this was the first time we were hanging out. For some reason I felt so nervous. It's not like he hated me anymore. Maybe it's because of the callback situation that made me panic. When I had told him I wasn't going to the callback, we stopped texting for a while because I blocked him. Eventually, I unblocked him and we both apologized. I told him I was returning to dance. Nothing professional, just for fun. I didn't want him to ask about Jam Entertainment, but I knew it was bound to come up in the conversation. He got a callback too after all! I wanted to know how that went since he never told me.

"Are you gonna eat?" Hyungseong tossed a cookie in his mouth.

"Oh no, I'm on a diet!" I shook my head. He frowned as he munched on the oreo. Was I supposed to eat with him? I didn't know how I felt about that. In the morning, I looked at myself in the mirror and felt unsure of myself. I only do the diets to make myself feel better in my skin. They work sometimes. Yoongi usually tells me to knock them off. Despite him acting cold, I could tell he preferred me out of the first years which meant something since he knew Taehyung longer.

"Eating healthy is good and all." Hyungseong grabbed a pack of gummies and tossed them at my chest. "But it's okay to eat junk food. Cheat a little."

"Aren't dancers supposed to be healthy?" I furrowed my brows.

"Well, aren't you dancing just for fun?" Hyungseong asked as I sucked in my breath. He had a better build than me. His body could keep the muscles and his fat would spread evenly on his body. Anytime I gained weight, it felt like my cheeks were always the first to get the fat. It was so frustrating. Playing with the corner of the bag, I thought about what he said. I'm just dancing for fun, but can't I do a diet? He did say to just cheat a little. "Is your diet healthy?"

"Of course!" I grew defensive.

"Can I trust you?" Hyungseong narrowed his eyes on me. Diets were a big thing in Korea, but some of them could be crazy. Some were basically just starving yourself. "Having a diet is just to look hot and temporary. Having a healthy life style includes mind and body."

"...my diet isn't bad, but I understand what you mean, Hyung." I ripped open the bag of gummies.

Hyungseong is a college student who apparently graduated from high school two years ago. He's older than Seokjin and sometimes I have to remind myself to speak formally to him. Hyungseong doesn't really care if I use honorifics since we grew up in the same ill-mannered town, but I do it to be polite. He's wise but comes off as rude with his tough exterior that he's formed. Most people come off that way where we live. It's either formed because you have to grow tough skin here or because you grow cold to your surroundings. Hyungseong said finding someone like me is rare which was confusing. He told me not to worry about it and to not change.

To me, Hyungseong was such a cool guy. He knows what it's like to be poor but continuously works hard to complete his dreams anyway. He's studying in musical theatre and wants to become an idol. When I told him that was my first audition, he was both shocked and knew it from the start. Hyungseong did apologize for the way he behaved when we first met. After meeting a lot of similar people at auditions, he grew a bad attitude in that type of environment. Auditions make me too nervous, so I probably wasn't going to do another one. Dancing on the physical education field five minutes before the bell is more my style.

"So, you're done auditioning?" Hyungseong asked as I nibbled on my gummy. I know Namjoon asked me what I would do if the gang ended. Past me would have turned to dancing, but I crossed that out already. What am I going to do?

"Yeah...it's not really my thing. What about you?" I turned to him as he chuckled.

"Your boy is a Jam trainee!" Hyungseong threw his arms in the air. "Finally after years of auditioning, I get something. Hopefully I actually debut though."

"You can do it! I know you can!" I clapped my hands, congratulating him. Hyungseong has been auditioning for all kinds of companies since he was in middle school. He's been determined since then.

"They're trying to start a boy band so I'm hoping to get added into that." Hyungseong smirked at me. "Let me tell you all the gossip at Jam Entertainment, but don't tell people. I'm supposed keep me being a trainee quiet."

"Got it!" I nodded my head as he gushed about the company.

Hanging out with Hyungseong went a lot smoother than I thought it would have. He's so cool in my eyes, but he doesn't understand why I see him in that light. It always makes him laugh but I do think he's quite talented and handsome. There's no doubt in my mind that he'll be a great idol. Imagining someone becoming famous from our town sounded so cool. I believed in him a lot and gave him all my support. (F/n) was like this with me and that always made me confident to do the things I would usually never do in a billion years. That's why I was trying so hard to be like his (F/n). Someone you can never let go of.

*~*

Taehyung and I were running around the field with sparklers in our hands. Seokjin took us to our special field out in the country. This is the place we hide our extra supply when we don't sell it fast enough or when we need to get it off our hands. If the police ever find our warehouse and investigate it, this is where our drugs will be. They're all hidden under the ground Taehyung and I are playing on. We didn't have to hide anything today. Just check and make sure it's still there. We currently weren't doing that since Seokjin brought sparklers as the sun was setting. Namjoon told Seokjin to take us since he could drive and was the oldest. He wanted Seokjin to be mature, but it seems like he's forgotten that the eldest doesn't act his age at times. Because of the black hair, we were messing around instead of doing the job we came here for.

Seokjin told us not to worry about the drugs. It's not like anyone else knew that the drugs were under here. Plus, we were currently standing on an open field. It wasn't owned by anyone and the closest thing to civilization was two hours away. It takes forever to get here so I wasn't excited to come over here, but Taehyung came with. He makes everything a lot better. We were like the Namjoon and Hoseok of the first years. Taehyung would always joke that once Namjoon gets old, he'll become the new leader. That sounded frightening. I let him believe whatever he wanted though since its obvious Namjoon would give the leadership to me out of everyone. Though it's not really realistic that he would stop being the leader. I couldn't imagine anyone but him being the leader.

Taehyung chased after me as I held the sparkler higher in the air. We were laughing loudly as he got closer to tagging me. Eventually, I tripped over a rock but I was fine. Taehyung was worried until he saw me cracking up. He crouched down with a giant grin on his face as my sparkler died out. Boo! That meant I had to find Seokjin to get another one. I was originally playing hide 'n seek with him, but he's practically gone. Wherever he's hiding, it's not worth finding for another sparkler. I tossed the stick away as Taehyung's died too. He pouted and stood up, looking for Seokjin in the field. The eldest always took these games so seriously that it didn't make it fun anymore.

"Seokjin! They died! We want more!" Taehyung shouted. "I'll scratch your car!"

"He knows you're lying." I chuckled.

"No! He knows how scary I am." Taehyung looked down at me with a grin. "The older members fear me!"

"They dote on you." I rolled my eyes.

"To be fair, only the second years do." Taehyung poked his cheek with his index finger. "It's because I'm so cute!"

"Or they feel bad." I joked as he pretended to kick me.

"So mean. Seokjin doesn't dote on any of us." Taehyung pouted. "We get along, but I think he likes you more just like Yoongi hyung."

"I really like his jokes, but I think he dotes secretly on Jungkook," I admitted as Taehyung sat down on the floor with me. I was laying on my back, staring up at the stars while the silver hair plucked the plants around him.

"That's true." Taehyung nodded his head before flicking my forehead. "So you do believe Yoongi prefers you over me!?"

"Ow!" I whined. "Why are you complaining? At least you have two people doting on you while Jungkook and I only have one."

"That's true too." Taehyung began to grin like an idiot. I'm going to flick his forehead! He only chuckled as I rubbed the spot in attempts to make him feel bad. I see how it is.

"Whatever. I think Namjoon prefers me though." I got comfortable on the ground.

"I'm special to him and Hoseok!" Taehyung tried rolling me over onto my stomach.

"For how long!?" I pushed his hands away, laughing as he gasped.

Immediately, I got up and started running away from him. Taehyung chased me with his hands out. Seokjin was missing all the fun where ever he's hiding. He'll come out eventually and whine about me giving up. Then he'll be upset with Taehyung for not making attempts, only giving him more reasons to prefer Jungkook who would have found him. The maknae is competitive so he would be able to do it quickly. He may treat Seokjin like they have no age gap, but I think that shows how friendly they are with each other. That's good to me since Taehyung and I know how introverted he can be. It took him some time to get used to us and then with the gang too. The gang has really helped out a lot of us.

Taehyung tackled me to the ground, landing on top of a bunch of wheat. He landed on his back while I fell face first. We rolled around the ground, playfully wrestling each other. We weren't trying to hurt each other. This was all for fun. The smiles on our face would make it obvious. Taehyung pretended to slap me dramatically. Then I pretended to choke him and Taehyung faked his death. He stuck out his tongue as I muttered something about burying the body. He shot up from the ground, smacking my shoulder. Namjoon wouldn't be happy to see us messing around so it's a good thing Seokjin is the only elder member here. We're in the clear!

"I won!" Taehyung tossed wheat at me.

"No way!" I blocked it as our laughter died down. "You're delusional."

"I think that's you." Taehyung shook his head. His tone sounded like he was telling facts which couldn't be more wrong.

This went on for a while longer. Soon we were just sitting on the ground in the middle of a wheat field in the country two hours away from a town at midnight. At least that's what time I think it was. That meant we would be going home soon, but Seokjin wasn't coming out. Was he being stubborn? That hyung. It was hard to believe at times that he was the eldest. He could be smart and mature, but then he would do stuff like this. That's why Hyuungseong was so admirable to me. Seokjin was always acting like our maknae.

"Are you tired?" Taehyung asked.

"Not really." I shrugged. "I bumped into Namjoon the other day."

"You did?" Taehyung grew excited. "What'd he say? What was he doing?"

"Just buying snacks," I said. There, I kept your secret you pervert! "He told me I was his favorite."

"Namjoon hyung would never say that!" Taehyung didn't hesitate to call out my lie.

"Fine! We just talked. He asked me what I would do without the gang," I stated as Taehyung began to frown. "Y'know, if it ever ends."

"Without the gang? I don't want the gang to end. That's so sad." He looked down to his lap. "I don't like thinking about that. I don't know what I would do without the gang."

"Yeah, it does suck to think about that." I nodded my head. "But don't worry about it. With me in the gang, Namjoon will never make the gang come to an end."

"I'M HIS REASON FOR LIVING!!!" Taehyung shouted, pointing at his chest in outrage. This was way too easy and a lot of fun. Never change, Kim Taehyung.

Chapter Text

Ch.42

Taehyung's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Seokjin got really mad that Jimin gave up on finding him. It was really funny to hear him whine at the blonde. Then he ended up getting mad at me for laughing! I couldn't help it when his voice sounds like that. We both ended up getting scolded, but who was the real child in the situation? That's what I wanted to say but I decided to let Seokjin get his way. That's when he made us actually dig for the drugs and sure enough, they were still there. How dare he make us work as revenge? Hyung could be so mean! Once he was satisfied, he said to put the shovels in the back and now we could ride back home. We weren't supposed to do what Namjoon asked us!

Whatever. It's too late. With a big pout, I enter the truck with Jimin. He instantly fell asleep while Seokjin started driving out of the area. We didn't talk since we could both be pretty loud. We let Jimin rest so I decided to sleep too. But why was it so hard? After shoveling for half an hour, you'd think you'd be tired. I was still energized from all the playing. Then even the question from Jimin was poking at my brain. Did Namjoon really ask him that? Why would he? It didn't make sense to me. The thought of the gang ending was horrifying. I got the warehouse for them and I had no idea what I would do without any of the members. They're so important to me.

Out of the first years, it's obvious that the gang means more to me. I latch onto things for memories just like Namjoon does who I admire so much. Yoongi does the same of not wanting things to change. We all don't want people to leave because this is our family. One where blood doesn't really matter. In the end, we bleed the same color. I'm so grateful that the gang exists. Especially to Hoseok and Namjoon who found me and saved me. That's why they're so special to me and why the gang jokes that I'm their child. I had just finished middle school and I was going to start high school once summer ended. Things weren't looking so bright for me. My home life wasn't the best and still isn't, but it was worse then. That's around the time that Mom passed away and her husband began to change.

We used to be a happy family. Then she got sick all of a sudden and we obviously couldn't afford all the hospital bills. Though she left four young children, her widow took it the worst. My eldest sister was going to help take care of me and my two younger brothers. We were a big family. My two younger brothers were so young and needed a strong parent in their lives. The man called my father only locked himself in his room, forgetting that he had four kids to take care of. Even if my sister was going to help, she was still a kid herself. I don't see Yeona that often anymore. She lives with our aunt now after the incident and goes to an all girl's high school. My brother's and I live with our grandparents since that piece of sh*t lost the right to raise his children. I don't know where he is anymore, and I don't care. If he's dead then the world is a better place.

*~*

Gisu and Hojun were taking naps on the floor after crying for the longest time. They miss Mom and so did I. She was always so kind and filled with so much warmth. She really made this family shine, so it hurt to know she was gone. She won't come back no matter how hard I cry. Dad refused to act tough and hasn't left his room in weeks. I understood in the beginning. He needed time to recover from losing the love of his life, but he hasn't gotten better. Gisu is in fourth grade and Hojun is in kindergarten. They're young and need their father. Yeona is in her second year of high school and I'm in my last year of middle school as a ninth grader. We weren't that young anymore. We could actually take care of ourselves a bit, but we were still kids.

Yeona was pacing around the living room as I crushed a cockroach under my feet. Those ugly things were everywhere. I didn't want them getting anywhere near Gisu and Hojun who slept on a dirty quilt on the ground. We didn't live in the best conditions. It was livable though, so I couldn't complain. I had stopped crying over Mom an hour ago. Yeona refused to show any tears. She only cried during the funeral. Now she tries to act brave. She was trying to be a dependable big sister, but I didn't want her to bottle it all up inside. We were all outside of Dad's room which was the only room in the house. It used to be shared by him, Mom, and my younger brothers. Yeona and I would sleep on the floor outside. Things have changed now that he refuses to let anyone in the room.

"I'm gonna try again." Yeona tightened her fists, stopping in front of the door.

"He's going to yell." I frowned. The younger boys were finally sleeping.

"But he has to come out eventually." Yeona crossed her arms.

"...he has," I admitted. It caught her attention and she turned to me with a grin. As if it were improvement.

"Really!?" She rushed over to me.

"He leaves the house when we're gone at school." I sigh and point towards the trash can. There's a ripped open beer box. "He's drinking his problems away."

"I thought that was old..." Yeona furrowed her brows.

"What are we gonna do? He doesn't go to work anymore and then we—" I began to panic as she rested her hand on my shoulder. She gave it a squeeze with a smile on her face. Unlike my siblings, I was the only one who got the same smile as Mom. I returned her a grin and she looked happier.

"Don't worry. I'm gonna get a job and we're going to figure this out." She nodded her head.

"Good. Because I'm getting hungry." I chuckled to see her roll her eyes.

"Take this more seriously, Taehyung!"

"I am, Noona! We barely have food in the fridge. How are we gonna feed the twins, including us?" I motioned my hand to my brothers. They weren't actually twins and had an age gap of four years but looked really similar. We just called them the twins for no real reason other than being the two youngest.

"I-I'll get on that. It's good that we get food at school." Yeona stood up from the couch, returning to Dad's door.

"It'd be nice to eat more than one meal a day," I mumbled. She didn't respond to me, but I knew she heard. She wouldn't ignore me. I wanted to be helpful too, but I didn't know how. I felt like I just stressed her out more than anything else. It's hard to think positive like her.

Life has been cruel to my family. I think that's fair to say. We were poor and always have been. Mom used to sell fruits at the corner meanwhile Dad sold rice pops in the streets. He'd be the guy yelling the price at cars and walking in the middle of traffic to catch their attention. Yeona and I would help out on the weekends, but we haven't done that since Mom's death. Not to mention the fact that Dad refuses to come out of his room. Money hasn't been coming in to this shed we live in. We still have to pay bills and other basic life necessities! How could I help and not complain? Yeona was trying her hardest while I sat here with a frown. I wanted to be like Yeona and Mom. They were always happy, funny, and looking on the bright side. Someone Gisu and Hojun can look up to as a role model.

Yeona knocked on Dad's door, pleading him to come out. Nothing. She tried again only to get a shout to leave him alone. His words were slurred. Tapping my heel repeatedly on the floor, I hoped that this rough patch that has been my life gets better. I don't know what anyone in my family did to deserve this. We've all been good for the most part. Despite growing up in a dangerous town, I've never became part of that culture. Stealing, drugs, and gangs weren't my thing. Yeona thought the same and I wanted the twins to follow the right path in life. Criminal activity never interested me and I wasn't going to turn to it now. It felt like life wanted me to make a mistake. How worse can our situation get? Dad's already becoming an alcoholic like other parents.

I gave up on him at that moment. Yeona didn't though. She let the twins sleep as she went back to pacing around the living room. She was going to be persistent and make Dad realize that he has to get a grip. We're all hurting equally together. One of the twins snored as I crushed another cockroach. This place is a dump. Falling down on the small couch that I was sitting on, I told Yeona to just go to sleep. She shook her head as I yawned. I admire her a lot. She reminds me a lot of Mom.

More time passed. It's been two more weeks which means Mom's been gone for more than a month now. Dad hasn't gotten better. He's only boughten twice the amount of beer. Does he think I won't find the beer boxes? I wondered if he felt any shame for the excuse of man he's become. I didn't want to call him Dad anymore, but all my siblings still lovingly called him 'Appa!'. Yeona believed he was getting better since he sits in the living room. He's left one room. She congratulated him happily while I stayed quiet. I'll congratulate him when he leaves the house, goes back to work, and stops drinking. It's okay to drink beer every once and a while, but he over does it.

The twins told me that they hate how his breath smells. He's become scary to them. No longer this friendly father with a belly. To them, he shouted at them for being too loud. Anytime they stepped in front of the screen. He ordered Yeona around like a maid to clean up his messes. Then he hated me most of all for disobeying him. We used to be close, but not anymore. Today was the last day of school and I was no longer a ninth grader. I'm going to be a first year in high school! That thought was exciting, but I did wish that Dad came to the ceremony. Yeona came with the twins and was so happy for me. The twins were happy that school was out and since they were sleeping over with friends after this. Yeona gave me one last hug before she left.

She was going to drop off the twins with their friends and head home. More attempts to make Dad human again. Hopefully they work. I may be frustrated with him, but I wanted to have hope that he would change. For his children. Family is so important to me so I want him to understand. I told Yeona I was going to catch up with friends and come home later. That was a lie though. I didn't want to go home and my friends were all eating out with their parents. They were nice enough to invite me, but it was out of pity. They didn't know how to treat me anymore. Ever since Mom died, they've become hyper sensitive around me. It's annoying since I just want to play. Live like a normal boy! But it's hard to do that when you don't know how to be normal.

Plus, I was really hungry. I could eat a whole cow! The sad thing was that I had no money on me. There was no food at home either. That's why I was wandering the streets, giving street vendor my best puppy eyes. They wouldn't even give me one fish cake! Do you know how much that sucks? My stomach was rumbling loudly. No matter how much I begged, they shooed me away. I knew that they had to make money but I haven't eaten a good meal in three days. All my food has been given to the twins in hopes that they don't starve. In return, I suffer. I save the food I get from lunch at school and give it to the twins. Everything is for them.

As I walked around the town, I could feel myself stumbling. My stomach hurt so much. It was screaming for food. There was nothing I could feed it with. Clutching my stomach, I fell on the ground and tried to ignore the light headed feeling I was getting. That can't be good, but I can't pass out in the streets. It's already night time. Pushing myself up, I try to ignore how shaky my hand is getting. Starving myself is a bad idea, but I didn't think it would be this bad. I've lost a lot of energy these past few days. Since we were low on food, we had to ration the amount we ate. Less food has been going in me the day Mom died. Now I'm out begging on the streets and haven't eaten in days. My pathetic life has seriously come to this. I wanted Yeona to come give me food. I wanted my real Dad back.

But I didn't go home at all. I found myself at a gas station and blinked at the bright lights coming from inside. Walking past the cars, I entered the warm air of the store and looked around. Everything inside here was so clean. The tiles were white and sparkling. Items were stacked neatly on their racks. That's when I realized how much food was here. Not a single cent was in my pockets. The price tags were taunting me as I stared at the food above them. They shouldn't cost that much! I hated the world at this moment. I've never done anything wrong so why were all these things going bad in my life? There are worse people out in this world. Heck, this town is full of them but the universe has it out for me instead. Why!? No, I couldn't take this anymore. I'm getting revenge on the universe and taking what it owes me. There were only two other people in the entire place besides the cashier. Glaring at the tired man behind the counter, I glanced back at the bag of chips in front of me. I deserve to eat. I deserve this.

Grabbing a hold of the bag, I stared at it for a long time. My grip tightened on the chips. They were cracked as I felt defeated. Would it be bad if I began to cry right here? I was just so hungry. My whole body was aching. Can't I get a break? I set the bag down as my stomach rumbled loudly. That's embarrassing. Turning away from the racks, I prepared myself to go home on yet another empty stomach. Taking a step closer to the door, I heard someone trying to catch my attention. Raising a brow, I thought it was the cashier, but his eyes were closed. He was sleeping on the job. I looked around the store to find two guys hiding behind a rack. One specifically was trying to catch my attention. I pointed to myself in confusion and he motioned me over. I didn't steal so he can't be mad at me for that.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"I'm...very hungry." I frowned. The male talking to me had a friendly smile and orange hair. He seemed to be very outgoing while his taller friend with silver hair silently watched me with sympathy.

"How long has it been since you've eaten?" He put his hand in his back pocket. Was he going to take out his wallet? I didn't want to owe anyone money. I can't afford that.

"What are you doing?" I stepped back in fear. His friend took that chance to step in.

"I'm Kim Namjoon. This is my friend Jung Hoseok who heard your stomach," Namjoon stated while Hoseok waited for me to answer his question.

"I'm Kim Taehyung...it's been three days..." I wrapped my arms around my stomach. Hoseok's eyes widened as he worriedly stared at Namjoon. It was nothing to be proud of. I wanted to explain that I was doing it for my brother's, but I didn't want to tell complete stranger's my life story. Hoseok whispered something and Namjoon nodded. They stood up with straight backs, making me feel tiny compared to them.

"Listen, we're going to teach you something. Don't abuse it," Hoseok whispered as he looked over at the cashier.

They already had a plan for me. It made me extremely nervous. Who were these guys and were they going to help me? Why? Is life finally giving me a break with these guys? Namjoon took a hold of my shoulders while Hoseok came slightly closer to that guy. He was still sleeping, but if he woke up then Hoseok would be the first thing he would focus on. Hoseok planted himself as the distraction while Namjoon began to lead me. He grabbed random bags of chips without making the bags crinkle too loudly. He shoved them in my hands and grabbed more food.

"You're lucky the guy is sleeping, but this is reference for the future. Normally, don't grab this much unless you have a backpack to make it look normal. After school is the perfect time to make it look natural," Namjoon said in a hushed tone. "Make sure the zipper is closed when you enter the store and exit. That corner near the energy drinks and crackers has the least amount of cameras. More cameras are aimed towards the alcohol, but I'm guessing you don't drink. Hoseok will handle the ones watching us right now."

"We're being watched?" I looked up at the ceiling in panic.

"Don't focus on that. Make sure to wear a hat or mask. Something to block your face so they can't get a good look." Namjoon started pushing me towards the front. "Never look at the cameras but know where they are. Never steal the same place twice without a time gap."

"O-Okay." I nodded my head, making sure the food didn't fall out of my hands.

"And always be prepared to run." Namjoon shoved me out the door.

"What!?" I looked at him over my shoulder as I stepped out the store. The shop alerted the cashier guy that I had just walked out with some items. He woke up and spotted Hoseok pretending to shove something in his jacket. Immediately, the cashier grew upset with him instead of us.

Namjoon ran out with me, yelling at me to keep going. I haven't run this fast in my life before. I started to laugh at how crazy the situation was. The grin on my face didn't take energy to create. For the first time in a long time, I felt a positive feeling but from doing something negative. Namjoon and I slowed down once we reached a park. He told me to sit down on a bench and to relax. The adrenaline was still pumping inside me. Did I actually just do that? Criminal activity has finally gotten to me in this town. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Plus, Namjoon and Hoseok didn't look like the typical thugs. They looked quite friendly. They even helped me out at my worst. Sure, they taught me how to steal but still.

Ripping open a bag, I started to shove a handful in my mouth. Finally having food in my mouth made me so happy. I missed this a lot. I didn't even notice myself crying as I went on to the next bag. Though I committed a crime, I felt so thankful towards Namjoon and Hoseok. It was a crazy feeling. It felt like someone actually cared about me that weren't my siblings. They didn't look that much older than me, but they felt like adults. Why did they care about me? Namjoon set the bags down and ran a hand through his silver hair. That color is so cool. It made me want to get it just like that. I wanted to copy them since they were like my heroes now. He was on the phone with Hoseok who managed to handle the tapes and cashier guy. I was told not to worry too much on how he did it which was fine by me. Just having food was amazing.

Eventually, Hoseok came running over to us. He was panting loudly meanwhile Namjoon watched me stuff my face. The tears had dried up after the silver hair ruffled up my own hair. Dying my hair sounded like such a fun idea. How come I never thought about it before? Looking up to the guys with big eyes, they smiled at me as I finished another bag. It was my fifth bag and I was on to my sixth. Before I could open the next bag, they began to talk to me. Instantly, I straightened my back and listened to every word coming from them. They probably didn't expect me to suddenly worship them, but I was so grateful. It was hard to explain the feeling. The only thing really bugging me was the fact that I had stolen. Do they still feel guilt?

"Are you feeling better?" Namjoon stepped closer to me, throwing all the finished bags in a trash can.

"I know it's not healthy food, but its something." Hoseok shrugged.

"I'm feeling much better!" I grinned. "Thank you so much...I'm so grateful, though I do feel bad."

"For stealing?" Namjoon sat down next to me. "I understand. I'm guessing you've never done anything like that before. I'd say be smart with it if you choose to do it another time."

"Listen to this guy. He's really smart!" Hoseok gave me a thumbs up. I stared at Namjoon with a lot of admiration and the same with Hoseok.

"Why did you guys help me?" I held the chips closer to my chest. "And isn't stealing wrong?"

"I know how it feels to be suffering from money loss," Namjoon stated. "Plus, I'd imagine you'd prefer stealing over us giving you money like a hand out."

"Sometimes my parents forget to feed me." Hoseok shoved his hands in his pockets. "But hey, I saw a kid that needed help. It's hard to ignore that."

"What grade are you in?" Namjoon zipped up my jacket so I wouldn't be too cold.

"I just finished ninth grade today. Summer!" I threw my fist in the air with a lot of excitement. Hoseok turned to Namjoon who sighed with a lot of sadness in his eyes. I didn't want them to feel too bad for me. After all, they made me feel so happy right now.

"Yoongi's right. They keep getting younger." Namjoon scoffed, looking up to the stars.

I continued to eat the food we stole together. They watched me eat and made sure I was safe. While I stuffed my face, they had their own conversation. Yoongi kept getting mentioned. Hoseok was wondering if he was here and Namjoon told him that he was handling business with Seokjin. Who's Yoongi and Seokjin? Suddenly, I felt very interested in their lives. Eventually, they told me about themselves. They were going to become second years at SuChin and the other two boys were going to become third years. I hadn't met these boys named Yoongi and Seokjin, but I was very tempted to. At that moment, Hoseok gave me a bit of money and wrote down a phone number. It was for emergencies only he said.

My cheeks were stuffed like a chipmunk's as I looked at them. It took me a while to realize that they were actually going to be my superheroes. They were my 911. My chest pounded as I held the items tightly. Once I finished my food, I thanked them endlessly for helping me out. I never knew people could have such big hearts like they did in this town. Especially thugs, the type of people I used to hate. That's when it occurred to me that they had their own reasons for entering that type of life style. I confessed some of the things going on in my life. From my mother's death to my dad's change in personality. They said I was a brave brother for the twins and I cried again. It was nice to be praised like this and it made me feel so bad for being negative around Yeona. If she believed in Dad then I'm going to believe too!

Waving goodbye to them, I hurried off in the direction of my home. I'm going to give Yeona the biggest hug. We're going to change Dad together! It's going to be great. We're going to be a family again and the twin's will have nothing to worry about. I felt almost relieved that they were sleeping at their friend's house tonight. I didn't want them seeing me grossly sobbing on Yeona as I tell her how supportive I'm going to be from now on. Imaging all the scenarios in my head, I couldn't help but laugh. I'm finally returning to my silly old self. Today, I don't hate my life anymore. That's a start for a new beginning! As I arrived on the street of my house, I felt something was wrong in the air.

This feeling never came over me. It felt like I was drowning in it. Why was it so hard to breathe? It was night already, but I had no idea what time it was. Ever since I began starving myself, time always flew by or took centuries. There was no in between. My house was the last one on the street. It was basically a small shed with only three rooms in total. One being a bathroom, bedroom, and then the kitchen and living room were in the same space with the dining room. The place was incredibly tiny. Just standing in the bathroom, you can touch each wall by standing in the center. I grabbed the knob of the front door with a lot of anxiety in my body. Why the heck did I feel like this? What's happened that's so wrong?

Opening the front door, my eyes scanned the house with worry. Within seconds, I spotted Yeona on the ground. She was crying softly on the quilt we let the twins sleep on. She was holding her body, but I noticed her clothes were ripped. Her hair appeard messy and she had a few bright red marks on her skin. They looked like rough hand marks. Then I spotted blood on her running down her thigh and I hoped that it was period blood. That's what I needed it to be, but I knew it wasn't. I didn't think about closing the door, I went down on the floor with her. She screamed as soon as I grabbed her. I told her it was just her younger brother, Taehyung. It was me. No one to be afraid of.

"Calm down. Breathe. It's me, Taehyung." I rubbed her back as she tried to breathe regularly. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"T-T-Taehyung..." She sobbed, bringing her head into my chest. I didn't like seeing her like this. My older sister is a strong woman.

"What happened, Noona? You can tell me." I tried my best to not sound threatening.

"...Appa...he..." Yeona's lip quivered violently as she recalled what happened. It was so painful that I hated myself for making her remember. "He forced me into his r-room...and..."

Hatred was a pathetic word. It was weak with this type of emotion I felt. I gritted my teeth as Yeona told me how he had forced unspeakable things on her. He did that and then threw her out here. This happened because I left her alone. Because he's an alcoholic who stopped being a human the moment Mom died. Mom would be furious to know she had married and had kids with someone so disgraceful. Setting Yeona down on the ground, I got up onto my feet. Good thing the twins weren't here. My chest burned, and my expressions darkened as I went up to his door. Does he think he can hide behind that any longer? He's dead. That man is no longer my father or anyone's. From now on, I'm officially an orphan. I slammed my fist on the door.

"OPEN UP, YOU F*CK!" I screamed as Yeona curled up even smaller. Footsteps could be heard on the other side. Soon the door opened as he gave me a dirty look.

"What did you call me?" He stared down at me. No more.

"How could you!?" I punched my fist as hard as I could at his face. My knuckles hurt so badly, but I couldn't care less. This pain must be nothing compared to what Yeona must be feeling. I let her down and myself as well. No, this vile human is what let us down. For much longer. He stumbled back in shock. He growled loudly as he grabbed my shirt.

"I raised you!" He shouted.

"Die!" I dug my knee into his stomach. He gasped sharply as I looked around for a weapon to handle him off with. He was a much bigger guy than me. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything fast enough. "Noona, run! Go to a friend's house!"

"But Taehyung..." She held herself as she sat up.

"You're not safe here anymore. Please, RUN," I shouted. She stumbled up onto her two feet and left as fast as she could after apologizing. She had nothing to be sorry about.

The thing in front of me was just like a cockroach. Digusting and needed to be crushed to not disturb my family any longer. The giant roach got his breath back, glaring at me as if I were in in the wrong. He couldn't be mad at me for not being respectful. This is insane. This was all happening so fast and I'm ready to take him head on. Suddenly, the roach threw himself in my direction. He grabbed onto me and slammed me against the wall. He rose me high up, insults flying out of his mouth before he threw me down to the floor. All the air in my lungs were knocked out. I couldn't lose just yet! I got up and kicked him back to give me some space.

He would hear me tonight. Every frustration pent inside me that I kept quiet for my real family. Mom, Yeona, and the twins. I shouted at how disgusted I was at him for violating Yeona in a way that he can never take back. It was so infuriating. Prison could never make me feel better for what he has done. I kicked the roach one more time, making him fall back into the kitchen. He was panting heavily and looked around for something. A smirk landed itself on my face to have him down like this. Justice for Yeona! I may be small, but anything for my true family. That's when the roach got up on his two feet with something in his hands. A glass beer bottle. My eyes widened as he slammed it down on my head.

What happened? One moment I was standing tall against the roach and now I was on the floor. Glass was shattered onto the ground as he dusted off his hands. Swallowing hard, it was hard to think with the throbbing pain my head felt. It took everything in me not to drift off into unconsciousness. Blood was dripping down my face. Tiny fragments of glass were stuck in my hair. I felt weak and hated it. The roach kicked me over to place his heavy boot on my throat. This was going to be the first and last time he hurt me like this. I was going to make sure of that. In the end, I was happy the Yeona had run off. Gisu and Hojun must be having fun with their friends. I want them to watch movies and eat all the candy they want. Let them have fun tonight.

"Little rat," He muttered as I struggled to breathe. He applied more pressure as I pounded furiously at his foot. He laughed as my movements grew weaker. To think life was actually being kind to me today.

Is this seriously where it's going to end for me? Hell no. I won't let it! I'm going to keep fighting! I gripped the bottom of his shoe and forced the drunk back. He stumbled on his feet right away as I got up. Glass fell out of my hair as I shook my head. I got out the door and ran as best as I could. I slipped on mud, getting it all over myself but that wasn't going to stop me from running. This time, I knew where I was going. The closest pay phone was two streets down. Wherever Yeona is, she's safer than she'll ever be. I shoved the coins Hoseok gave me into the slot with no patience. Taking out the ripped piece of paper, I dialed the exact number and bit my lip as I heard it ring. Please, pick up. Be my heroes. I kept looking over my shoulder in paranoia that the roach would come crawling towards me. I'm not going back.

"Hello?" A voice picked up. I was too much in a hurry to tell who it belonged too.

"Namjoon hyung! Hoseok hyung! P-Please help. It's an emergency." I frowned.

"Taehyung? It's Namjoon. Where are you?" He asked with a calm tone. Other voices spoke in the background.

Bringing two fingers to my forehead, I told him the address. He told me that he'd be there soon. They were going to save me yet again. I brought my fingers down to see them doused in blood. The color was so dark and thick that you couldn't see my original skin color. Immediately, I felt myself grow faint. My legs couldn't hold my weight anymore as I crashed onto the ground. Things were growing fuzzy as I tried to regulate my breathing. That was a lot to see. How bad would it look to the guys? Namjoon kept speaking to me through the phone but I wasn't replying. I sat like a doll on the sidewalk as he spoke. He didn't know what my emergency was, but they were coming anyway. Without hesitation. They don't even know me that well.

They came without question. A black truck eventually came rolling by. Namjoon opened the door with shock on his face. Hoseok covered his mouth to see me bloody and muddy. The man driving the truck was very handsome. That was my last thought as Namjoon picked me up. I let my guard down and let everything go black. I don't know what happened at that point. My best guess was that they put me in the car and drove me to a place where they could actually help me. It wasn't a hospital. When I finally woke up, they were pulling me out of the truck into a house. I was so confused. I could tell Namjoon and Hoseok were the ones bringing me inside. The driver locked the car, following after with a lot of worry on his face. Again, they barely knew me. What made them so sympathetic?

Namjoon and Hoseok brought me into a small room. Another guy was already standing inside with cold eyes. He had white hair which was another cool color. They set me down on the floor as the handsome driver came by with a first aid kit. The guy who originally looked at me with cold eyes stopped. He paused as my eyes slowly looked over to him. Something flashed in his eyes as blood dribbled down my chin. Did I remind him of something? He fell onto his knees and immediately began barking orders. Hoseok removed the glass from my hair meanwhile Namjoon removed my dirty clothes. The broad shoulder male gave the white hair all the medical supplies he demanded. I was cleaned up by them. Blood was washed off my skin as well as the mud.

"Thank you..." My voice shook as I spoke. They all stared at me with a lot of care. Even the one with white hair for some reason.

"I didn't think you would use the number so quick..." Hoseok tried to laugh but didn't know what to say.

"The brunette driver is Seokjin and the white hair is Yoongi." Namjoon pointed out. "We're at my house. I just wanted to let you know so you don't panic. We're not strangers."

"...I'm Kim Taehyung. I stopped being a ninth grader today," I said to see the white hair pinch his nose. He looked like he had enough of the sad facts.

"Jesus." He looked stressed.

"You're pretty young." Seokjin frowned.

"Don't worry about me, Hyung. I'm much better now." I smiled at them, the classic boxy one. All of them seemed to enjoy my charms. Mom always said I had a unique charm.

"May I ask what happened?" Namjoon was careful. I didn't mind telling him. The only thing I was vague about was what went down with my sister. That's not something for me to tell people about.

"I took a stand against my so-called father for treating my sister in a disgusting manner." I glared at the ceiling. "I punched him. I was winning until he hit me with a beer bottle. He also stepped on my throat...but I made it out and called you guys right away."

"You can't go back." Namjoon grabbed a hold of my hand.

"I wasn't planning to." I sighed. "I'll live on the streets if I have to."

"Can we keep him?" Hoseok clasped his hands together, staring at Namjoon. Seokjin chuckled as Namjoon started to think.

"Are you adopting him?" Yoongi raised a brow. He scoffed, acting tough until our eyes connected once more. He became soft hearted and patted my leg. I wondered what was causing him to become gentle. All of them were treating me kindly for some reason.

"Namjoon won't be the maknae and leader anymore!" Seokjin clapped his hands. Namjoon rolled his eyes as Hoseok agreed that it was weird.

"Taehyung, would you like to join our gang?" Namjoon asked as my eyes widened.

These guys were in a gang!? That didn't make sense at all. The only really scary one here was Yoongi. Even so, they weren't the exact image of a gang that I had pictured. I told myself before that I would never join a gang. Then again, I said the same about stealing. Namjoon and Hoseok have helped me out a lot in one day. How could I ever repay them? Now Yoongi and Seokjin were becoming helpful too. I'm grateful. Why do words suck so badly!? They can never explain the emotions I feel inside. Tears welled up as I threw my hands up. Namjoon was stunned before knowing what I wanted. He embraced me and soon Hoseok joined in on the hug. This was how I joined the gang.

Turns out, the life that I was avoiding was perfect for me. Just that night taught me a valuable lesson about love. About being human. They were connected and inseparable. Namjoon let me stay at his house and told his mom a little lie. She was understanding either way. She reminded me of my mom which made me miss her a lot. It made me so proud to share the same surname as Namjoon. I was so proud of him! The rest of the boys called it a night and left. Apparently, Yoongi lives at the park Namjoon and I ran to after stealing. Hoseok and Seokjin still live with their parents, but they weren't the best environments for me to stay at. I didn't mind staying with Namjoon since I already trusted him with my life. He made sure to comfort me, so I could sleep peacefully despite being so worried about Yeona.

The next day, Namjoon took me to pick up the twins. They were happy to see me and had no idea what happened last night. Gisu did manage to notice the bandages wrapped around my head. Whoops. At the same time, that's when Yeona came by all cleaned up. She was with our grandparents who were extremely worried. We all reunited, hugging everyone tightly. Yeona ran to our grandparents who were the only other family we had in this town. She told them everything that happened. They disowned their son-in-law and promised to send Yeona to a different town to live with her aunt. I told them that I would stay in this town with the twins. They didn't like the idea at first, but soon accepted it. Namjoon helped me process a lot of my emotions into words which won them over.

I hugged Yeona tightly and apologized profusely to her, but she told me not to say sorry. The twins were sad to see her go when the time came. The meaning of family then changed for me at this time. While this change in my life occurred, the gang was there for me. Namjoon and Hoseok constantly showered me in affection. They fed me well even though my grandparents did the same. Yoongi took me around the town and taught me a lot of things. He made me feel like a real thug. Lots of people were terrified of us. Some wanted to pick fights with Yoongi, but all he had to do was say one word and then they would piss their pants. It was hilarious! Then Seokjin would drive me everywhere! They were all so cool and I loved them so much. My heart grew because of them.

Though I could never repay Namjoon and Hoseok for changing my life, I did my best. We couldn't continue doing our business at the park at midnight or Namjoon's cramped house whenever his mom was out. That's why I was on a mission to find a place for us. A place for the gang to be themselves no matter what time of day! I went looking everywhere for a location that was abandoned. It was so hard though since most places were already littered with gangs. But my prayers were then answered when I found this giant warehouse at the edge of town. I found it when I was walking along a rail road. Immediately, I fell in love at first sight with the place. I went crazy over it and just had to tell the gang about it. So that's what I was doing now. We bought a bunch of hair dye, but I was going to make a change of plans.

"We're not going to Namjoon hyung's house!" I raised my hand, jumping in front of them all.

"What the hell do you mean?" Yoongi cocked up a brow.

"Do you have to sound so crabby?" Seokjin frowned.

"Namjoon loves crabs!" Hoseok cheered.

"Mind explaining?" Namjoon ignored the rest of the boys.

"Follow me," I said with an evil grin. My plans were more than innocent though.

They followed me and Yoongi was reluctant to do so. We had so much fun walking over to the warehouse. All of us talked like we were brothers. As if we've known each other for our entire lives. Blood didn't mean a thing when it came to us. Namjoon told me that as long as we bleed the same color, that was enough to consider ourselves real family. It's a feeling. Not actual blood. The hyungs were confused when I threw my hands in the air a second time. I stood in front of the warehouse that might have looked intimidating at first. It looked like something out of a horror movie, but who doesn't love horror movies? Hoseok and Seokjin were nervous to enter. I insisted it was safe and then they all came inside the empty place in confusion.

"Ta dah! This our new gang hide out!" I bounced around. "Now we're like an actual gang! I always wanted to thank you, Namjoon and Hoseok. This is my way even though I can never repay it. I'm also thankful for meeting Yoongi and Seokjin!"

"A new place?" Yoongi took a look around, slowly smirking. "I like it."

"Woah, this whole place is just for us?" Seokjin began to explore.

"Amazing!" Hoseok stared up at the ceiling in awe. "Can you believe this, Namjoon!?"

"Taehyung...you didn't have to." Namjoon gave me his dimple grin that made this all worth it. "Thank you so much. I'm actually at a loss for words."

"Good because we have hair dying to do!" I held up the bags in excitement.

Hoseok and Yoongi did all the hair dying for us. The color I was getting to get rid of my black hair was silver. I was going to be just like Namjoon! Sadly, he was changing his hair color to purple now. Still, I knew he would pull it off. Seokjin was changing his brown hair to pink to test out the waters. He's never dyed his hair just like me. It felt so cool. Hoseok was dying his hair bright red meanwhile Yoongi was getting his hair dyed black with green streaks. It was an interesting style. We all stood outside with a hose and then enjoyed the hot sun to dry ourselves. Hoseok really enjoyed helping us dye our hair. He said it was really fun, but it looked so bothersome. I preferred it getting done for me. We all watched the sun set with grins on our faces.

"Wow! My hair turned out great!" Seokjin looked at his pocket mirror.

"Did it really though?" Yoongi laughed to get glared at.

"Who do you think you are?" Seokjin remarked, making Yoongi shut up. The only one who could get Yoongi to do that was the eldest member. Hoseok laughed, patting Seokjin's shoulder.

"You tell him! Tell him important you are! You're the Prince of SuChin!" Hoseok cheered.

"I think that title for me died the moment I started hanging out with you guys." Seokjin cracked up. Those two would always laugh together.

"He's calling you ugly." Yoongi sighed.

"Are you sure he's not saying that about you?" Hoseok retorted.

"I have my charms!" Yoongi scoffed.

"Like your singing?" Hoseok grinned as Yoongi screeched. "Let's make it a duet! EEEHEHEEHEHE!!!" Even though they had different personalities, they got along really well. They could always make everyone laugh together. But Hoseok was closer to the male who now wore gorgeous purple hair.

"My ears!" Namjoon covered them. "How could you guys make me deaf?"

"They're so insensitive." Seokjin crossed his arms.

"Oh, I love my hyungs!" I stared at all of them with adoration. They all paused to look at me before chuckling. "I'm so sad that school starts again tomorrow. I'm going to be a first year, but I'd really like to hang out with just you guys."

"Aw, come on." Namjoon ruffled my new silver hair. "You should make friends your own age."

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt." Hoseok nodded his head. "Plus, I'm sure you'll get a lot of friends with your personality."

"Choose them wisely," Yoongi said.

"If they're good enough then you can bring them to the warehouse." Seokjin grinned, turning to Namjoon. "Right?"

"Really!?" I jumped at the thought of making friends. The idea didn't sound so bad now. If they joined the gang then they would see how amazing it is. I'll never quit being in the gang! This is my life.

"Why not? The more the merrier." Namjoon shrugged as I quickly hugged him. He's the best in the entire world. No one could ever replace him. He's the best leader and hyung. I owe him and the others my life.

*~*

My smile was faint as I stared out the window. Seokjin had dropped Jimin off at his house. He let me stay inside while he carried the sleeping boy inside. Hopefully Jimin sleeps well! He's such a great friend. Hyung came back inside the car and smiled at me once he saw me grinning. I couldn't help it. Just being around them makes me so happy. It's hard to be angry at them. That's why I hardly ever was. Even when I got arrested due to Namjoon's recklessness. I appreciated Hoseok caring so much for me and that was more than anything I could ask for. It made me happy to know he felt the same way and I knew deep down inside that Namjoon felt the same. His heart was in the right place, he just went about it wrong. That's what I learned from my Mom and Yeona. To look on the bright side and to be forgiving, but only to those who deserve it like Seokjin taught me.

Seokjin made a lot of stupid Dad jokes as he drove me to my grandparent's house. I was really close with them since I was considered the eldest child. The twins have grown up slightly and understood what happened. They're maturing a little earlier than I wanted them to, but they're still enjoying life. It's safe where we're growing up now. I helped my grandparents with chores and with paying certain things. They didn't ask too many questions about my 'job'. That made things easier for me. Gisu and Hojun are still in primary school while Yeona will be graduating soon. She's grown into a stronger woman who goes to a support group every week. I'm extremely proud of her and so is my aunt. We visit anytime we have vacation breaks. Seokjin parked in front of my house with a grin.

"We're finally here, kid." He turned back to me.

"Turn up!" I shouted to hear his iconic laugh. I made sure to mimic it only to get told to get out of the car. Hyung being mean! I just wanted to become like you!

Sticking out my tongue at him, I made sure to keep it out until he drove away. Let him get a good look at it in the rear view mirror. At least I wasn't as disrespectful as Jungkookie. That little rascal needed to learn the definition of manners. Somehow, Seokjin hyung still dotes on the fool. They're pretty close which was nice. It means Jungkook has gotten out of his introvert box. It used to be really bad, but Jimin and I helped him. Turning around, I entered my house to see the twins watching TV. I know my grandparents were already in bed, so I shook my head.

"Gisu! Hojun! You guys have to go to bed since it's a school night." I put my hands on my hips while puffing out my lips.

"But you stay out late..." Hojun whined. He was now a first grader.

"He's not lying." Gisu crossed his arms. This kid! He was a fifth grader now.

"Well, go to bed right now then," I said as Hojun refused. "Why are you acting like that? Don't you remember our promise?"

"Oh! Right!" Gisu nodded his head.

He turned off the TV to earn a gasp from the youngest. Hojun tried stealing the control back, but Gisu made sure to remind him why the promise was so important. Despite being a thug myself, I'd rather they not learn that from me. I want them to be good citizens. Not earn a criminal record like their old hyung. My grandparents gave me quite the ear full once they found out. Luckily, Gisu and Hojun weren't present. They didn't need to hear that about me. I still wanted to be an admirable hyung to them just like Namjoon and Hoseok. They've only met a couple times, but my younger brothers really like them too. It's because we're family! Yeona has only met Namjoon once but told him to take care of me. That means a lot.

"Candy every Friday if we go to bed early!" Gisu smacked Hojun.

"Hey, no fighting or else tickle monster!" I brought my hands up as they ran away from me giggling. "You two better have your teeth brushed!"

"We know! Or else no staying up until ten on the weekends." Hojun rolled his eyes as he entered his room.

"Sorry about him, Hyung. He thinks he's all that." Gisu sighed, acting like he was some adult. I shook my head at the sight and chuckled. They warmed my heart just like the gang.

"Tell him he needs to get it together if he wants allowance." I winked at Gisu as I went in my room. He gave a salute to handle the problem. They're too cute.

Going to the bathroom connected to my room, I brushed my teeth and prepared myself to go to sleep. Sort of. I changed into my pajamas and got ready. The only thing I wasn't doing was the actual sleeping part. I couldn't help it because the question was still in my head. This time, I had the answer. If the gang ever ends, then I know I will follow Namjoon until the end whether he likes me around or not! Even if he gets married and goes on his honeymoon at some fancy hotel, I'll be in the next room over! Laughing at the thought, I was mainly joking on how far I'd go. I just didn't like the idea of separating from any of the members. I'll stay with them for as long as I can. That's when my phone began to ring. Jungkook was face calling me.

"I was trying to sleep, Makane," I answered.

"We both know that's a lie, Hyung." Jungkook smirked. Just seeing his face through a screen was enough to make me want to smack him. When will I ever be treated with the respect I constantly demanded from this boy? I've tried doing the little promises I do with the twins with him, but Jungkook plays different. He likes to think he's older than Seokjin. Sometimes it's funny and other times, you want to strangle him.

"So what if it is?" I grinned. "You see me in my silk pajamas? That's right! GUCCI."

"You have issues," Jungkook said flatly. Without hesitation! "You spend a lot of your money."

"Aish, you don't know how responsible I can be." I pouted.

"I raised Seokjin and now I have to deal with you. What am I going to do?" Jungkook complained as I pounded my fist on my mattress.

"Did you call me just to be rude? Because that's on a whole other level of Jeon Jungkook!" I glared, but in a playful way.

This was just how we talked to each other. As long as he was his truthful self with me then I was happy. Too bad (F/n) didn't see this side of him often. She would be so disappointed to know this guy got her first kiss. I was still shocked that he did that. Also that my delicate Jimin started a fight with this muscle freak. Poor (F/n) has a lot of boy drama that she didn't even ask for. Next time, I'll give her a kiss from an actual man. Haha! No, (F/n) and I are just friends. She makes sure that I don't get myself killed when Namjoon and Hoseok aren't around. She has me under control, so I don't die. What a sweetheart (F/n) is. I'm so glad she sits behind me in Mr. Pyo's class! What a blessing she is. Wait. Does that mean Mr. Pyo is God or possibly Fate itself!?

"No, I was just bored." Jungkook shrugged. "Seokjin was driving, Jimin was actually sleeping, Namjoon wa—"

"So you called everyone else before me?" I scoffed.

"Taehyung, you know I didn't call Yoongi. If he is sleeping, I don't want to be the one waking him up." Jungkook shivered.

"Did you call (F/n)?" I smirked to see his face burn bright red. Bingo! He might act like he's this tough muscle guy, but in the end he's just a little bunny. Our maknae!

"N-No...I didn't want to wake her. Don't you see what time it is?" Jungkook huffed as I tried not to curse at him. He might have a crush on (F/n), but I wished he bothered her too.

"Just wait until (F/n) finds out how annoying you are!" I teased to hear him growl.

"That's you!" He got defensive. He doesn't like the idea of (F/n) not liking him. Or losing her to anyone. Especially to Jimin.

Talking to him was fun, but we did have school tomorrow. After everything I did today, I have to say that I've officially gotten tired. Yawning loudly, Jungkook frowned to see me getting tired. Was he struggling to sleep? That's probably his real reason for calling. He hardly ever talks about his real emotions with us. At that moment, I felt like giving it a shot with the question Jimin gave me. I'd like for Jungkook to get emotional and real with me, but he always had so many walls up. He's only let loose less than three times around the gang. I wanted to know what the gang meant to him.

"Hey maknae, what would you do if the gang ended?" I rested my chin on the mattress as he took a few seconds to think. I wanted to believe that he was taking this seriously. It looked like it.

I was the one that introduced Jungkook to the gang. Jimin and him came into the gang together at the same time. There was an obvious difference between them. Though they both appeared as quiet boys in the beginning, I saw as Jungkook grew more confident. He fought with all his might to protect us. He formed tight bonds with the other members since they basically trusted him to keep them alive at all times while trying to keep himself alive too. He had a stressful job, but he took it. That was very cool of Jungkook. He acted like it was nothing. He's saved our butts so many times that he's gotten an ego from it. That or he's always been this little brat.

Jungkook followed me in a path where we had a lot of fun causing trouble. Jimin was more reluctant to join. He didn't want to from the start, but slowly started to embrace it. Jimin liked that he actually had brothers since he's an only child. His family is never around so now he actually has a family. That's the whole point of the gang to me. We're here for each other in ways that others were supposed to be. We also just do illegal activity together. Jungkook and Jimin were nervous on their fist deal like I was, but it turned out to be a lot of fun. Jimin was shaking so bad that it was hilarious. So many memories have been made and its almost been a year. Jungkook better appreciate the gang a lot!

"Hm, would we still be friends though?" His brows knitted together in confusion. "I don't know. We'd all act the same just without the deals."

"You're no fun! Why can't you just spill your heart out to me!?" I faked a loud sob to hear Hojun yelling at me to be quiet. Well! Someone is not getting their allowance this week.

"You're a lot to handle, Hyung." Jungkook shook his head, laughing at the fact that I got yelled at by a kid. It basically happens to me all the time. "I'll see you at school tomorrow. Good night."

"Finally letting me sleep? Okay, nighty night Kookie. Don't let the bed bugs get you into drugs again!" I waved to see him scowl. Was that still a touchy subject?

"I'm very close at swearing at you, but I'm not Yoongi. Aren't you glad I'm not?" Jungkook narrowed his eyes at me in a threatening tone.

"Man, screw off." I ended the call and fell asleep. That boy needs to learn some manners. Ridiculous!

Chapter Text

Ch.43

Jungkook's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taehyung's an idiot. They all get on my nerves when they mention steroids. I know that I can't deny I got into them, but I'd rather forget. Sometimes I feel like trying one more pill, but I know I can't. I would disappoint everyone and especiallymyself. The reason I got into them in the first place was because I was tiredof being weak. I am stronger than everyone else in the gang, but I wanted to bestronger. When we do deals with people who order steroids, I feel almosttempted sometimes to just try again. But I can't. Namjoon stopped doing steroiddeals because of that. He never asked me, but I guess he knew my struggle. Thethings I did when I was on steroids still upset me. Everyone tried so hard tomake me clean. Then the withdrawal symptoms were a b*tch to deal with. Pain hada whole new meaning to me at that point. So yes, it still gets on my nerveswhen my hyung's bring it up. I'm reminded of my mistakes, my temptations, and howI still need to grow as a person. Too many emotions that I didn't want tounpack. 

Putting down my phone, I turn over on my bed to lay on my back. The Jungkook (F/n) knows is the same Jungkook he knows. All the hyungs have been teasing me lately for having feelings for her. They don't bother Jimin about it too much because they like my reactions. They want to get a rise out of me and I can't help it. (F/n)'s the first girl I like. Most of them aren't that interesting or worth my attention. For the longest time, I ignored girls despite them showing interest in me. I never understood that. It was always so weird. Mainly because my mind was always focused on sports. Everything was on sports until I became a first year. I quit sports, met Taehyung and Jimin, and got introduced to the gang.

Then I met (F/n). At first, I didn't care about her. I figured Taehyung was into her, but he was just being friendly. He makes friends like it's nothing. Before I knew it, (F/n) got closer to the gang and I took a liking to her. That bad thing is that I have to compete against Jimin for her. Too bad I'm in the lead. Jimin hyung is nice, but he won't stand a chance. If there's one thing I'm good at which I'm good at everything, is winning. My only problem is changing my strategy to get (F/n) into me after she said she just wanted to be friends. By the time we're second years, she's going to be my girlfriend for sure. Nothing is going to stop me on that. I turned off the lights and finally went to sleep as I thought about the question Taehyung asked me. He's always saying stupid stuff.

The next morning, I did my usually schedule. Get ignored by my parents and then go to school. I met up with Taehyung and entered Mr. Pyo's classroom. He looked extra tired today. What's his deal? Occasionally, I felt bad for him since he had to put up with Taehyung. At the same time, I wanted him to feel bad for me since he only has to deal with the silver hair for one class. Imagine my pain! Just kidding. Taehyung and I our good friends, but I love picking on my hyungs. We don't speak formally to each other, but they're always so surprised to see me insulting them. I accepted the rule of speaking informally fairly quickly. Jimin took some time and (F/n) adjusted pretty quick like me. Taehyung still talks formally to the elder members often, but only because he admires them so much.

Class was over and I spent another class not talking. (F/n) tried tutoring Taehyung which I knew was a lost cause. Mr. Pyo refused to reteach the lesson, so he was whining over that for most of the class. Mr. Pyo managed to keep his cool this time. I thought he was going to murder someone when Taehyung told Mr. Pyo to forget professionalism and let favoritism get to him, implying that Taehyung is his favorite. (F/n) didn't say a word, but I knew she wanted to laugh. It was funny. We waited in the hall as Jimin joined us. We didn't stand too close to (F/n) like we used to. The only one allowed to be near her was Taehyung and the other hyungs because they didn't kiss her or fight someone over her.

Surprisingly, (F/n) didn't let things become awkward. Things actually felt the same as if the kiss or fight didn't happen. That was nice. She continued to be a kind friend. The only thing that sucked was the way Jimin looked at her as they went to physical education class. Whatever. Taehyung and I splitted ways as I went off to my next class. Lunch was going to be next so I'll take that chance to talk to (F/n). Though she doesn't find it awkward, it takes me some courage to talk to her. I did take her first kiss out of nowhere after all. Time went by and I hurried over to the cafeteria. Taehyung was in line as I passed him to eat my food outside. Soon, everyone arrived with their food in hands.

"What are you eating?" (F/n) peeked over at what Yoongi was munching on. She chose to sit down next to the older hyungs today instead of us. He was eating a bag of chips which I didn't see anything wrong with. Ever since Yoongi had to get along with her, they've gotten closer. He still gets annoyed by her, but it does make me jealous. The worst part is that Taehyung sees that. Currently, the silver hair was smirking at my pain.

"Back off." Yoongi shoved his hand deeper in the plastic bag.

"Oh hey! He didn't swear." Seokjin clapped his hands. "Improvement!"

"We're like best friends!" (F/n) leaned her head against the blue hair's shoulder. I looked away as Jimin pouted. Taehyung only laughed. Yoongi pushed her off but (F/n) wasn't hurt. She pursed her lips before looking over at the blonde across from her. "Jimin, you're my real best friend. You know that."

"Yay!" Jimin grinned. "I know!"

"What happened to being humble?" Namjoon raised a brow.

"I am being humble. I'm letting Taehyung be your 'favorite'." Jimin gave the boy next to him a side glance.

"I'm ready to throw hands!" Taehyung tossed his pretzel in the air.

"Once you guys start this, you don't stop for months." Hoseok shook his head. "Please stop now or else Jungkook becomes our favorite."

"That punk?" Taehyung gasped to get shoved into Jimin by me.

"Looks like I'm their favorite." I rolled my eyes. They're always acting like this. Now that we're no longer dealing with drama, (F/n) can see how tiring the members really are. We're family, but they can be a lot at times. That's why we all annoy and tease each other like this. (F/n) giggled at our silliness. She mainly talked to Hoseok during lunch. My plan failed, but that's cool. I'll get a chance to talk to her later! I'm good with women. I'm a playboy!

We waved goodbye to the rest of the members and (F/n). My last class of the day is English with Jimin and Taehyung. As we made our way there, I saw a girl who had previously confessed to me so I went to hide in the bathroom. Taehyung told me when the coast was clear and Jimin couldn't stop laughing. It's not my fault! The girls here are kind of terrifying. Ms. Yoon was writing stuff on the board as we came in. Taehyung jumped into his seat while Jimin carefully set his items down. Just the way they carried themselves said a lot about them. I wondered if the same was for me. Smoothly sitting into my seat, I watched those two talk. Taehyung met Jimin the same day we met, but he has a closer friendship with the blonde. It wasn't my fault that I was so quiet or out of touch with my emotions. I never really had a reason to talk to people or make friends. This is my first time having friends, so I hope I was doing it right.

*~*

It was twenty-three PM and I'm finally home. School ended hours ago yet I'm finally arriving home now. This has been my life ever since the end of primary school. It's not like I had went to a tutor after school. No, that wasn't the case. I would practice for two hours with each sports team I'm in and then use the remainder of the time at the gym. Mom signed me up for a gym membership once I started middle school. It didn't matter too much to me then but it was getting on my nerves now. I'm so close to finishing my last year in middle school and I didn't want to continue this in high school. I barely have time for proper sleep and my homework is barely ever done. Tossing my gym bag on the floor, Mom comes rushing in from the kitchen with a giant grin.

She wanted to talk to me about something. Most likely had to do with sports. Screw that. I'm tired. I want to sleep! Dragging my feet towards my bedroom, I ignore the shelves carrying hundreds of trophies. They meant nothing to me. Sometimes I would catch my parents staring at them with a lot of love. What about me? Instead, they looked at me like I was some kind of machine then their child. Mom grabbed my wrist roughly and forced me to face her. She was holding a brochure to the best sports high school in South Korea. They've been shoving this school down my throat ever since one of my coaches told them I had real talent.

"Jeon Jungkook! Look at me when I'm talking to you." Mom huffed. "Look at this. Your dream school has grown an interest in you~!"

"My dream school?" I furrowed my brows. That place was anything but that. If I went there, then I was allowing myself to burn in Hell. That's what it felt like. I'd rather go to SuChin. And that place has a reputation as 'where souls die'.

"Don't give me that tone. Pay attention!" Mom snapped her fingers in front of my face. Was I a dog now? "A recruiter saw your soccer match and gave me his card! That's when I told him about all the other sports you did. He said you showed serious promise."

"Don't they all say that?" I rolled my eyes to hear her scoff.

"Jungkook, why aren't you excited? This has been your dream since forever!" Mom glared at me. "Getting you into this school will give you better chances at scholarships for college. The less money we pay, the better."

"This isn't my dream. It's yours and I don't even know what I want to be when I get older." I tried turning around only to get slapped across the face. Mother uttered many words under her breath. She called me ungrateful amongst other things. I was a filthy child in her eyes whenever I said things like that. Dad never stopped her from treating me like this. He allowed it to happen. My nostrils flared as I gritted my teeth.

"Clean your trophies. Now." She started sauntering back to the kitchen. I forced myself to stare at the shelves. This would take me past midnight to complete.

"Eomma! You can't tell me to do that! I need to finish my homework and I'm tired." I stomped my foot. She didn't even spare me a glance.

"Should have thought about that before you decided to treat me disrespectfully. Maybe you'll see just how much of gift you have while you clean. Don't let that be a waste."

Sighing heavily, I faced my whole body to all the shelves. The last time I ignored her demand to clean these trophies she didn't feed me for a whole week. Somehow, she was able to tell by the amount of dust! She always cleans them herself so why did I have to do it? Pulling out the spray bottle and cloth, I started at the left. The awards went as far back as third grade. They began to take sports seriously as soon as I got into middle school. The awards were either from track, soccer, swimming, taekwondo, and other random things I've attempted in the last few years.

Sports were fun in the beginning. I got along with my teammates, but Mom told me to focus on the sport. Only on my skills, technique, and nothing else. Not important things like communication. When I focused on the sport, I improved my skills faster and I just had a talent for it. I was athletic, and it came to me easily. That didn't mean I didn't work hard. I'm grilled with everything I do. Coaches expect the best from me. Mom needs a talented boy to help with future costs on school. She already wastes so much money on equipment and that d*mn gym membership. It feels like a huge waste of my time. I want to actually make friends. Watch movies and play video games! Things boys my age do. The only bothersome thing when it comes to making friends is that I struggle to get along with anyone. I suck a communicating and get nervous around people. Anytime I try to talk to someone, I choke up on the spot. I can never convince myself to talk to them because I'm so scared of what they'll think and what to do. I don't know what to do! I want to just have friends who don't do sports and to be a normal teenager.

But I'm not seen as normal. I'm seen as this ball of talent that has promise. What does that even mean? Am I good at sports or not?

All my teams rely on me to help them win. It's incredibly stressful. Especially since my teammates don't really like me like they used to. We could have been friends but now they hate how the coach likes me. They hate how recruiter always look at me instead of them. It's not my fault they feel inferior. Maybe they should work twice as hard as me and then maybe they'll be good. The same guys talking bad about me in the locker rooms are the same guys who look at me when we're losing. I've gotten a reputation in our town. Guys from other schools know me as a force to be reckoned with. They all wonder how far I'm going to take my athletic career. They think all this effort I put into sports is on my own accord and that I just have this huge passion for it! LIES.

Mom's gotten crazy with sports over the years. It was originally my Dad's idea to put me in a team. Then she kept hearing all this praise about me from coaches and let it get to her head. She likes the image she's gained from me. Other parents always come up to her during meet ups and ask about my training. They question my diet and ask for advice. She thinks she's raising some celebrity but she's more than wrong. Dad never told Mom that she's gotten overboard. He defends her instead since she defends him. He's working hard, and Mom uses that money to help me succeed in life. How!? I can't stand the thought of running track in high school or any other sports. Letting this continue will be the end of me.

By the time I had calmed down, I had finished all the trophies. My head hurt so much. Looking for a clock, I frowned to see it was one in the morning. It appears I'll be getting scolded yet again by my teachers. School didn't matter to my Mom. Only the sports I participated in. She put me in every competition she could possibly find. I made it inside my room and crashed on my bed. At that moment, I made the decision to just come home after school. I'm going to take a stand once and for all. The coaches will be mad that I skipped practice, but they won't be as furious as my mother. Their shouting will never compare to her's.

The next day, I walked home with a smile on my face. Is this how it feels like to be free? Seeing the town in broad day light was interesting. Everything didn't look as sketchy. Arriving home, I opened the front door to see Mom vacumming and Dad putting on his tie. He raised his eyes to meet mine and his mouth dropped wide open. Mom turned around in confusion until her eyes landed on me. She turned off the machine and screamed in rage. I closed the door, tightening my grip on the straps of my backpack. They're going to listen to me today. Sports will no longer be a part of my life!

"Jeon Jungkook! What are you doing here!?" Mother screeched.

"I'm going to do my homework. I have to catch up." I glared at her as she came charging towards me. She opened the front door and tried pushing me out.

"Get out! Get out! Go to practice!" She fumed. Luckily, I had more strength than her and didn't allow her to lock me out. She's crazy. Dad sat down on the couch, taking in the scene. All he ever did was watch. What's wrong with him!? Say something! For pete's sake, I'm your son! Don't you care about my well being!?

"I'm not doing sports anymore!" I pushed her hands off me. "I'm done. I quit everything!"

"You can't quit! Jungkook, you don't know what you're saying," Mom shouted.

"I do know what I'm saying. I should know what I want for myself better than anyone." I walked over to the couch across from Dad. Mom laughed loudly at my comment. She took a seat next to Dad to make this a family discussion. I'm an only child and the attention is always on me. I hated the attention. It's so suffocating.

"Jungkook, you're too young to know what you want." Mom crossed a leg over the other.

"What do you mean? I'm going to be a first year very soon." I wanted to rip my hair out. "I'm almost done with ninth grade."

"Maybe when you graduate high school, then you can know what you want." Mom glanced at Dad for him to say something in her favor. He was shocked and thought on what to say.

"J-Jungkook, listen to your mother. As parents, we want the best for you," He stammered. What a push over.

"How is forcing your child to train for more than five hours for the best?" I stood up in outrage.

"This is why you can't quit sports. You're too childish and can't realize why us as adults are making these decisions for you." Mom glared at me, telling me to sit down with her eyes. She drove me mad and Dad wasn't innocent either. They were both torturing me.

"Well, I hate playing sports. You can't force me to do them anymore." I crossed my arms. "Tell me I'm childish all you want. I won't show up to practice anymore. Waste all your money on equipment! I don't care!"

"Jungkook, what are you saying?" Dad frowned. Don't make that aggravating face. "I work hard to help your mother pay for these things. Why do you want to throw it away all of a sudden?"

"It's not sudden! I've been telling this to Eomma for the longest time, but she refuses to tell you." I revealed to see his eyes widen.

"Is this true?" He looked at her.

"Are you kidding me? Jungkook is just going through adolescence. This is all going to end soon," Mom spoke with a cold expression. Her eyes never left mine that were burning. "I'm going to make sure that you go to your practices, so you don't ruin your future. Do you understand?"

"I already told all my coaches that I'm quitting," I stated to see her panic.

Dad was hearing this all for the first time. He usually goes to work later in the day and we don't see each other often. It's Mom who I'm forced to be around. Fear and anger travelled through her body as she tried to find the right words to throw at me. I stood with a confident expression. I wanted them to know that I'm officially done with sports. No matter how hard they want me to continue, I'll ruin anything they throw at me. I'm going to make friends and enjoy my free time after school. They can't take that away from me anymore. Mom came onto her feet, making an attempt to put her hands on me again. This time Dad actually tried to calm her down, but it clearly wasn't working.

"We can work this out." Dad sighed as Mom threw her hands around.

"IF YOU STOP DOING SPORTS THEN WE'RE NO LONGER YOUR PARENTS!!" Mom howled. I sucked in my breath to hear those words. Was she seriously taking it this far over sports? "You can starve! Runaway! I don't care! We're no longer supporting you! The only thing you get from us is that room you sleep in. Nothing more!"

"Jungkook, can't you at least do two sports?" Dad raised a brow.

"Appa, you don't get it either." I shook my head to see him purse his lips.

"Get ready to pay for your own bills! If your future dies, then don't blame me! Because I tried!" Mom removed Dad's hands off her. She stormed out of the room, screaming nonsense at the top of her lungs. "I helped you for years! All this time and effort for nothing! I can't look at you or call you my child!"

"B*tch," I muttered to see my Dad become stunned.

Is that all you can do? He just sits and reacts to what's going on. He takes her side no matter what. The problem is that he won't take mine. He can't see or understand what I'm feeling. He's just like Mom but less screechy. She makes fire alarms sound like birds chirping. Dad turned to me with his his brows knitted together. I had a feeling that I was going to get scolded. For what? Using that kind of language, quitting sports, or treating Mom poorly? It didn't matter to me. After all, she just said that they're no longer my parents. That means they can't scold me as if I was theirs anymore.

"Did you actually become this ungrateful?" Dad questioned. "I may not always be here, but you should treat your mother with respect."

"You don't know what's going on so stop talking." I went towards my room.

"Hey! Jungkook! Jeon Jungkook, come back here!" Dad called after me. "Your Mother was serious! We're no longer going to support you."

"Nothing's changed then!" I slammed the door.

Why are they so frustrating!? They made me feel like I was going crazy. I didn't know whether I was actually being a child or whether they were being unfair. At first, Mom made me believe I was in the wrong. She made sure I was guilty and always forced me to apologize, but she refused to say sorry. That word was impossible to get out of her mouth. She can't say sorry to her own son and that enrages me. I wondered if puberty was just making me feel this way. Was I actually an awful child? I know I didn't always treat my parents with respect. I'm not an angel and won't ever claim to be. I just can't stand the idea of them being right. Did they care for me because it don't feel like it?

Shoving my face into my pillow, I tried to steam off. They're so emotionally tiring. It's hard to know what I'm feeling when Mom constantly told me to ignore them. To only focus on sports. Then whenever I brought up any negative emotions about sports, she would blame it on something else. She would insist that how I felt was not actually how I felt. From now on I'm going to be my own person. However, people normally do that, I'm going to figure it out. I finished middle school quickly after that. Summer break was relaxing. I didn't have to travel around the country for competitions. The only worrying thing was feeding myself. I tried eating cereal and Mom took it away from me because she paid for that box. I didn't.

Money was becoming a struggle. I didn't have a job and there was no way that I was going to return to sports. Luckily, my relatives gave me birthday money which would last me about a month. Mom and Dad avoided me on my birthday. I had to remind myself that they're awful. Not me. Soon, it was high school orientation at SuChin. They were giving the new students a tour around the campus and other things after the entrance ceremony. I figured going would create a good chance at making friends. Everything was fine until I saw everyone on the campus. There were so many people. It made me nervous to see so many people all in one place. Wasn't this suffocating? Someone my age handed me a flier and I panicked. Were they student council? I don't know.

I tried to relax as I stood in the middle of campus. They're not judging me. But they so are! I can feel their stares and I feel like they hate me already. Shaking my head, I needed to focus on something else. A lot of students were crumpling up the fliers and tossing them onto the ground. The town I live in is just dandy, huh? Students were listening to someone with a megaphone, but I ignored them. I made the descision to pick up after everyone's mess. Eventually, I had lot in my arms and had to throw them away to continue cleaning up. A trash can sat a couple feet away from me so I decided to toss the paper like basket balls. Each paper fell inside without a problem. What was I doing? I came here to make friends and now I'm basically doing sports. Can I not do anything else? This was incredibly disappointing. That's when I saw a flash of silver laughing right next to me.

"You're really good at getting them in! Let me try!" He crouched down to carry a few. He had a boxy grin as he tossed them. Out of the five that he held, only one went inside. I scoffed, but he seemed so happy with that single one. "Sweet! Did you see that? I made one!"

"Yeah, just one..." I mumbled softly. His boxy grin went away, but he still smiled at me. Wait, was this supposed to be my chance to make friends? This was so weird. I had no idea where to begin. That's when another guy came running over.

"Taehyung! You just left out of nowhere!" He frowned.

"Ah, sorry Jimin. I got distracted. I'm playing this fun game where you throw the fliers in the trash," Taehyung explained.

Jimin nodded his head with slight interest. He grabbed one crumpled ball and threw it without even trying. The ball hit the side of the trash can. Jimin frowned while Taehyung cheered him on. Jimin then tossed another one and made it in. For some reason they were so happy by just making that. Them landing the ball inside the trash was barely skill and mainly just luck. Tightening my grip on the piece of paper, I realized something was different with me. Why couldn't I be happy at all when it came to sports? Or even just this stupid paper basketball game? They were happy for the fun of it. They weren't taking it seriously because it was just a game. A game.

"...A-Are you guys first years?" I forced myself to talk. They turned to me as my eyes fell back down to the ground. I can't make friends like this. What's wrong with me? Lifting my head to look back at them, Taehyung's boxy grin had returned while Jimin gave me a shy smile.

"We are! Actually, I just met Jimin like five minutes ago." Taehyung laughed. What!? They looked like friends. How did he do that so effortlessly? It made me a bit jealous. "What's your name? I'm Kim Taehyung."

"Jeon Jungkook." I bowed.

"Park Jimin." Jimin kindly bowed his head back.

"Wow! We should all hang out after the ceremony!" Taehyung jumped around. Hang out? I don't even know these guys. Everything is happening so quick. "I know where to find the tastiest fish cakes!"

"Really?" Jimin's brows jumped. Food sounded really nice, but I didn't have money on me. I was really careful not to spend my money. If I was hungry, then I ate the food I bought at home. Nothing out on the streets. Taehyung and Jimin were excited to ditch the orientation while I rubbed my neck nervously. They probably don't want to be friends with someone who bails on the first group hang out.

"Sounds good, Jungkook?" Taehyung asked.

"Uh...I think I'll skip out." I frowned.

"Are you sure?" Jimin quietly spoke.

"W-Well...um...I don't have money. I don't know. Sorry" I stumbled on my words. God, I hate myself. It's not that hard to talk. Why am I having trouble? I kept hating the words that left my mouth and wanted to restart. This is almost painful. "Maybe next time."

"Money?" Taehyung looked sympathetic. At that moment, my stomach had to rumble. Things can't get more embarrassing. Taehyung didn't see it that way though. There was a change in his eyes. "I got you covered! You don't have to pay me back."

"What? I can't do that to you..." I shook my head. Swallowing hard, it was hard to make up my mind. I wanted to make friends and eat food. Somehow I was shooting down all my chances. Taehyung didn't seem to hate me though. His offer still stood and Jimin seemed to understand my shyness. Was I always an introvert?

"No buts! We're stuffing ourselves tonight!" Taehyung shouted. "No empty stomachs on my watch."

"You're so nice." Jimin chuckled as Taehyung wrapped his arm around the other's shoulder. The silver hair looked towards me and raised his arm for me to join.

"Come on! Get over here!" Taehyung smiled. I hesitated but let myself get closer. He hugged us tightly. "I'm going to make sure you two get comfortable around me! We're gonna be SuChin's troublemakers!"

Jimin and I laughed at that. It was hard imagining myself causing any kind of trouble. We ditched the rest of the orientation to go eat. There, I got know more about the two boys. Taehyung refused to let me stay quiet during the entire time. He forced me to talk and Jimin made sure to include me in the conversations. They tried really hard to get me feeling like a part of their group. Taehyung was already calling us his friends by the end of the night which was strange. That went by too fast or is that usually how it goes down? I wouldn't know, but I was so happy to have friends. It felt awkward to be around them in the beginning, but I was slowly getting used to them. Heck yeah! I finally have friends!

Time went on. I hung out with Taehyung and Jimin for three months. One thing that was strange was that Taehyung always disappeared after school. Plus, he was hard to find during lunch. It was like he was purposely hiding. Then there were those moments where Jimin and I spotted people eying us. They mainly judged Taehyung, but since we were associated with him we got a similar look. Jimin was worried about Taehyung while I figured he was fine. Eventually, Taehyung confessed the truth to us. He was in a gang. This whole town seems to be filled with thugs. That's when Taehyung told us to join. Jimin was terrified at the thought while I took it in a different direction. I'm tired of being quiet. It'd be interesting to have people actually fear me. So I told Taehyung that I needed something new.

Jimin was such a wimp in the beginning. He was too afraid to do anything. Yoongi was frustrated at first with him the most. Second was me. It didn't take long for Yoongi to constantly help Jimin in the gang. He watched over him like an older brother. Jimin appreciated it, but he was also scared of his older 'brother'. We didn't know how to feel about considering them our family. It didn't feel right at first. It wasn't until one deal when things went really wrong. We could have died, but we kept calm. All of us stood our ground and protected each other. None of us thought about ourselves. It felt like we truly were family by the end of it. My only problem was how Jimin behaved in the beginning of it. Though it helped me consider everyone family, Jimin was starting to bother me during deals.

"I don't know guys. I don't want to do this." Jimin frowned as we drove to the location.

"You just have to get to the highest spot around. Watch over us and let us know if anything goes wrong," Namjoon reminded him.

"...I know. It's just scary..." Jimin shifted in his seat, running a hand through his orange dyed hair.

"Oh get over it! It's not like you're the one right in front of the guys with weapons." I growled to see the orange hair looked stunned. He didn't expect me to snap and I was surprised too. Hoseok looked at us with a frown. He hated it when we didn't get along.

"C'mon, Kookie. Be easy on him," Seokjin pleaded.

"It's okay, Hyung. He's right..." Jimin stared down at his lap. His expression was hurt and Yoongi scoffed to see me looking emotionless.

"He'll get braver soon. Everyone is different," Yoongi spoke bitterly, glaring at me through his mint green bangs.

"I was really scared for my first deal." Namjoon laughed as Yoongi shook his head.

"I was bored!" Seokjin grinned at us through the rearview mirror.

"I was excited!" Hoseok shouted.

"I was nervous." Taehyung poked his head through the window.

"Yeah, we all feel different and this isn't even your guy's first deal anymore," Namjoon stated. "Give it time. I'm sure Jimin will adjust and be an important member to the gang."

"Get ready, Jimin. You're gonna have to jump out soon." Yoongi reminded the orange hair who was biting his bottom lip.

"I don't like jumping out...it hurts," Jimin mumbled as I sighed in annoyance. He grew stiff at that before telling Yoongi and Seokjin that he was ready.

He wasn't. There were no high spots at the location we were at. Everything was flat and there was no where to hide. Jimin wasn't prepared for that. The other gang got angry to find Jimin trying to sneak around. They were upset at us for having a spy. The situation turned south right away and Jimin didn't know what to do. It wasn't until I knocked out a guy about to hurt him that he finally began moving. We all began fighting the opposite gang as much as we could. Seokjin came by with the truck as our savior. All of us hopped inside and he floored it out of there. Right after that incident,  Namjoonwent over to talk to Jimin who was upset with all the bruises he got. Jimin wasclose to crying, but Namjoon managed to make him feel better. I didn't want myhyungs to be hurting, so  I started teaching Jimin some taekwondo moves for him to have under his belt. He needed something to use since he was basically flinging his limbs around back there.

Jimin thanked me and I apologized for my rude behavior. We made up and things were good again. The older members called me mature for doing so and I liked the sound of that. I'm the maknae so I usually get called a child. It felt nice to be called that. The gang helped me feel like an adult that night. Not to mention, I also get money from deals. I'm able to live on my own in my parent's house. They don't ask about where the money is coming from and don't ask why I stay out so late sometimes. If they ever start to care, it's because of my job and that's all they will get from me. I finally took a complete stand against my parents now that I was with the gang. As soon as we had seven members, we were complete. It's hard imagining a member gone or someone added. This was the perfect gang.

*~*

Ms. Yoon told Taehyung to stop talking to Jimin during her lecture. That wasn't going to stop him. He's too much of a chatter box. Taehyung tried talking to me, but I remained quiet. I'm not letting this hyung pull me into his sh*t. Ms. Yoon got frustrated but not like Mr. Pyo. He was something else when it came to Taehyung. It was pretty funny if I'm being honest. Class ended and everyone met out near the gates. (F/n) was excited to go to the warehouse and I wanted to sit next to her. First years called sitting in the bed of the truck while the older members had to sit inside. Seokjin drove the truck nearby and we all hoped inside. I was happy to go to the warehouse instead of home. My parents have been sensitive lately since I haven't done sports in a year. I still go to the gym though but I pay for my own membership and go whenever I want to. How it should be.

Once we made it to the warehouse, the members couldn't wait to run inside. Jimin and Taehyung jumped out without laying down the tailgate. Hoseok and Yoongi ran inside, competing with the two first years. Seokjin and Namjoon took their time compared to the others. They were still run walking though. I laid down the tailgate and held (F/n)'s hand as she got down. My heart was racing at the physical contact. She didn't seem to care one bit about it though. It was natural for her. Besides, she was holding my hand to get down safely.

"Thanks, Jungkook!" She smiled.

"Wanna stay out here?" I heard myself ask. I better not pull another stupid move like the kiss. I can agree that that was a mistake. It was just me being desperate enough to take a chance when Jimin and (F/n)'s friendship was struggling. Sighing, I realized I shouldn't think of winning (F/n)'s love as a competition. That's my problem.

"Sure. What's on your mind?" (F/n) tilted her head cutely.

"I'm sorry for the kiss..." I frowned as she chuckled.

"You've apologized for that several times now. It's okay." (F/n)'s cheeks went pink. She probably didn't want to think about the kiss. I wanted to throw myself in front of Seokjin's truck as he drove full speed. After doing actions, I greatly regretted them sometimes. How did I actually get the courage to kiss her? Who do I think I am?

"I just feel really bad." My eyes fell to the floor. She lowered her body to get in my sight.

"Jeon Jungkook, you're fine," She said before standing up with a straight back. "As long as you don't do it randomly again."

"Promise! Done! Deal!" I brought my hand out and she shook it. We laughed, my awkwardness around her finally melting away. I just needed to be sure that she was okay with me. "Thanks for being such a good friend."

"You're a better friend." (F/n) smiled softly. I'm so happy that I met her. I'm thrilled that Taehyung spoke to her and that she wanted to befriend Jimin. I'm stoked that she idiotically came to the location of the deal due to her curiosity and Taehyung's carelessness. I'm filled with euphoria to know the gang helped me befriend her. There's no way I would have done so otherwise. It made me think of the question Taehyung asked. Why not ask her about it?

"Hey (F/n), what would you do if the gang ended?" I questioned. (F/n) was surprised at the sudden question but thought about it. She didn't take long to answer.

"I'd still want to be friends with you guys. In all honesty, I just want you guys to stay together as friends even if the gang ends." (F/n) nodded to her words. "To be honest, I don't like how dangerous the situations you guys get yourselves in. I'd be happy if that part in your lives ended despite you guys enjoying that type of stuff."

"We do love it." I chuckled.

"I don't know. Those are just my two cents, but I know life will work itself out." (F/n) grinned. "It always does."

Chapter Text

Ch.44

Not much has been happening with the gang lately. That's how it felt to you at least. School was almost ending which was exiting. That meant a lot of you could hang out during the break. The only thing that did make you worry was Seokjin and Yoongi. They were graduating in just a couple more weeks. You didn't know how to feel about them staying in the gang. Sure, you wanted them to stay together but you didn't want them to only stick to this. Seokjin and Yoongi had to have dreams, right? Something that was outside of the gang. That's what you hoped for. Now Jungkook was even asking you a similar question. You knew your answer right away after finding the right words. The gang has to a stay family no matter what. That should never change.

He accepted your answer with a small smile. Jungkook probably had a different opinion on the matter. You wanted them to figure it out if the time ever came for the gang to end. To be honest, the thought was heart breaking. You'd miss hanging around the warehouse and seeing the boys so hyped after a successful deal. The things you wouldn't miss is seeing the boys storming in fighting or injured. Whatever happens, you'll be here to help if they ever want it. Wrapping your arm around Jungkook, you start pulling him inside the warehouse to meet up with the rest. The members were all clumped up near the stage where the table sat. Only the third years sat at the edge of the stage while the other members sat on the floor. Was something important going on?

Removing your arm from Jungkook, you glanced at him to see if he had any idea. He shrugged and was obviously just as clueless as you. The two of you walked over as Seokjin waved you guys to come closer. Yoongi eyed everyone with a frown and Seokjin didn't look the happiest either. You sat down with all the first years while the second years sat closer to the third years. Last you checked, nothing too bad was going on. One day Seokjin didn't come to the warehouse, no one went over to the warehouse the next day, Namjoon got into a science accident because of Hoseok, and then today this was happening. It's barely been a week. Seokjin ran a hand through his hair as Yoongi sighed heavily.

"Sorry to bring down the mood." Seokjin chuckled nervously. "But something has been bothering us third years lately. We're going to be graduating very soon."

"In less than a month." Yoongi groaned.

"We'll be there for when you guys graduate!" Taehyung raised his hands in the air. Seokjin nodded his head with a smile that soon fell. It was bitter sweet.

"My counselor has brought up the question of what I'm going to do after I graduate. Yoongi and I have been thinking about what that means for us in the gang." Seokjin sighed. "We don't know. I don't like the idea of college and Yoongi is set on staying in the gang."

"...does that mean you might leave?" Namjoon's voice held a lot of fear.

"I think...I most likely will stay," Seokjin said.

"The question of what we're going to do when the gang ends has been haunting the gang," Hoseok. "I was asked the same question."

"Me too!" The three first year boys chimed in. Looks like you were brought into the loop because of Jungkook. You weren't even a member.

"School isn't really my thing." Yoongi cracked his back. "But Seokjin might do college, but if he does then he'll still be with us."

"That's what I've been planning on but I don't really want to go to college just because," Seokjin reasoned. "Staying with the gang is a must for me. That's my top priority."

"Thanks for telling us," Namjoon spoke for everyone else in the gang. "I know you guys probably don't want to be stuck to a gang for the rest of your lives, but a couple more years won't hurt."

"We didn't do a blood ritual for nothing." Taehyung pouted as your eyes widened.

"He's kidding!" Jimin placed his hand on your shoulder to calm you down.

The things that Taehyung says sometimes are always so crazy that they just might be real. Yoongi laughed at your reaction as he rubbed his nose. He still enjoyed viewing your 'innocence' when it came to the gang. He was always entertaind to see your gasps at the mention of a certain drug. It's not your fault! You're still getting used to this kind of life style. It's not a favorable one, but you do love being friends with the boys. They make most of the things worth it. Namjoon and Hoseok hugged it out with the eldest members, and Taehyung joined in. The leader made sure to tell them with a heavy heart that if they ever did want to leave that they were allowed. That their gang wouldn't hurt them for wanting to leave. It took a lot for Namjoon to say that, so you were proud of him. Walking up to Seokjin, you gave him a soft smile.

"I think college doesn't sound that bad," You said to see him roll his eyes.

"It is if I go for no reason." Seokjin crossed his arms.

"Well, do you have any dreams?" You raised a brow. He was amused and has probably been asked this question a million times before. Yoongi muttered something about you being annoying as Ms. Hong whoever she was. He's so rude. Ignoring him, you waited for Seokjin to at least give you a mediocre answer, but he didn't. Instead, he left you speechless with a random question.

"Want to go on a date?" Seokjin smirked.

All members grew silent and turned in your direction. Taehyung instantly stopped cracking jokes with the second years. Yoongi almost fell off the stage to hear his best friend asking you such a thing. Jimin and Jungkook had their hands balled up into fists, but they couldn't do a thing. It was their eldest hyung asking you this question. Not someone like Taehyung. You stammered as you tried to find a response. What were you supposed to say? Was he being serious!? You've never really been on a date with anyone. Ever. If Seokjin was being serious, which you hoped he was, you just might accept. You'd rather not hear him sayi 'just kidding' like asking you on a date is a funny prank. Crazy, but you do have feelings.

"W-What?...um, wait, what?" You furrowed your brows.

"C'mon, I know the perfect restaurant." Seokjin took your hand, pulling you towards the entrance of the warehouse.

"You're not joking?" Your heart pounded. The black haired boy stopped tugging you to give you a charming smile.

"Obviously not. I'm not a monster." He winked before taking you out again.

"Hyung, this isn't fair!" Jungkook shouted.

"Life's not fair!" Seokjin responded. Both the blonde and brunette whined.

The third year with the faded blue hair sighed heavily, shaking his head at the sight. You could have sworn you heard him muttering about handling the situation. What does that mean!? Is going on a date with his friend so bad? Sort of. Though Seokjin was extremely attractive and kind, the two of you were just friends. Right? Or did he suddenly join the race with Jimin and Jungkook? That would be too exhausting for you. Dealing with their quiet jealousy is already annoying enough. Seokjin shoved you into the passenger's seat and then hopped into the driver's seat. He carried a smile on his face like he didn't avoid answering your question back there.

"Where are we going? You said restaurant. Don't you think I should be dressed in something nicer?" You looked down at your casual clothes in shame.

"Then we'll go shopping first." Seokjin drove forward. "That's fun, right?"

"Uh...why are we going on a date?" You faced him, but he kept his eyes on the road.

"You ask too many questions. Live a little, Kwon (F/n)." He laughed as you shrunk in your seat. Of course you had questions! This was so random. More random than the time Taehyung came to your house in the morning!

There was also the fact that you would prefer the date to be real. Either this is a real date or the two of you are just hanging out as friends. You don't want Seokjin taking you out on a 'date' just because you're female. So he better have feelings for you or the two of you are hanging out as friends. Nothing in between will be accepted! Crossing your arms, you could only imagine the reactions at the warehouse after you guys had left. Were Jimin and Jungkook going to start a riot? Was Yoongi now pleading Namjoon to kick Seokjin out of the group? That'd be crazy. Looking back over at Seokjin, you felt your cheeks heat up at the thought of going on a real date with him. What would that be like? Time to find out.

He parked the car in front of the most expensive store in town. He has officially lost his mind. There are possibly more expensive stores in Korea, but this was already a lot to handle. Seokjin didn't care and told you to follow him inside. Employees greeted him like he was a regular. Was he? Is this where he got his suit when you guys visited Hoseok's parents? They told him that they finished alterating his suit. At that moment, Seokjin told a female worker to help you pick out a dress while he tried on the fixed suit. This was getting crazy. It made you realize just how little you actually knew about the boys. Their home lives were still a mystery to you.

Soomin, the female worker who was assigned to help you brought out a bunch of dresses after asking for your size. She laughed at your wide-eyed expression and sent you in the direction of the women's changing room. The store wasn't the fanciest since it was in this town, but that didn't stop them from having a high reputation and the best security system. Soomin handed you outfits like no tomorrow. It felt like every single one would fit better on a girl who looked like a model. You felt like a child playing dress up and Soomin saw that on your face. This time, she took a good look at you and removed all the dresses she originally picked out for you. A few seconds later, she returned with a dress that took your breath away.

She gave you some time to change into it. Staring at yourself, you felt pretty good in the outfit for once. It wasn't anything like a celebrity would wear like the others. It was just a pretty and simple dress. This made you feel good! Stepping out of the changing room with a grin, you looked to show Soomin but found Seokjin in a suit instead. He stared at you and began to smile as you felt embarrassed. A portion of your back was still exposed since you couldn't zip it up yourself. You also didn't think that Seokjin would appear without warning. Feeling your face heat up, he laughed to notice how bright your ears were turning.

"You look really pretty. Give me a spin," Seokjin said as you shook your head rapidly.

"No! Where's Soomin? I need her to zip up the dress." You nibbled on your bottom lip nervously.

"I can do it." Seokjin went behind you despite your protests. He grabbed the tiny zipper and brought it all the way up. He leaned in close to your ear, whispering, "There."

"T-Thank you..." Looking away from him, you couldn't believe he just did that. It's not like he saw you completely bare. He just saw your back. That's not too bad so why was your heart racing? Seokjin could be so apologetically bold.

When Soomin finally showed up, Seokjin paid for everything. He didn't think twice about buying the dress you were wearing. Then he even ripped off the tags before you could check the price. He clearly doesn't want you worrying about the number. Seokjin pushed you out of the store and quickly led you to the truck. This felt like a movie. It was so weird. You knew the boys got a lot of money from doing deals, yet they were still so humble. They didn't really flash it in other people's faces. It made you believe they were poor like everyone else in this town. These boys definitely didn't feel like thugs the more you got to know them. They just felt like boys who haven't been treated kindly by life and trying to survive the best they can.

Sitting down in the truck, you noticed Seokjin holding a box. He placed it on your lap with a smile and went over to the driver's side. What did he get you now? Opening the box, you gasped to see two pretty shoes. They would work well with your outfit. Nothing was over the top and you felt your heart melt to be receiving these gifts from him. He's so kind. Seokjin smiled to see you excitedly slipping the small heels on. They were so cute! Happily bouncing in your seat, Seokjin chuckled as he drove over to the restaurant. He didn't seem to mind your childish behavior that you suddenly grew conscious of. It's easy to act silly with the first years, but you began to wonder if Seokjin liked mature girls or not. You could be either. Seokjin was only ever silly when he was in a good mood.

It took some time to arrive at the restaurant. It was in the next town over which made you wonder how many times Seokjin has been here. The elder members always felt to have more secrets than the first years. He opened the car door for you and took your hand when walking inside the fancy location. Something about seeing him in a suit in this light made him look like a model. Hard to believe the two of you were standing together like this. All the gang members were attractive, but then Seokjin has something about him that would leave you stunned at times and you've known him for months! That's when Seokjin caught you staring. D*mn it. This habit of yours is dangerous. Turning away from him, you tried your best not to acknowledge how warm your face felt.

The two of you were seated at a small, circular table. You didn't look at the menu. Already, you knew the prices would make you run out of here. He got the hint and offered to pick something out for you. You accepted since he would know the price of the food he chose for you. All of this made you feel bad, but like Namjoon, Seokjin said that he was older. That he'll handle the bill. A waiter came by and Seokjin told him what he wanted. Just the words coming out of his mouth sounded expensive. Gosh, you need to breathe and relax. Removing your hands from under you, you placed them on your lap. Waiters were in suits and waitresses were in pencil skirts. No one inside was making too much noises as classical music played. The lighting was dim, but there was a candle at each table.

"Everything okay, (F/n)?" Seokjin took a sip of his water.

"Yeah, I'm fine." You gave him a weak smile. He nodded and then asked a waiter for something.

This was a date. Just a second ago you were at the warehouse with your friends. No, don't focus on that! You stared at Seokjin as he took a look around. Normally, you don't really focus on someone's face, but you were doing that now. This was the first time you took note of house symmetrical his face is. Not to mention, his skin looked absolutely flawless. His shoulders were broad and he looked really tall in his seat. Seokjin's legs were long and slender which made him look giant. The way his dark black hair would split at the right above his eyebrow so naturally. Then your eyes landed on his round, plump lips. Immediately, you took a large gulp of your water as shame washed over you. Why were you checking him out!? He was oblivious to it.

You wanted to scream. The only thing stopping you was that this was Seokjin's favorite restaurant and you didn't want to get him banned for bringing a lunatic inside. Whatever, you'll deal with this for now. Looking back at Seokjin, your eye's connected and your heart skipped a beat. What's going on? Grabbing the glass of water, you took another gulp. It hasn't even been five minutes and you're already finishing your glass of water like you've been deprived of it your whole life. For some reason, being on a date with him created this warm atmosphere. You've never been on a date before. This was actually pretty exciting. Then he was so handsome and the two of you got along so well despite him being two grades above you. He was dependable just like the leader of the boys.

"The food's coming!" Seokjin's eyes sparkled as the food was set down. "Looks delicious, huh?"

"It smells amazing..." You could feel your mouth watering. The two of you were having the same thing which was seafood. It was steaming and gave off an appetizing scent. Once the waiter left, the both of you dug in. Seokjin seemed to eat the lobster with no problem. He had a big stomach and ate happily. Giggling to yourself, you couldn't believe that he looked cute while devouring his meal. Was that a talent? "You should be a model!"

"Model?" Seokjin paused in the middle of eating with a grin. His fork was near his mouth as he raised his brow up high, disappearing in his bangs. "Am I just that good looking?"

"It's definitely a career path you should look into." You smiled. "Are there colleges for models?"

"Don't know..." He shrugged, slowly putting the fork in his mouth. He thought about what you said and you felt butterflies when his eyes connected with yours again. "Thanks for the idea."

"N-No problem!" You stuttered, bringing your eyes down to your meal. Did you seriously just stutter? What's wrong with you right now?

The two of you are just friends, but it felt different all of a sudden. Maybe because the two of you are on a date. He said he meant a serious date and now you guys were on one, but that didn't mean he necessarily liked you. Why were you being negative? And why did you suddenly care if he likes you in that way? Unnie would then be right about her suspicions. Seokjin is quite the flirt. His charms are finally getting to you it feels like. Jungkook and Jimin probably hate this. Biting your lip, you wished to know how to feel on a date. Particularly, this one. Should the vibe be platonic or romantic? A waiter came by to refill your glass of water. At this rate, you're gonna have to go to the bathroom three times. Seokjin then took your hand when you reached for the glass.

"Stop being nervous, Baby." He squeezed your hand in his. Baby? This reminded you of the first time you met him. When Jimin shoved you in his truck and he called you the same nickname. What a night that was.

"Okay..." You gulped. Seokjin chuckled, muttering the word 'cute' and your stomach did a flip. He was doing something to you. It was strange to experience such a foreign feeling. Having any type of experience with boys was not your thing. Jimin and the rest of the gang are the first friends you've had that are male. Dating was never on your mind and now your heart was pounding any time Seokjin glanced at you. This is actually a date, holy sh*t.

"Glad to know I do this to you." Seokjin winked as you pulled your hand away.

"Y-You're so full of yourself." Your face turned beet red.

"I'm just having fun with you." Seokjin laughed. "Don't worry, (F/n). Hyosung noona isn't going to catch us."

"She told you to call her sunbae-nim." You reminded him.

"Well, she's not here." Seokjin quickly defended himself. You covered your mouth as you giggled. The tops of his ears had turned pink to be called out like that. "I am older than you, you know? Don't be a Jungkook."

"What? I was just saying." You grinned, your cheeks hurting. The two of you were having a conversation and you were so thrilled about that. How come!? It's been done before!

"Say 'I love you, Seokjin oppa'." Seokjin mimicked your voice while puffing out his lips.

"My voice is not that high!" You shook your head. These boys are just as disrespectful to your voice as they are to Jimin's voice. "And I'm not calling you that."

"It's manners." He wiggled his eyebrows.

"The gang doesn't use formal language with each other," You replied.

"Last I checked, you weren't a member," Seokjin retorted. Touché. Then you came up with something on the spot.

"Last I checked, you like Jungkook even though he isn't always polite," You remarked. It wasn't as good as his comment though. He nodded, taking in your words. Did that actually leave him stumped?

"True, but...I like you more." Seokjin smirked.

Oh god, your heart is making quite the fuss right now. He knew how to flirt alright. Did he ever have this type of reputation at school? You rarely see him speaking to other students. You were scrambling for words. He only chuckled as the bill came by. Who gave him the right to do this to you? Bringing your hand to your cheek, you could feel the warmth as you touched it. Seokjin probably liked teasing you just to see your face get red like this. That's right. His flirts were always to tease you. They didn't mean anything. The two of you stood up as the employees began to clean the table. Seokjin placed his hand on your back as he brought you over to his truck. It was night time already. Before the two of you could enter the truck, someone came running by.

"Wait!" A male in a suit spoke. "Let me speak to you!"

"Me?" Seokjin pointed at himself as the man nodded. He panted heavily as he pulled out a card from his pocket.

"I have to give you this." The man slowly caught his breath. "I work for Alpha Modeling Agency and you have quite the look. Are you already a model?"

"No, I'm not." Seokjin hesitantly took the card as he glanced at you. What a turn of events. This wasn't expected.

"I'm surprised." The man laughed.

"I'm actually not from this town." Seokjin stated, looking the card over.

"That's okay! Give us a call and we can start a contract. I'm Hongmin," He said with a large smile. He was so happy to have Seokjin's attention. This had to be a sign.

"I'm still in my third year of high school." Seokjin lifted his eyes up from the card to stare at Hongmin. He wore a suite that had a floral pattern with his black hair gelled back. Seokjin didn't know what to think, but Hongmin knew exactly what to say.

"Well, when you graduate our company will pay for modeling classes. College for acting and fashion modeling." Hongmin smirked. "We'll cover that. Please think about it."

"Okay." The male next to you nodded.

And with that, Hongmin left with a huge smile on his face. He probably knew that Seokjin could be an amazing model. He'd be able to sell any product or work any outfit. The two of you entered the car without saying a word. Seokjin was still in shock that he had been recruited. He didn't put the key in the ignition and just held the steering wheel tightly. Facing him in your seat, you could see how baffled he was. Why though? He would always brag about how good looking he is and knew how it affected the female population. It was even getting to you. Seokjin slowly turned his face to you with a small smile. This was huge news.

"Modeling!?" Seokjin jumped in his seat. "Can you predict the future!?"

"This is fate!" You cheered as the elder became a child.

"This is so cool! He thought I was handsome enough to be a model!" Seokjin brought his hands up to his face. "Then he said the company would cover it...is it a scam? It has to be a scam. No way is this real."

"Nope. Checks out." You brought up your phone to his face. Alpha Agency was one of the top five modeling agencies in Korea. They worked with multiple idols and helped start a few acting careers. These guys were legit.

"F*ck..." Seokjin rested his head back. He stared straight forward with a smile on his face growing bigger. "Do...Do you think I should take this chance?"

"Take it!" You squealed.

"I'd go to college for modeling! But could I still be in the gang?" Seokjin licked his lips in concern.

"The gang will understand if you choose to do this instead. You should go to college over here!" You patted his arm. That's when he grabbed both of your hands tightly. At that moment, you became quiet. No one spoke in the truck as the two of you stared into each other's eyes. You completely forgot to breathe for a second there.

"...college for modeling...that sounds crazy but in a good way." Seokjin laughed. "Ugh, but they'll put me on a diet."

"I could always send you homemade meals. Enough to fill your stomach!" You blushed at the thought of making him lunches. That would be such a girlfriend thing to do. You made them for Yoongi, but this would be different. Why was this different? It felt like you were shaking as Seokjin pulled you into a hug.

"You're so supportive, (F/n)," Seokjin mumbled before slowly pulling away just enough for your noses to touch. Your eyes grew huge to be this close to him. Inches away from a kiss. One that would be so much more perfect than your first one. It was in the moment and you felt yourself liking the idea of being with Seokjin. Making him lunches sounded cute. Holding his hand at school or watching movies with him at night. Telling people how the two of you got together and visiting him on his college campus. It all made your heart flutter at the thought. A future with him sounded like a daydream. Your lids became heavy as you felt his breath against your skin. Seokjin glanced down at your lips and saw you closing your eyes.

"Sorry." He pulled away completely. Seokjin buckled himself up and turned on the car as you opened your eyes in shock.

The dream kiss never happened. That future you dreamed up a few seconds ago shattered. D*mn it, you got ahead of yourself. You're so ridiculous. There's no way Seokjin would ever be into you like that. He probably thinks you're crazy for believing that, but he did take you on a date! Then again that didn't mean he liked you. Swallowing the lump forming in your throat, you buckled yourself up in your seat as he drove back to your apartment. That was so embarrassing. Your face grew hot and not in the cute crush way you had felt prior. Your vision grew blurry with tears. This is so stupid. Why are you crying? Looking at the window, you heard Seokjin let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on like that...or that you would feel like that," Seokjin apologized. "Usually my flirts don't mean anything, but I guess I took it too far today."

"N-No, it's okay. Don't worry about me..." A tear slid down your cheek.

"Hey, are you okay? (F/n), please don't cry over an @sshole like me." Seokjin leaned towards you, but you didn't want to look at him. Burying your head between the car door and seat, you made yourself quiet as a few more tears rolled down your cheeks. You didn't feel pretty anymore. The dress and shoes wouldn't fix your puffy eyes and the patchy red spots you've got from crying.

"But y-you're not an @sshole. I'm just s-stupid for getting a crush on you all of a sudden." You wiped the tears and took a huge breath in. "I got caught up in the moment. I don't really have t-that much experience with c-crushes or boys."

"You're a sweet girl, (F/n)—" Seokjin started.

"Don't." You groaned.

"Focus on the present and maybe after you graduate we can try to date," Seokjin suggested as you shook your head. You stopped hiding your head and looked down at your lap to notice how he was barely paying attention on the road to look at you.

"Don't feed the stupid crush. We'll see what happens in the future." You sniffled.

"Keep the dress and the shoes. And preferably, don't marry Jungkook." Seokjin chuckled which made you laugh too. You didn't feel as tense and let your walls lower again.

"Maybe I will now just because of that." You crossed your arms, happy to not be crying anymore. Technically, your heart was still aching, but you hated crying. Anything was better than that.

"I think my real competition is Jimin." Seokjin smiled weakly. You could see why. Jimin and you were the best of friends. The two of you have had a lot of awkward moments. That's when something clicked in your mind. You've flirted with Jimin before without even realizing it. He's flirted on you and you've been clueless.

"Sh*t, I need to get my sh*t together." You rubbed your eyes one last time.

"You sound like Yoongi."

"Well, I lived with him for a while." You pursed your lips.

The memories of tonight are going to haunt you for a long time. The car ride didn't take long. Eventually, Seokjin was parked in front of your apartment and got out when you didn't want him to. He was going to walk you up to the door. Seeing his handsome face stung a little. First heartbreak over a tiny little crush. Great. Seokjin followed you up the stairs without saying a word. You stopped in front of your door to face him with a forced smile. His eyes were sympathetic. Your heart wanted to imagine if he did grow feelings for you in the future, but your brain told you to let it go. Whatever happens, happens. After all, life always works itself out. Who even knows if you'll actually date or even marry one of the members? Just because they're guys and you're a girl doesn't mean much.

"This is where you leave." You sigh with a heavy heart.

"I'm really sorry, (F/n)." Seokjin tucked a strand of hair behind your ear. That. He shouldn't do that anymore. He saw the frown on your face and apologized one more time.

"You're sounding like Jungkook...apologizing even when I say it's fine," You mumbled.

"What if I did give you a kiss? Would that cheer you up?" Seokjin put his fingers under your chin. He made you look at him. You wanted to scream for what he was doing. Did he think this would made you feel better? "No strings attached." Your bottom lip was quivering at you took in the situation. Though you did want a kiss minutes ago, you knew right away that you couldn't do a kiss with no strings attached. If you wanted a kiss from Seokjin then it's most likely that you'll keep a string attached if you receive one from him. The sympathy kiss would do more harm than good. His face was a few inches away from yours and it was slightly tempting.

"I don't think I ca—" You spoke as the front door slammed open. Two voices spoke at once, yelling the same thing in complete unison. One came from the angry female at your door and the other came from down stairs.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

Seokjin turned to face your sister in panic. He removed his hand and stood a foot away from you. He raised his hands to show that he was harmless. Hyosung was steaming, glaring at him with unforgiving eyes. Your attention went to check who was at the bottom of the stairs. That's when your eyes spotted the third year with faded blue hair hiding in the dark. Yoongi was scowling to have just seen that. They both had the wrong idea. Seokjin was just trying to make you feel better! Crap, that didn't sound good either and you didn't want to tell the story on how you made a fool of yourself. That still hurt a lot. Hyosung was then confused to see another person was outraged like her. Yoongi began storming up the stairs with tight fists.

"You tried to kiss my sister! Who is this guy?" Unnie furrowed her brows.

"You tried to kiss my best friend!" Yoongi pointed an accusing finger at you.

"Did not!" You frowned. Tears began to form once again, but you weren't letting them slip. Seokjin offering to kiss you wasn't the reason you felt awful again. It's just, after you cry once it's easy to cry again. Right now, you didn't appreciate Yoongi shouting nonsense at you. Gosh, you're so weak. Once he got to the stop of the stairs, he stopped fuming as much. He untightened his fists and sighed as you blinked the tears away.

"Who are you?" Hyosung's mouth gaped.

"Does it matter?" Yoongi scoffed as she gasped. He rolled his eyes at her reaction. "Min Yoongi, third year at SuChin."

"Third year!? (F/n), are you really into oppas?" Hyosung turned to you in shock.

"No!" You screamed. She's so crazy.

"Look Yoongi, let's just go before we make things worse." Seokjin began waving at your sister.

"Hell no. I came here for (F/n), you can get lost though." Yoongi grabbed your hand.

"What?" Seokjin and you were officially lost.

"Everything okay?" Yoongi muttered only for you to hear. Biting your lip, he noticed your hesitance with your sister and the one who caused it around. He didn't want to be your hero, but he did have something to talk to you about. He turned to face the two with a tired and annoyed expression. "Seokjin, go before you make things worse and (F/n)'s sister, I'm just going to talk to her out here. We'll be back."

"You have no manners. I prefer that one." Hyosung pouted as Seokjin stood awkwardly.

"I don't need family approval." Yoongi wrapped his arm around your shoulder. He took you to the bottom of the stairs. Seokjin came down, getting into his truck. The atmosphere was so awkward that it hurt. He waved at the two of you and even at your sister. Seokjin then drove off as you looked up to your sister with a frown. Yoongi had it under control though. "Privacy!"

"Fine!" Hyosung unnie shut the door.

You faced Yoongi with red eyes. He didn't seem to be in the mood for an emotional talk but was forcing himself to be. He made you sit down on the first step of the stairs. He eyed you up from head to toe. New shoes and dress yet teary eyes after hanging out with a guy he knew too well. You didn't know if he was serious when he said he wanted to talk to you instead of Seokjin. Did he change his mind? You also didn't want him angry at Seokjin, but you also doubted that he would get upset with his friend for a tiny misunderstanding like that. How sympathetic can the cold Min Yoongi be? He probably didn't want to hear this story from you yet here he was. Yoongi crossed his arms and prepared himself for more tears.

"Spill."

Chapter Text

Ch.45

If Yoongi wasn't already disgusted with you then he certainly had a reason to now. He's witnessed your gross sobbing over his best friend. It was just a one-day crush, but it hurt like a b*tch! You suddenly fell head over heels over the eldest member without caution. It was unfair. Why couldn't your first crush be at least on one of the boys currently into you? After trying so hard to keep your relationships with all of them platonic. Gosh, Hyosung is going to have so many questions. Hopefully she'll see that you're not in the mood for her crazy. She already thinks you have thing for older guys because of Yoongi's sudden presence. He really came out of no where and then said he wanted to speak to you. That's weird.

The two of you have gotten closer since you housed him, so you could proudly say he didn't hate you. If you said he liked you then Yoongi would tell you not to push it. Wasn't he the sweetest? Still, you felt grateful that he made Seokjin go away and got Hyosung unnie to leave you guys alone. That's when his scary attitude really came in handy. Now you were emotionally vulnerable as you recalled today's events. It's been quite a day. You admitted everything that happened tonight except for Seokjin getting recruited. That was something for him to tell the members. Yoongi sighed as your chest felt lighter after talking to someone.

He stared at you without saying a word. Yoongi watched you wipe the tears away and calm yourself down. Whatever words were going to come out of his mouth, you wanted to be ready. He was probably going to give you some tough love. That's what you were hoping for. It was possible that he was going to start laughing at you for believing someone like Seokjin could be into you. This was getting to be too much. Usually, Seokjin is just a friend who's older than you and now he's on some higher pedestal. He's this gorgeous angel while you felt like nothing compared to him. Is this how crushes are? If so, you hate them. They're certainly not worth it.

"Are you done crying?" Yoongi sighed.

"Think so." You put your arms under your thighs.

"So...you have a thing for Seokjin?" Yoongi raised a brow to make you roll your eyes.

"It started today and ended today. What's your point?" You huffed.

"Nothing, I just think it's funny how you would choose him." Yoongi chuckled. "He's my best friend but let me just say, he's not anything special. Not someone for you to be crying over like this. You know that."

"He's our friend. Shouldn't we be saying kind things about him?" You furrowed your brows to hear him scoff.

"I can't stand his jokes and he got mad at me for not laughing. I'm gonna say whatever the f*ck I want right now." Yoongi crossed his arms. He probably got yelled at by the eldest for being no fun all the time. Grinning at the thought, you listened to what else he had to say. "Look, I think you got a fake crush on him. You liked the idea of being in a romantic relationship and saw Seokjin. He made you believe that was possible. I don't actually think you were into him."

"You think so?" You looked at him with big eyes. That did make sense.

"Seokjin is a flirt and I don't think he's your type." Yoongi shrugged.

"How do you know what's my type?" You narrowed your eyes on him. Standing up from the bottom step, you gave him a playful glare. No more tears tonight. Let it be laughter.

"I don't, but I can take a good guess." Yoongi stepped closer to you. Holding your breath, you suddenly felt his arm wrap around you.

"You're...touching me?" You said.

"I'm trying to comfort you, ungrateful—"

"That's not comforting." You wrapped your arms around the slender male. He really was skinny. He appeared fragile despite having this tough and scary reputation. "You're so small."

"Shut up." Yoongi scowled, squeezing you tighter. He was stronger than he looked though. You giggled at first, but eventually his hug was getting to be too tight.

"A-Air!" You squeaked out to see him smirk. He only kept squeezing you until you wacked his shoulder. Then Yoongi released you to catch your breath.

"Just don't cry over stupid things anymore, you baby." He grinned. He seemed really satisfied with himself after that.

"I won't." You nodded, panting lightly. That's the plan and it sounded really good to you. "Thanks, Yoongi."

"No oppa?" He turned to you with a smirk.

"What is wrong with you?" You smacked his arm once more.

"I'm just saying Seokjin made a mistake." He smirked, petting your head gently. What's going on now? It's one thing having Seokjin randomly asking you on a date but Yoongi sounding fond of you? This can't be real.

"W-What? Are you saying...?" You titled your head.

"No." Yoongi flicked your forehead. Ow! That actually hurt a lot. The hell is wrong with him? "Don't fall for guys too easy or else that's your problem."

"Ugh...lesson learnt." You rubbed the spot. Just as you thought.

Yoongi laughed at how gullible you were. That wasn't very nice, but you understood his point. Imagining yourself in a relationship with Yoongi sounded way too much like a drama. His point came across well though. You're not going to fling yourself at him next because Seokjin didn't want you. They're your friends and that's it. If anything happens then that's later. This experiences only made you realize how much you liked the idea of being in a romantic relationship. Well, you're not going to dwell on that any longer. You became desperate as soon as you thought you had a chance. Seokjin is in the clear, but you still wanted to smack him for tonight. That'll make things better.

Hyosung unnie never opened the door. She was actually giving you privacy. The blinds were never pushed to the side and you weren't being watched. How badly did Yoongi terrify her? Once she sees his gummy smile, she'll understand that he's just a grump. Yoongi leaned against the railing as he let out a heavy sigh. Facing him, you remembered that he originally came here to talk to you about something else. Having this little emotional talk about relationships wasn't what he came here for. He did help you feel better about the situation though.

"What's on your mind then? Were you serious when you said you came here to talk to me?" You leaned against the railings with him.

"I did. I just didn't expect that almost kiss." Yoongi scoffed. "Anyway, I came to tell you not to bother us about what we choose to do with our futures. Other than that, you're more than welcome to see us graduate."

"Wait what? Is that seriously what you came here for?" You glared at him. "We're back to square one in our relationship it feels like."

"Because I'm telling you not to interfere? I'm just saying that we're not asking to be fixed or be led around in life," Yoongi said. "Thanks, but no thanks."

"Well, I'm trying not to be nosey." You growled. "But if any of the members ask me what to do then I have to answer them with my honest opinion."

"I'm not going to some sh*t college and you can't change my f*cking mind," Yoongi stated.

"Fine! Don't go to college, but at least take care of yourself." You pouted in disappointment. If you could, you would have told him to at least get a job. He seemed content with his criminal activity and staying with the gang. He's pretty stubborn so there's no way you can get him to budge. Yoongi glanced at you, seeing your puffed-out cheeks and lips. He chuckled, shaking his head as he called you a child. He stayed silent at your words for a couple seconds like you reminded him of something.

"Don't worry about me. It's weird." Yoongi patted your head. "I know what I'm doing so go back up with your annoying sister."

"Rude." You giggled and wrapped your arms around him once more. "Thank you."

"Go inside, it's getting cold." Yoongi rubbed your back since you were still in a dress. You lifted your head to smile at him. He's a cute grump.

"Okay, Oppa~!" You said as he shook his head, uttering 'gross' not so quietly. You chuckled at that as he watched you go up the stairs. Reaching for the knob, you wave at him one last time as you open the door. Hyosung unnie was waiting at the kitchen table and took this chance to run out. She gripped the railings, leaning over to glare at Yoongi. Seokjin may be flirty and charming, but Yoongi had his hair dyed with piercings on him. He had a fowl mouth and was completely disrespectful to your sister who's older than him. He is definitely not in a good light, but it's not like he cares if his best friend looks better than him in your sister's eyes.

"You! Get lost and leave my baby sister alone!" Unnie shouted as you hit your head against the door. Why is she so embarrassing?

"Talk to me after you get rid of the tiny bit of mold above the bathroom sink." Yoongi smug's smirk grew wider. Hyosun grew completely baffled while your face burned. He basically revealed to your sister that he's been inside the apartment. Most likely more than once to remember something like that. Hyosung turned her face to you with shock. Whatever was going on in her mind, Yoongi and you didn't do anything wrong!

"Min Yoongi!" You screamed at that running fool with a smirk that you wanted to slap off.

"Kwon (F/n)!" Hyosung yelled, her imagination probably running wild. D*mn it, Yoongi.

His little stunt forced you to do some explaining. That basically meant a lot of lying and avoiding the complete truth. The most Hyosung knows is that Seokjin and Yoongi are your friends. Nothing more, but it's not like she believes that. Seokjin almost kissed you right in front of her and Yoongi gave her a hint that he's been at the apartment when she wasn't around. Currently, unnie was fake crying about your innocence. It's a good thing she promised not to tell Mom and Dad about it. They wouldn't be the happiest to find out if you had a 'boyfriend'. You came to this town to grow some independence, so they would get pretty upset.

It's a good thing that is not the case. Though you wanted to be in a loving relationship, that's just not going to happen right now. The next morning didn't hit you like you expected. All your feelings for Seokjin were for the most part, gone. Just thinking about him didn't make you blush or your heart race. Instead, you felt embarrassed about everything. What were you thinking? You're happy to know that you're over him, but it did still slightly hurt. Rejection can be like that apparently. It's not Seokjin's fault though. You're going to continue a normal friendship with him just like the way you're doing with Jungkook. He had no reason to believe you were upset at him for being honest with you.

So today you went to the warehouse. The boys were most likely all there. Seokjin would probably want to talk to you and you guys can fix the misunderstanding. It wasn't a big deal. The walk over to the warehouse took about half an hour, but it gave you time to collect your thoughts. It helped you confirm that you no longer had feelings for the black-haired member. All those feelings you felt were just a one-time thing because of how inexperienced you were. That made you want to smack yourself, but you've learned your lesson. Especially with the help of Yoongi. Arriving at the large building, your jaw dropped to see Jimin holding Seokjin down while Jungkook prepared to punch him. They stopped to see you at the entrance.

"What is going on!?" You screamed.

The second years ran out of the backroom to see two first years ganging up on the eldest. What made them think that was okay? Yoongi was sitting at the table with an entertained smirk. He was literally doing nothing to stop the two members from beating up his best friend. Taehyung was working on the mural with no shirt on. He had his head phones in and pulled them off to see you. He waved at you with a smile until he saw how disturbed you were. Taehyung raised a brow before seeing his friends about to attack the eldest hyung. That's when he jumped in shock too. Namjoon and Hoseok hurried over to the pull those two idiots off Seokjin. Man, you wanted to smack a lot of people today.

"No! Hyung, we're doing this for (F/n)!" Jungkook shouted as Namjoon dragged him off.

"Seokjin broke her heart!" Jimin shouted when Hoseok put his hands behind his back.

"What!?" Your eyes went wide. Where'd they get that from? Storming over to the stage, Yoongi pretended like he didn't reveal embarrassing information. Seokjin dusted himself off and sighed. This felt way worse than when he offered to kiss you. "Yoongi, you little sh*t."

"Well f*ck you too." He chuckled. "Not my fault those two asked me what happened."

"You could've kept your mouth shut! Plus, he didn't break my heart!" You shouted. Jungkook and Jimin stopped struggling to hear that. Taehyung walked over, slipping a shirt on his body and removing the gloves off his hands. Hoseok let Jimin go while Namjoon made sure to keep the maknae in check.

"He didn't? Yoongi only told us that Seokjin left you crying after the date." Jimin frowned. He walked over to you and took your hands.

"That's because I was an idiot. Seokjin had nothing to do with it." You sighed, glancing at the eldest member. He stared at you with a soft gaze and bit his lip. He had something to say but didn't want to enrage the maknae who was already glaring daggers at him.

"You promise?" Jungkook asked.

"Yes, so don't beat up Seokjin. It wasn't really a date anyway...we just hung out." You shrugged, telling Namjoon with your eyes to release Jungkook. He was set free and he gave his hyung an intimidating look. Seokjin frowned to see that while you tried not to sigh.

"Don't be like that, Kookie." Seokjin pouted.

"Don't call me that." Jungkook huffed to earn an annoyed expression from Seokjin. Jimin patted your shoulder. Suddenly, you felt arms wrap themselves around you. Turning your head to see who was hugging you from behind, you were greeted by a boxy smile. One of the least problematic first year boys at the moment. You giggled as Jungkook came over to hug you too. Jimin joined in and Hoseok did too with a satisfied smile.

"There. Are we all better now?" Hoseok asked. The boys all nodded in agreement.

"Can I talk with you alone, (F/n)?" Seokjin gave you a weak smile.

He was clearly nervous. Especially since all first years turned to glare at him. Taehyung was just glaring because his friends were. These boys are a lot to handle. You'll talk to Jungkook and Jimin privately after this. They released you after you nodded at Seokjin's request. Following Seokjin into the back, he rubbed his hands quickly as he paced around a crate. They must have a deal soon if they've gotten more supply. Looking up from the crate, Seokjin sighed heavily as his eyes met yours. He probably had this whole speech set up in his head to tell you he was sorry. You'd rather hear just that one word then all his jumbled-up thoughts from last night.

"(F/n)—" Seokjin started, but you had to cut him off.

"I'm not mad at you, Seokjin," You stated, "Actually, you really have nothing to worry about. I'm fine."

"...you're not mad?" His mouth gaped open.

"I mean, the events still kinda hurt but why wouldn't they?" You reasoned. "I just want you to know that I was more upset with myself last night than at you. Today, I'm fine and would rather not cause any drama because of this."

"Do you ever let yourself stay angry? Or sad? Or anything?" Seokjin raised a brow. He took notice of your confusion which made him clarify, "Like, when you got kidnapped. You wanted to continue hanging out with us no matter what. It's like you ignore your feelings to not get scarred or to not cause problems."

"...I just think it's easier." You bit your lip. That was something that never crossed your mind. To be honest, you wouldn't consider it running away from your emotions like he did. It's complicated. You just wanted to have tough skin and not let things bother you all the time. "Oh and Seokjin."

"Yeah?" He smiled at you. Without warning, you smacked his arm. "Why would you do that!? You told those two hooligans to leave me alone and now you're doing this!? I thought you said you weren't mad!"

"Calm down." You laughed at how outraged he was. Now you understood perfectly well why Jungkook bullied his hyungs. Their reactions were really amusing. "I just had to get that out of me."

"...just like Kookie." He rubbed his arm like it was the most painful thing in the world.

"You've been shot before! Why are you complaining?" You scoffed to see his pout get bigger.

"I don't think the boys here are that great of influences on you," Seokjin said.

Shaking your head, you could agree with him but didn't want to. Some of them weren't the best role models but Namjoon was someone to really admire. At that moment, Jimin and Jungkook showed up at the door frame. Jungkook cleared his throat, telling Seokjin to get out. The eldest pursed his lips and held out his arms in front of you for a hug. You were about to until Jungkook cleared his throat a lot louder. Seokjin rolled his eyes and left the room without a hug. He told you goodbye as Jimin and Jungkook came inside. Lately the two have been getting along to fight against Seokjin. They used to give each other secret glares and smirks around you before.

"Just friends," You reminded them. Jimin slowly nodded his head and Jungkook tried his hardest not to frown.

"Got it." Jungkook sighed.

"We're just going to protect you from guys like Seokjin." Jimin grinned.

"Do you guys not trust him?" You chuckled. "And I don't need protecting."

"It depends on the day." Jungkook shrugged before sucking his breath. He gave you a hopeful smile. "Our protection is free?"

"Oh, I need to give you guys something!" You clapped your hands together. Jimin and Jungkook glanced at each other with an excited smile. What could it possibly be? You smacked Jungkook's chest and hit Jimin's arm. They both jumped at the random attack. Jungkook frowned at you while Jimin was incredibly shocked.

"The hell was that?" Jungkook asked as you raised your hand up again.

"For trying to beat up Seokjin. Do stuff like that again and I'm going to learn taekwondo just to attack you guys back," You threatened. Jimin agreed in defeat to not get involved in any of your relationships. The maknae on the other hand was putting up more of a fight. He crossed his arms with teasing eyes.

"I have a black belt in taekwondo. Good luck trying to beat me up." Jungkook smirked.

"Should I forgive you for stealing my first kiss?" You narrowed your eyes on the male. His smirk fell as his face paled. The only thing that was colored were his ears that were glowing bright pink. Hitting them where it hurts.

You patted Jungkook and told him to apologize to Seokjin for almost punching him. Surprisingly, Jungkook didn't refuse right away. He put his head down and walked out of the room to do as he was told. Jimin fidgeted nervously before receiving a hug from you. Compared to Jungkook, he was more on the sensitive side. That's why you didn't hit him on the same spot as you did with the maknae. Truth be told, you didn't hit him as hard. It's not favoritism! He may be your best friend, but you also knew how bad Jimin would feel if you were upset at him. He would take it a lot harder and that hurt you to think about. Ruffling the blonde's hair, you smiled to see the big grin on his face where his eyes turned to crescents. So cute.

"I'm not mad at you or Jungkook," You told him.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"You know I can't stay mad at you guys for too long." You assured him.

Jimin needed a little more attention and care than Jungkook did. That didn't mean you didn't care for the brunette. You adored him too but have to treat each member differently. You have to make sure Taehyung doesn't run into traffic. Things Jungkook wouldn't do. With Jungkook, you just have to make sure he doesn't get too angry. The two of you have had quite the fights these past few months. Things were better now. Just look at you and Yoongi. The two of you are actually sort of getting along which you thought would never happen. You gave up on befriending him, but now look at where your friendship with him is at!

"I learned a new dance!" Jimin jumped up and down.

"Oh my gosh! Really? I have to see!" You squealed with him. "Let's go outside!"

Pushing Jimin outside of the warehouse, you couldn't wait to see him dancing again. He didn't know how happy it made you to see him dancing. There was just something about the way he moved his body and his performance that was entertaining and captivating. It'd be a shame to look away. All the other members didn't mind him dancing and Yoongi tried not to care anymore. He was making a change after being found at your apartment. That felt like so long ago when you would wake up with him in your room. When you think about it, it truly wasn't too long ago. Jimin got into position as he played the music on his phone. His beginning pose was already filled with so much confidence. It's like he transformed every time he performed.

You felt yourself pulling out your phone. Jimin didn't realize that you were recording him dance. He was off in his own world. For some reason you had the urge to just record him dancing. It was something that had to be seen. You knew he was shy, but it was hard to explain how beautiful it was to see him move. It made you wish that you understood dance terms to explain why Jimin was such a talented boy. He always disagreed with you when you complimented him, but it got him really happy. Occasionally he was bold enough to say he knew how talented and handsome he was. It was funny, and it made you happy to see him comfortable like that. Jimin is humble most of the time so you love it when he gets sassy. He finished dancing and you ended the video. The blonde smiled at you as you shoved the device in your back pocket.

"What'd you think?" Jimin panted lightly.

"You give dance a new meaning." You clapped your hands loudly.

"Don't exaggerate." Jimin shook his head as his face turned pink. "But thank you...I'm happy you liked it."

"How could I not!?" You hugged him. "C'mon, you have to show this to the other members!"

"You think they'll like it?" Jimin stared at you like a little puppy. His tail was wagging so hard that it might fall off.

"They'll love it!" You nodded as he ran inside with a lot of enthusiasm.

He got the attention of all the members. They all sat down and got ready to watch him perform. Jimin was nervous as he put on the music. Then he grew confident once he did the first few moves. Hoseok was in awe and Taehyung was so proud of his friend. Everyone enjoyed it as expected. While they watched Jimin dance, you went on one of your social media accounts and found yourself posting the video of Jimin. No one really followed you so it's not like too many people would see it. The internet is way too big to pay attention to your tiny account, but you had a feeling Jimin could get at least a few likes from old friends you had in middle school. He's handsome and a talented dancer so what wouldn't they fall for? You knew Jimin wouldn't mind.

Lifting your head from your phone, you clapped with all the other members as Jimin bowed with a happy smile. He swayed side to side as he got showered by compliments from his members. The smile grew bigger at each one. Jimin enjoyed the kind words he was receiving. Even Yoongi gave him some praise so that meant a lot. Hoseok eventually bounced on his feet and requested to learn the moves. Taehyung got excited and tried pulling Yoongi over to learn. Giggling, you felt the happiness and warmth here in this warehouse. It wasn't cold and empty at all.

Chapter Text

Ch.46

When it got closer to the end of the school year, your emotions became different. You're more impatient for school to end but as the same time, you kind of don't want it to. Summer break sounded exciting if it weren't for the fact that two of your friends were graduating. Seokjin hasn't mentioned college or getting recruited to the boys. It made you wonder if he didn't like the idea of being a model after all. He had the looks for it, but that didn't mean it was his passion. Seeing the older boys getting ready to leave the school made the members a lot...calmer? They weren't as energetic and were really kind to them at school. Jungkook even stopped teasing Seokjin as much.

All throughout lunch, the first years were kind. Jimin sat next to Yoongi and showed him dancing videos and Jungkook actually shared some food with Seokjin. Taehyung enjoyed spending his time with his second year hyungs. The atmosphere was still friendly and you were relieved that there wasn't as much drama anymore. Towards the end of the lunch period, Jungkook and you began talking about summer plans. Going to the beach sounded great with the sun out like this. All the boys could agree on that. You and Jungkook talked to the last minute. You guys messed around with each other and you enjoyed how wide his smile was. He looked like a bunny. Yoongi teased the two of you by saying you guys should stop flirting and go to class. Since when did he care about getting to class on time!?

That was a little embarrassing. It's not your fault you get along with the first-year boys so well. Jimin didn't fuss when he heard that. He only rolled his eyes and began having a tickle fight with Taehyung out of nowhere. Luckily, you got to class before they tried getting to you. Taehyung and Jimin started attacking Jungkook by the time you got inside. You were in the clear! Time then passed surpisingly quick. The last class of the day ended, and you weren't going to the warehouse today. Most of the boys had their own things planned today. Exiting the building, you met up with all the other first years right away. Taehyung linked arms with you meanwhile Jimin was waving over at the older members. They came by with the truck to drop everyone off at their houses. Jungkook kept glancing at you as he entered the bed of the truck.

Namjoon and Hoseok sat in the front with Seokjin. Jimin, Taehyung, and Yoongi sat in the backseat today because of the heat. The weather has been getting hotter lately, but Jungkook didn't mind. He said he liked to feel the wind. You looked over at Taehyung who was trying to make space for you inside the air-conditioned truck, but you didn't want to leave Jungkook alone. Jumping in the back with Jungkook, you told Taehyung that you would be fine out here. Jungkook was shocked at first but you noticed how he was trying hard to hide a smile. He patted the side of the truck and that's when Seokjin drove out of the school.

"So what are you doing today? Looks like everyone is busy." You patted down your hair that was blowing wildly in the wind.

"Me? Uh, nothing much." Jungkook chuckled nervously. "I think I'm just gonna play video games until midnight."

"Sounds like fun." You grinned to see a sparkle in his eye.

"You want to come over? I have a bunch of multiplayer games!" Jungkook asked with a lot of enthusiasm. He suddenly became self-concious and toned down his excitement. "I mean, unless you're busy."

"My only plans were to die in this heat. Playing games sounds a lot more fun." You giggled, realizing that you had just agreed to go over to his house. Hopefully this doesn't cause a war between him and Jimin. You were excited to see what Jungkook's room and house would be like. You've only ever seen the outside when Seokjin has dropped him off before. Namjoon's the only house you've been inside of, but you have been on Hoseok's front step. Does that count as anything?

Jungkook started to talk about all the games he's gotten in the past month. He said he didn't have time for them for the longest time until around the time he became a first year. Now he's always getting his hands on the latest games and he was super thrilled about one that recently came out. You liked seeing him so excited about something. At one point he almost apologized for going on a rant about them. He rubbed the back of his neck while you assured him that it was okay. Let him tell you all about his video games! You weren't the most experienced when it came to them, so you'd like to learn a little bit of his interests.

Seokjin turned into a street that led to an uphill road. Jungkook lived the closest to the school so he was getting dropped off first. He grabbed his bag and gave you a giant smile. Putting your bag on your lap, you stared at Jungkook's house with awe. It wasn't marvelous with the finest architecture, but it did look nicer than most houses in this town. Not as nice as Hoseok's house appeared. That's when you remembered about Jungkook having parents. Will they mind knowing he invited a girl over? You'll just have to ask him when you guys get out. Seokjin brought the truck to a stop and waited for the maknae to get out. He jumped out while you threw your legs over the truck's side and slid off. Immediately, Seokjin poked his head out the window in confusion and Taehyung brought his window down.

"You at the right stop, (F/n)?" Seokjin raised a brow.

"Where are you going?" Taehyung asked as Jimin leaned over. The blonde's gaze kept switching between you and the maknae.

"I'm hanging out with Jungkook today," You stated to see the members so surprised. Seokjin took a moment before accepting that.

"Oh...okay then. Well, have fun?" Seokjin waved awkwardly

"You guys, we're just hanging out as friends. That's normal." Jungkook crossed his arms. "Not a weird random date."

"Fine." Seokjin sighed as Namjoon chuckled.

"Don't worry, Jungkook. I've hung out with (F/n) alone too," Namjoon said as Hoseok nodded.

Yes, those mornings of eating nice, hot porridge. Taehyung and Jimin were stunned to know this. Looks like there's things they don't know about you either. Yoongi ignored everyone and tried taking a nap. Technically, you've also hung out with him alone too. Seokjin grew even more bewildered and Jungkook didn't know how to process this. It's not important so you told Jungkook to lead the way. He hesitantly nodded and Seokjin eventually drove away. Walking behind the male, you asked him if his parents would mind him bringing a guest over.

Jungkook stiffened at that. He licked his lips and told you not to worry about it. They wouldn't care according to him. Parents were a touchy subject around the members and you almost forgot. So Jungkook has it rough too? It really made you appreciate your parents more. They weren't perfect, but at least they're still kind and loving towards you. Jungkook pushed opened the door and the two of you switched into slippers. Right as he started walking towards his room, a woman exited from the kitchen with a glass of whine. Her eyes instantly landed on you as soon as you finished putting on the slippers,

Her eyes were cold to both you and Jungkook. Taking a guess, you figured she was his mother. She didn't wear fancy clothes like Hoseok's mother, but she certainly wasn't as friendly as Namjoon's mom. There were barely any wrinkles on her face though she did have frown lines. Her hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail. Slowly making your way to hide behind Jungkook, it looked like she wanted to say something. You thought she was going to when she opened her mouth, but she just sighed in annoyance. The bracelets on her wrists wrattled as she stormed over to what you assumed was her own room. The most you could hear from her were her upset grumbles.

"Don't pay attention to her." Jungkook wrapped his arm around you and brought you to his room.

"Is she your mom?" You asked.

"She's no one." Jungkook's back was facing towards you as you shut the door. There was hidden anger and frustration in his voice, but a hint of loneliness as well. Best not to bother him about it.

Sitting down on his bed, you took a look around his room. There was a bunch of drawings taped up on his wall. They weren't posters, but his actual art work. Your mouth gaped as you saw some of the harder character designs. He always had quite the talent for drawing, but you never knew he could do this. You've only ever seen a few doodles on random scraps of paper. It was known amongst his friends that he liked to draw and now you were left speechless. Jungkook turned on the console before noticing you staring at his art work. He walked over to you with a light blush and nervous smile. All of this was so amazing! Why didn't he show you some of his work before? Gosh, you're going to be this nosey for the rest of your life.

"You're so talented!" You shouted.

"Thanks. They're mainly stupid drawings of my favorite video game characters." Jungkook shrugged. He looked down at the floor until they came up to one specific drawing. It was a drawing of a very detailed knight that took up most of the page and it even had words written to describe their armor. "I made that character up myself. I'm actually really proud of that one."

"Woah...you should be proud." You took a closer look at it. "Is this like your own video game character?"

"Sort of." Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck. "Originally it was just a made up character for my favorite video game, but then I created a world and a bit of a plot. I don't know, I'm working on it."

"That's so cool. You should tell me about it sometime." You smiled as Jungkook handed you a controller.

He nodded his head as he sat down next to you on his bed. Other than drawings in his room, he has a desk with a large computer screen. Headpones laid flat on a rolling chair that looked expensive. Jungkook was moving around on the home screen to find the game he put in. You held the controller tight as he pressed on the game. This is going to be a lot of fun. The game started as soon as Jungkook chose the time limit and location. He was on the red team while you were on the blue team. That's when Jungkook's competitive behavior began to really show.

This punk kept taking all your flags. Even if you turned them back to blue, he would come back to make them red. It got so annoying that you decided to just run over his character with your vehicle. Jungkook didn't expect you to murder him but reacted quickly. Next thing you know, he threw a grenade in your direction and blew up your car. Staring at the screen in disbelief, you felt a fire start inside you. Especially with Jungkook quietly chuckling to himself. So this is how it's going to be? Now you're ready to play dirty.

Gritting your teeth, you got prepared as soon as your character was revived. Time to drive a tank! The vehicle was slow, but it would take a lot more than just one grenade to finish you off. Sadly, Jungkook could see your plotting due to the split screen and knew exactly what to do. The moment you came to his hide out, he jumped on top of the tank, so you couldn't blast him. He's driving you crazy! You gave up and got out of the tank to shoot him. Right as you got out, Jungkook stabbed your character and earned another kill. Motherf*cker.

That's it! You're pulling the big guns now. As soon as you were revived, you got into a plane and went to his location at full speed. He can't stab you in here and a grenade won't do sh*t! All the amo was waiting for victory. Eyeing the screen, you couldn't find Jungkook's character whatsoever until you saw his ID in red. His username floated above this machine gun and you smirked. You began shooting at the machine gun to then realize that it wasn't a machine gun. Misslies flew out and shot your plan down. The explosion was huge as your character's body fell down, the screen becoming black and white until you pressed 'x'.

"I'm so close to killing you in real life." You huffed, turning to face the grinning bunny. He only laughed and his smile grew wider when you smacked his arm.

"Not my fault you don't think things through," Jungkook said.

"What do you mean?" You narrowed your eyes on the male. The time limit ended and revealed team red as the winner. No surprise there.

"You just keep thinking, the bigger the better instead of actually making an effort." Jungkook created a new round. "You rely too much on the weapons."

"Ugh, this takes skill?" You groaned.

"Did you think it was just 'pew pew'?" Jungkook made finger guns.

"It's too hard to aim with guns." You furrowed your brows at the screen again.

"You'll get better at it." Jungkook returned his attention to the game.

Maybe you'll take his advice. Though you still had no idea on how to beat him. The 'surprise' attacks weren't working. He could see your screen and figure out what you're doing! That's when you decided to go back to capture the flag. It was your plan to make you look innocent. So you stole three of his flags and Jungkook wasn't taking a liking to that. He made sure to fix them and quickly flew over by plane to your next attempt. He got out of the plane as the flag loaded to blue. That's when you took your chance to throw a grenade at him. He was defenseless!

"Well sh*t." Jungkook scoffed as his character died. "That's just luck."

"Not luck! Skill!" You held the control up to your chest.

"No." He shook his head and laughed.

You tried proving him wrong as much as you could. It appeared to be luck, but Jungkook was just rutheless after your success. He would slaughter you everytime you were brought back into the world. He didn't waste a second to do so. The two of you played for hours until you yanwed. It was getting pretty late. It wasn't midnight, but it would be in about two hours and you had to get home soon. Jungkook talked about his made-up video game for a while and you told him, 'why not make it a reality?' and he instantly got shy. He liked the idea of it a lot and that made you wonder if he wanted to become a game developer. That sounded really cool and it would totally fit him!

Though it was getting late, you found yourself in a conversation with Jungkook. It was too interesting to leave. Everything was fine until your phone started ringing. He let you pick it up and stayed quiet. Bringing it up to your ear, you answered with a tired voice. Gosh, you need to go to bed. Jungkook watched the conversation go down with a lot of curiosity.

"Hello?" You started.

"(F/n)! I need your help! It's an emergency!" Hoseok's voice shouted. Bringing the phone farther away from your ear, you tried to remain calm. Emergency? What did he mean by that? You didn't want to worry Jungkook who was already alarmed to hear Hoseok's voice shouting the word 'emergency'.

"Where are you?" You bit your lip.

"The market near Namjoon's. Do you know the one?" Hoseok questioned.

"I think so...I'll hurry over there." You ended the call with a heavy chest. The tension was apparent in the room. Jungkook raised a brow at you as soon as the call ended. He stood up from the bed while the console shut down.

"What's going on?" He asked with a worried gaze.

"I don't really know. Hoseok needs my help though so I gotta run," You said, "Don't worry. I'll take care of this."

"I understand. See you at school tomorrow." Jungkook hugged you tightly. It comforted you and made you braver to deal with whatever Hoseok called you for. You should've asked. D*mn it, too late.

Pulling away from the hug, you pursed your lips. Jungkook waved goodbye as you exited his bedroom. Time to get out of here. You ran to the front door, taking off the slippers to put on your shoes. A door opened, and you couldn't help turning around to see who it was. Jungkook must think you forgot your bag. It was at your feet as you slipped the right shoe on. With your head looking over your shoulder, you saw the woman from before with an empty glass of wine. She looked tired and had noticeable bags under her eyes. She didn't look as put together as when you first saw her. Finishing with the shoes, you heard her scoff behind your back.

"Slut..." She mumbled not so quietly as she crossed over to the kitchen. Picking up your backpack, you sighed to hear those familiar words.

"Wow...what a b*tch," You said just as loud. Maybe a little louder.

That was your version of taking a stand against Jungkook's mother. Now it was time to run over to the market. Did someone think he was guilty of theft? Gosh, you didn't want Hoseok to be arrested yet again. All kinds of conclusions were appearing in your mind. It made your heart race faster than it already was. Your calves were aching as your feet pounded on the ground. Was Hoseok hurt? But why at the market? Nothing was adding up. It'd be best to arrive there and actually find out the truth then making things up. Panting heavily, your lungs burned by the time you arrived in front of the market. The lights glowed bright and you didn't see the red hair anywhere near the front. That meant you actually had to enter.

Stepping inside the market, you looked around the front of the store. There was no sight of him and the cashiers looked too busy to be questioned. Should you go exploring around the store for him? Might as well. Jogging around the aisles, you wondered if Namjoon was here. He did live nearby and there's no way Hoseok wouldn't call his best friend for an emergency. Now you were on the look out for a red head and a pink head. Passing the hair product aisle, you almost ran by until you saw a flash of that brilliant red. Slowly going into that aisle, you tighted your fists to see Hoseok worriedly looking at hair dye. Namjoon was no where in sight but this was enough for you.

"What the hell kind of emergency is this!?" You threw your hands up. "I thought you got arrested for theft!"

"(F/n)! And god no, I would never get caught." Hoseok grinned. "It is an emergency though. Namjoon's mom wants me to help dye her hair and make her hair look young again since it is greying a bit."

"...what do I have to do with this?" You furrowed your brows.

"Ms. Kim doesn't want Namjoon to choose the color. She asked me to do it, but to choose a brown instead of black." Hoseok jumped around in his spot. "She's getting daring!"

"It's still a natural hair color though and I still don't get why you asked me to come over as an emergency." You frowned to see the male role his eyes like it should be obvious.

"Duh! Help me pick out the color!" Hoseok held up multiple shades of brown hair dye. Where to start?

Chapter Text

Ch.47

It took ten minutes for Hoseok and you to agree on a brown. Whenever you chose one that you thought would look nice, he said it wouldn't compliment her skin tone. He shot down most of the ones you chose. Sometimes he wouldn't even tell you why and just gave you a look. It made you feel embarrassed for even looking at caramel brown as an option. Finally, he accepted the color you grabbed randomly because you were tired. Not only were you sleepy but you also ran here with all you had in you. Hoseok smiled widely as he took the dye and left with the purchased item with you.

He's a joy, but right now you were drained of energy. Since it was night and hard to see past twenty feet, Hoseok refused to let you walk home alone. It was too dark and scary for a girl to walk alone. That's what he said in hopes to convince you to follow him over to Namjoon's house. At this point, you might just ask Namjoon if you can stay over again. You got too lazy to decline his request and Namjoon's house was just a few blocks away. Maybe you could just rest up a little bit there and then one of the boys can take you home later. That sounded nice.

Hoseok opened Namjoon's front door without a care. He made sure to loudly announce his presence. Namjoon was sitting at the kitchen table, looking at his phone with a bored gaze. He ran a hand through his hair, about to tell his friends something until he saw your small form taking off your shoes. Hoseok didn't say a thing about you. He walked down the hall, calling Ms. Kim to let her know that he got the hair dye. He raised the box high as you began following him, but Namjoon quickly stumbled out of his chair. It toppled over as he reached his hand out towards you.

"(F/n), what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at home by now?" Namjoon glanced at a clock.

"Yep, but Hoseok said it's not safe to go by myself." You yawned. "I'm gonna wait until he finishes with your mom's hair."

"You're actually gonna do that?" Namjoon raised a brow.

"Why not? I want to say hi to your mom anyway." You walked over to the bathroom that immediately grew cramped with your presence.

Hoseok had gloves on as he squeezed the life out of a tube into a bottle. He looked like an expert with how quick he was doing it. The directions were tossed aside as if they were nothing. Once Ms. Kim saw you at the doorway, she immediately grew excited. She squealed, waving her hands around which made Hoseok jump around. You wanted to jump with them. The mood was exciting, but you still felt like crashing down on your bed. Normally, you didn't get this tired. Bowing your head to Ms. Kim, she hummed happily as Hoseok shook the bottle of dye. He did this for a while until it was ready.

"I'm so happy to see you, (F/n)! Has Namjoon seen you?" She asked. "NAMJOON! GET OVER HERE!"

"Eomma, really?" Namjoon poked his head into the tiny space.

"I want to see you appreciating your future wife." Ms. Kim smiled, but it almost looked like a smirk.

Hoseok laughed at her comment. He agreed with her completely and told Namjoon to embrace you. What the actual heck? Ms. Kim nodded and told Namjoon to just take you into his arms. Now you didn't feel as tired. It was hard to remain sleepy when your face was on fire and the boy next to you was the same. He sighed heavily, shaking his head at his mother's words. You were utterly speechless to hear that. 'Marry her' and 'I'd like you to date' was typical. Not 'take her in your arms and runaway with her!' What kind of drama is this? Namjoon made sure to send a quick glare in Hoseok's path for making his mom say such embarrassing things.

"We're still friends," Namjoon said, crossing his arms. He now fully stood in the doorway with you.

"You say that like it won't change." Ms. Kim frowned.

"Ms. Kim gets it!" Hoseok grinned.

"You two are being very problematic in my friendship with (F/n)." Namjoon ran a hand through his hair as if the situation were causing him stress.

It would be stressing you out too if you weren't sleep deprived. Running did a number on you. Wait a minute. Did Hoseok purposely lure you over here just to see you with Namjoon? That's wanting two people together on another level. It also made you wonder if Ms. Kim was in on that idea. That's something you wouldn't put beneath her. She already is very honest about liking you with her son. It's still interesting to know you're approved of even though you're just his friend. She refuses to accept that concept though.

"Hoseok, focus on her hair." You told the red head who playfully rolled his eyes.

"I can multitask." He parted her hair in pieces. He ran a brush, stroking the hair and getting it completely covered in whatever was inside the bottle he shook. Hoseok made a sassy expression and knew he had to show you how good he was at multitasking.

Namjoon and you glanced at each other with tired expressions. This was a lot for...what time is it? Who cares anymore? The two of you were getting used to being paired up together. It's one thing having his best friend be for it and then his own mother openly approving it. Hoseok and Ms. Kim smiled just to see Namjoon standing next to you in the bathroom. The place has never felt more cramped. Each room in this house was small, but especially now with Namjoon so close to you. It only made them smile more. Let them be delusional together since they won't listen when you guys say that you're just friends. You watched Hoseok continue his work while resting against the door frame. It felt like he's done this a million times from how natural his movement were. Nothing he did looked out of place. Namjoon smiled softly to see his mom enjoying this treatment. Hoseok seemed to be in his element.

Even when Hoseok started his multitasking with talking, his focus never faltered. He grabbed the shower head off the wall and told Ms. Kim to sit back. Well, dang. Namjoon's bathroom has been turned into a hair salon now. Ms. Kim gushed about how nice her hair came out whenever Hoseok did it. She didn't hesitate to drag the past salon's she went to. Hoseok listened to her complaints as Namjoon and you decided to sit down in the hallway while still peering into the bathroom. He sat down to the right of you with his long legs stretched out. You brought your legs close to your chest. Resting your chin on your legs, it felt nice to be sitting down.

"I swear! You should become a hair dresser." Ms. Kim insisted. Hoseok grinned, drying her hair with a towel. "That's the only really good thing about Namjoon and his friends dying their hair. They have an expert like you to do it."

"Aw, thanks. Yoongi helps too, but my technique is better," Hoseok said. Namjoon rolled his eyes at his mother's complaint about his hair again. He muttered under his breath that he liked the color pink. You giggled softly, remembering how you told his mom that it looked good on him. And it still does. It makes him look really charming and those dimples of his complete the look. You also learned some new things about the mysterious Min Yoongi. So he knows how to dye hair too? What else is he capable of that isn't illegal? You're too tired to have a filter.

"Y'know, one of my old friends is a hairdresser. She has this cute little salon at the very edge of town, but I could give her a call if you're interested." Ms. Kim wiggled her brows at the tempting offer. Hoseok was speechless, pausing his movements. Namjoon raised his head up and straightened his posture as he eyed his best friend. "You'll have a job once you graduate high school. I can bet you that."

"...I'll think about it. Thank you, Ms. Kim." Hoseok avoided Namjoon's stare.

"Joonie sweetie, you have yet to tell me what you're going to do." Ms. Kim reminded.

"Business college...I don't know." Namjoon shrugged. Ms. Kim sat up as Hoseok played around with her new brown hair. It did look really good on her.

"Don't throw away that good brain of yours." Ms. Kim stared him down.

Her voice was stern instead of its usual playful teasing. It made you almost stop breathing. She never seemed to pressure Namjoon on his grades or talked about how smart he is. This was a first. Namjoon hesitated to reply, Hoseok glancing at him with a worried gaze. Awards hung in the hallway as well as pictures of Namjoon receiving them, but they all ended by the time first year started for him. Why did it suddenly stop? It made you wonder if that's around the time the gang started. How were the boys back then? Namjoon licked his lips, not brave enough to keep eye contact with his mother any longer. Like he didn't want to disappoint her. They had a very close relationship that sometimes made even you jealous.

"Yes, Eomma." Namjoon's eyes fell down to his legs. It became quiet for a second.

Ms. Kim stopped intimidating her son and Hoseok silently finished up. The house was getting darker the more night it became. Only the bathroom light was on and spilled slightly into the hallway. It was dim enough for you to sleep and it was cozy here. Yawning, you kept closing your eyes and forcing yourself to wake up abruptly. The urge to just drift off was becoming too strong to avoid anymore. You didn't even remember closing your eyes. You rested against something to keep you from falling. It felt comfortable and you were slowly dreaming of things. That ended as soon as your heard quiet squeals and Namjoon awkwardly laughing.

Opening your eyes, you instantly saw Ms. Kim with her phone out. Did she take a picture of you sleeping? Hoseok was giving a thumbs up, but not at you. That's when you realized you were leaning against something. Pulling your head away, you noticed Namjoon with colored cheeks. He cleared his throat and you felt slightly embarrassed for just leaning on him. Then again, you were dying to just go to bed already. Namjoon stood up and held his hand out for you to grab. Tilting your head at him, you ignored the crazy people in the bathroom who were jumping to see this.

"Let me take you home already." Namjoon nudged his head towards the front door. You nodded and took his hand to pick up your weight off the floor. At this point, you were more useless than unsticky tape.

Namjoon took out his bike and kicked his leg over it. He told you to hold onto him tight. Lazily sitting on the back, you wrapped your arms around his waist. Once you had firm hold, Namjoon began peddling quickly to your apartment. The two of you didn't talk. He focused on which roads to take and oncoming traffic while you pressed the side of your face on his back. His jacket was warm. It made a contrast with the cold air from the night. Soon, Namjoon slowed down as he arrived at your place. He looked over his shoulder to see you close to falling asleep. The pink hair chuckled and shook his head, removing your hands around his waist.

"You still gotta go up the stairs." He lifted you off the bike.

"I could've gotten off by myself..." You mumbled as he took your hand.

"You looked ready to fall off," Namjoon retorted. He came up the stairs with you, making sure you didn't trip over any steps. He did stumble on one step but was fine for the rest. The two of you stood in front of your door, but he was still holding your hand in his. "Take care, okay (F/n)?"

"I will. Tell your Mom her hair looks good," You said and he nodded his head. Those dimples appeared and you couldn't help but poke your finger on the right one. God, you need to go to bed.

"Having fun there?" He lightly pushed your hand back.

"Yes, Namjoon. I'm having the time of my life." You tried poking his dimple again, but he held both of your hands to prevent you.

"Call me Namjoon oppa again." He smirked, making you widen your eyes.

That woke you up a bit enough to tell him no way. The last time you called him that was when you found out his mom was sick. You made sure to tell him that he should drop it back then. Of course he hasn't. He kept a smug expression on his face. Did he think you were actually going to call him oppa again? When you did the for the first time, he said that he liked it. Like coming from you? The thought made your face feel very warm. That's so frustrating! He may be older and you respect Namjoon a lot, but these boys take it in a very different direction.

"What? I told you to drop that. No." You shook your head. "Your Mom already thinks we're super close because I don't call you that."

"Eomma wants me to marry you." Namjoon chuckled.

"Where's the ring?" You raised a brow.

"I unfortunately don't have it. Can I give you a hug and call it a night?" Namjoon said as you opened your arms wide. He gave you a tight squeeze, making sure to make up for not having the ring. It better be a pretty ring.

"I'm trying to keep all my relationships with you boys platonic. Flirting should be kept at a minimum," You stated as he pulled away, but still had his arms wrapped around you.

"Are we all flirting with you?" Namjoon questioned, thinking you were joking.

"Jungkook kissed me out of no where, Jimin beat him up over me, Seokjin asked me out on a date and we almost kissed and that was a mess, and then Yoongi told me to call him oppa just like you did. He wasn't being serious though." You sighed heavily. "It's draining."

"Oh..." Namjoon's expression was stunned. He didn't expect to hear all that. He only knew of the first two incidents, but you didn't mind telling him the last two. It doesn't matter, you're too tired to care. "Wait, Seokjin and you almost kissed? And Yoongi told you to call him oppa as a joke?"

"Don't worry, you're in the flirt with (F/n) club too." You giggled tiredly.

It seems like everday is another strange moment with one of the boys. Lately, they've been flirting with you or revealing their true feelings. Technically, Yoongi was joking but you still counted it. Plus all the other times he pretended to start something inappropriate. That boy had no manners. Jungkook wouldn't stop apologizing for the kiss and then Jimin apologizes for everything. He's kind and sensitive like that. If Jimin feels that something he said or did bothered you in anyway, he would say sorry. Pride was thrown out the window all the time when it came to him. Then Seokjin tried to make it up to you in a strange way. Luckily, that crush ended and no more crap like that is going to happen between the two of you. That's the plan anyway and you hope at least this one thing goes accordingly. Just one thing in your life and that's all you ask for.

"Good to know." Namjoon ran a hand through his hair before connecting his eyes with yours again. "...maybe in a year we'll see if Mom's predictions come true."

"...only time will tell." Your cheeks burned. These boys make you feel so strange at times. "Thanks for bringing me home...friend." You lightly hit his shoulder.

"No problem." Namjoon pursed his lips, the dimples showing up. "Goodnight, (F/n)."

"Night, Dimples." You opened the front door. Namjoon scoffed at the nickname and went down to his bike.

Giving him one last wave, he road off back to his house. You came inside the apartment and shut the door. Time to collapse on your bed! That's when the lights in the apartment turned on. Hyosung was secretly sitting on the living room couch. Was she hiding here all this time? Waiting for you is one thing but having her hide in the dark is just creepy. Unnie needs help. She may be protective, but she's starting to cross a line again. The boys are your friends and you know what you're doing. Yoongi helped you get it together and that failed date gave you your first heart break. Nothing to chase after.

"You scared me!" You brought your hand over chest. She could have given you a heart attack! What kind of animal does this to their little sister!? You are beyond innocent at the moment! No boys have kissed you today!

"Who's that guy?" She crossed her arms. She tried sounding authoritative, but it wasn't working. You never liked that role for her. Hyosung unnie is just your sister.

"Kim Namjoon." You sighed and started walking over to your room. "If it makes you feel better, he's just a second year. We're also just friends! All my friends are boys, unnie! I'm fine!"

"He's an oppa too!? WAIT. All your friends are boys!? No, that doesn't make me feel better!" She shouted, jumping up from the couch but you already shut your door. Sleep is screaming your name. Hyosung put her hands on her hips in a huff. "She's getting more d*ck than I was at her age and even now. This is so unfair."

Chapter Text

Ch.48

Jungkook was showing you multiple sketches he's done. Some were fan art while others were his own designs. He started describing the world that they lived in to you. He flipped through the pages of his sketchbook and showed you a couple of backgrounds to get a better picture of the world they lived in. You praised him and asked him questions about anything you were curious about. It was obvious that Jungkook had spent a lot of time creating this world and plot. There was a twinkle in his eyes as he talked about certain scenes that he would really want in the game. Jungkook told you that they'd be unskippable, so players would have to sit and listen to the master piece. You told him you'd play it and a huge grin grew on his face. He's opened up so much to you and you were glad this friendship had grown stronger. Now you could be someone Jungkook trusted fullheartedly.

The two of you were sitting next to each other on the ground. It was lunch and the rest of the group was still waiting for the third years to show up. Jimin was showing Taehyung something on his phone and they kept cracking up. Namjoon and Hoseok were talking about whatever class they recently had together. At that moment, Yoongi pushed open the door with Seokjin following after him. The eldest stayed standing while Yoongi quickly sat down with the second years. Everyone stopped doing their owns things to look up at the black hair. He looked excited and nervous about something. Seokjin took a breath in with a smile on his face.

"Guys, I have big news," Seokjin said, using his hands to show how important this was.

"You're naming your first son after me?" Taehyung guessed. Jimin bended over laughing, repeatedly smacking his friend's leg.

"No. I had a talk with my counselor about my future today." Seokjin clapped his hands together. "I know what I'm doing."

"Are you going to college?" Namjoon lowered his apple.

"I think so. I'm going to be a model! I was recruited a few days ago by a legit agency." Seokjin bounced happily. "I'm going to be handsome worldwide! You'll see my face on magazines and all kinds of things!"

"Can a model be a thug?" Yoongi questioned. "If your face is everywhere, there's no doubt they'll recognize you and try to do something with your reputation."

That thought had never crossed your mind. You were too busy getting excited for Seokjin. Would he stil continue being in the gang if he became a model? It didn't sound like a good idea. It would risk his career heavily. Though you told Yoongi you wouldn't tell the members to stop being gangsters, you felt it would be the right choice for the eldest member. He should be mature enough to realize that himself. Some of the members could accept letting their hyung go off while three were more hesitant. They liked how things were and didn't want to see any change. That you could understand in a sense. They're family, they consider each other brothers. The gang had bonds with each other that you'd never seen before. You doubt you even had a bond like that with anyone else. Not even with your own sister and the two of you are connected by blood.

"I thought about that already. I'm just a getaway driver and I can always wear a mask." Seokjin grinned. Trying to hide your frown, you reminded yourself to not be nosey. Yoongi can still get quite mean with you despite everything.

"I guess." Yoongi tossed a piece of chocolate in his mouth.

"Well, as long as you're smart about it." Namjoon smiled softly. Seokjin was relieved to hear that. He finally sat down with the biggest smile on his face. Hoseok set down his food with a nervous expression.

"I think I know what I'm gonna do when I get out of school too," Hoseok said, making everyone turn to him. "I'd like to try being a hairdresser."

"That's perfect for you, Hyung!!" Taehyung cheered.

"I agree." You gave the red head a thumbs up.

"Congrats." Jimin smiled.

Jungkook closed his sketchbook and nodded. It looks like they're all slowly finding their own things. Yoongi muttered a 'congratulations' but didn't look as happy as everyone else. Actually, Namjoon didn't look over joyed either. It felt like he was forcing himself to smile for his best friend and the eldest member. Namjoon took some time before letting out a sigh. All his emotions were out of his system so he could give both gentlemen a genuine smile. The dimples showed up on his face as he slapped Hoseok's back. Namjoon congratulated his best friend for finding something that interested him so much.

"I'm happy you found something," Namjoon said.

"Thanks to your Mom. I thought a lot about what she said last night." Hoseok nodded his head enthusiastically.

It's like the members were scared to tell their best friends they found their passion or wanted to take a certain path in the future. Namjoon and Yoongi both promised to not be against it. They might've kicked out the member in the past, but they were trying now. That's what counted. Taehyung was especially excited to see his hyungs figuring out their futures. He saw it as admirable and wouldn't stop bouncing around in his seat. He was also glad that they were going to stay in the gang. If they wanted to leave, you know he would be having a different reaction. You glanced at Jungkook who was tightly gripping his sketchbook. Was he thinking of telling them about it? He's only told you that he has ideas, but never said anything about pursuing it professionally. That would be a big step for the maknae.

"What are you doing, Yoongi hyung?" Jimin asked.

"What do you think? The gang is basically my life." Yoongi scoffed. "I have nothing else."

"I know." Jimin smiled as Yoongi shook his head at the first year. Most of the time, Jimin appeared quiet and very kind. Then there were times like this when he knew how to push his member's buttons.

"Little sh*t." The blue hair laughed. "I have a life!"

"Where?" Jungkook raised a brow.

"I'm going to run the both of you over with Seokjin's truck." Yoongi threatened. Seokjin looked up to hear his name with multiple noodles hanging from his mouth. All the first years laughed at the third years for being like polar opposites. Seokjin turned to Yoongi to know what's going on, his noodles swaying with his head movement. The blue hair eyed the male in digust. "Eat your d*mn noodles already."

"I'm older than you," Seokjin remarked as soon as he finished the noodles. "Say that again."

"Hmph." Yoongi grumbled. He stopped breaking his chocolate bar in pieces and just took a chunk out.

"That's what I thought." Seokjin went back to his food, grabbing more noodles.

Lunch is going to be missed, but the third years will be missed more. Yoongi and Seokjin make school a lot better. It's going to be sad not having them around on campus. Luckily, Yoongi would still be hanging around the warehouse. Possibly getting another job on the side. The gang might not get to see Seokjin as much, but Yoongi is planning to get his driver's license over the summer. He's willing to become the getaway driver if Seokjin wants to completely focus on modeling. It hurt the gang to know one of their members might leave, but they knew that it wouldn't be for a wrong reason. They don't want to let a member go with hard feelings. You're so proud of the gang for growing closer and being accepting of this.

The question Jimin asked Yoongi was then flipped on him. Yoongi was grilling the blonde if he would pursue dance. Poor Jimin was trying to explain himself and Yoongi kept a cold face. He asked Jimin why he went through all that trouble to dance if he wasn't going to do it professionally. That's when you stepped into the conversation. As Jimin's second best friend, you told Yoongi to cut the boy some slack. Taehyung hugged Jimin and told him he'd support him no matter what. The silver hair was stealing your lines! Chuckling to yourself, everyone began throwing away their trash. The gang parted ways and made plans to walk over to the warehouse after school.

Seokjin had to make a call with Alpha Agency. They were already aware that he was interested, but he still had some questions. Seokjin told them that he wouldn't sign the contract until after he graduates. The agency wanted him already so they went with his condition. Once school ended for the day, you met up with most of the gang. Walking to the warehouse is always fun! Yoongi was in front of everyone which was the only time he was ever been faster than everybody else. He couldn't wait to get home. Jimin, Jungkook, and you walked about ten feet behind him. The three of you talked about Taehyung's progress with the mural. He was close to finishing, but just had to paint Jungkook. So far, all the members pretended to enjoy how they looked. Most of them look kind of creepy, but no one had the heart to tell him except Yoongi.

Taehyung only called Yoongi mean and then stopped caring about the second oldest's opinion. Currently, Taehyung was bouncing between Namjoon and Hoseok. The two second years smiled as Taehyung talked about his day with them. He was a loud ball of energy and got excited all over again when he mentioned Hoseok finding his passion. At this point, you guys were looking back to see Taehyung showing off his silver hair to Namjoon. He considered it one of Hoseok's many masterpieces. Hoseok was flattered while Namjoon ruffled the first year's hair.

"Thanks, Tae. That means a lot to me!" Hoseok cheered.

"I support you, Hyung!" Taehyung gave his boxy grin.

"What do you think you'll do after you graduate?" Namjoon asked.

"I'm gonna follow you to the end of the world!" Taehyung responded without hesitation. Hoseok bursted out laughing. Jimin and Jungkook were amused and knew that would be his response. Namjoon took that sentence in.

"Okay...thanks, I think?" Namjoon chuckled.

The relationship Taehyung had with the second years always interested you. Especially the one he had with Namjoon. Compared to the other first years, Taehyung actually respected his hyungs all the time. He treated the second years with extra respect compared to the third years. He did occasionally mess with Hoseok whenever Jimin was in a silly mood. The square smiled boy would never do such a thing to Namjoon. He idolized the pink hair and you wondered what their backstory was. You didn't feel right about prying despite being curious. They'll tell you if they ever want to tell you. Taehyung cared about his third years too, but something was special about the second years to him. You've only gotten a few hints here and there, but you don't want to create crazy scenarios.

"You guys mean a lot to me so expect me to bother you guys even when you're both happily married and have lots of kids." Taehyung wrapped his arms around his hyung's shoulders.

"You are my kid," Namjoon replied. Taehyung immediately faked tears of joy and hugged the pink hair tightly. Hoseok tapped Taehyung's shoulder and pointed over to Jimin and Jungkook.

"Look, those are his two other sons."

"My brothers!" Taehyung raised his hands in the air.

"Love you, Dad!" Jimin shouted.

"Thanks for adopting me." Jungkook smiled softly. He passed it off as a joke, but you sensed something in his words. The other members probably knew his home situation a lot better than you did.

"I've even taken son's older than me." Namjoon teased for Yoongi to raise his middle finger up. Hoseok couldn't stop laughing.

Everyone was having such a good time that the half hour walk felt short. It barely felt like you had been walking for the long. Jimin agreed wth you that a second ago you guys were crossing the street to leave the school's campus. Taehyung ran past Yoongi to enter the warehouse first. Jimin shook his head when Jungkook bolted past Yoongi just to annoy him. The blue hair was scowling to have two people already inside his home. Once the rest of the members were inside, they did their own things. Jimin and you were dancing together until Jungkook called everyone to listen to him.

Jimin turned off the music and faced Namjoon. The leader didn't know the announcement himself. He shoved his hands in his pocket and walked over. Jungkook stood in front of the stage, holding something behind his back. Hoseok sat down on the stage with Yoongi and Taehyung. You and Jimin joined the rest over there to see what the youngest had to say. He nibbled his bottom lip nervously as he thought on how he should phrase his words. He only wanted to say one sentence but repeated it multiple times in his head before saying it. The maknae took a deep breath and held up his sketchbook.

"Since everyone is revealing their passion, I wanted to reveal mine too." Jungkook looked down as he opened sketch book. All the members eyed the drawings and Taehyung self consciously glanced at his mural.

"That's so good! Why are you making me do the mural?" Taehyung whined.

"I'm not making you. You wanted to do that yourself!" Jungkook furrowed his brows.

"I know." Taehyung laughed.

"You want to become an artist?" Yoongi asked.

"You'd be really great! Can you draw me?" Hoseok's mouth gaped open to see what Jungkook was capable of. Some sketches were simple while some were even lined and cleaned up. None of them were colored, but most of them were shaded.

"Oh...I-I actually want to create video games." Jungkook rubbed his neck nervously. He wasn't used to being the center of attention like this. "Like make character designs and stuff...y'know?"

"I think it fits you perfectly." Namjoon smirked. "Nice job, Maknae."

"Thanks, Hyung!" Jungkook grinned, bowing to the leader.

Yoongi's lolipop dropped from his lips when he saw that. He needed to make sure his eyes weren't playing with him. The members were too busy smiling to notice Jungkook had been formal. Yoongi's eyes met yours and mouthed 'did you see that?' and you nodded. Quite the reputation Jungkook had with his elders to make one of them them this shocked. You stifled back a giggle to see Yoongi questioning everything. Jimin and Taehyung went over to give their fellow first year a stinging high five. They all jumped around, shouting about the pain as Seokjin entered the warehouse.

The laughter died down, but everyone kept a smile on their face. The boys all turned their heads in the direction of Seokjin. The eldest had one hand in his pocket with other swinging at his side. Seokjin stared down at the ground, thinking hard with a frown. The first-year boys stopped moving around when they read the sudden shift in the mood. Yoongi jumped off the stage but didn't walk over to Seokjin. His eyes were trying to hide the fact that he was worried over his best friend not coming in as his cheery self. If he's back now then that must mean he already called the agency. Did it not go well? Namjoon looked over at Hoseok before facing Seokjin.

"I have...bad news, I guess." Seokjin's shoulder's sunk. He raised his eyes to make contact with everyone at least once.

"You're too handsome for them!" Taehyung shouted. He immediately assumed the agency gave up on Seokjin. The black hair grew confused but didn't say a word.

"You don't know if that's the problem," Jimin whispered to his friend.

"Of course, it's the problem!" Taehyung huffed.

"Did you find out some troubling information?" Jungkook questioned. He ignored the two bickering behind him. Seokjin sucked in his breath and nodded. Jimin smacked the silver hair, muttering 'I told you'. Jungkook had hit the bullseye. The second years exchanged glances with Yoongi and you.

"Is the contract unfair?" You asked.

"No, it's pretty reasonable. The thing is...the college they would like to send me to..." Seokjin looked down. "...is in Australia."

"What!?" Everyone in the warehouse burst.

A modeling college all the way in Australia? What's wrong with the ones in Seoul!? Your mind couldn't make sense of this. Out of all the problems you could come up with in your head, this was not one of them. Australia? It didn't sound believable to you. Having Seokjin in a different city would be hard, but tolerable. Having him in another country, miles away from South Korea would grey the world. The gang members beside you must be hurting ten times more. Taehyung and Jimin stopped messing around. It looked like Taehyung's eyes were getting watery to hear this all of a sudden. Seokjin can't leave, but it's his choice in the end to make. Maybe the gang doesn't see it that way though. Here, everyone works together to make a decision. If two members fight, they all sit down to correct the problem. Nothing would ever exclude a member. They made gang a synonym for family.

Jungkook bit his lip to know he had gotten his guess right. He probably didn't think it would this drastic. Maybe just something having to do with money. Why couldn't it be money? No, now you were being selfish. Hoseok wasn't trying to smile through this. Namjoon wanted to be calm and as rational as possible. Yoongi had an unreadable expression that was slowly growing dark. You didn't want to react just yet. He hasn't even made a decision for it. He was just telling the gang the information he was given. Seokjin is telling them so they could all discuss it together. There's nothing that this gang doesn't do together. They're stuck like glue.

"They'd be paying for it," Seokjin stayed, twiddling with his fingers.

"Did you tell them you would think about it?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.

"I already gave them my answer." Seokjin swallowed hard as Yoongi's fist tightened. "I said okay."    

Chapter Text

Ch.49

He gave them an answer already? Why in the world would he do that!? Going to Australia is such a big deal! Your mouth gaped open as Seokjin tried to confidently look his members in the eyes. He wanted them to understand without a problem. It was hard to believe this was happening. This was already causing a problem inside you. You looked over at the other members as the air changed. It felt suffocating to be in the warehouse despite the space being huge. The first year boys frowned, their eyes gloomy and face showing obvious hurt. Things with the gang were changing now that the third years weren't going to be in high school anymore. They're becoming adults now. Making their own decisions about their future.

A large part of you wanted to question Seokjin's actions, but why? He had the right to say yes. It's his future and he wants to become a model. You told him to accept. He knows you're supportive of him and you can't take that back just because he has to go far away. Seokjin will have to do what he needs to in order to complete his dreams. Namjoon's lips parted, but he was speechless like Hoseok. Hoseok swallowed hard and stared down at the ground. A bird was leaving the nest, but Yoongi didn't like that. Just because he has wings doesn't mean he has to fly. Yoongi glared at Seokjin with posion. He gritted his teeth and couldn't believe what he was hearing from his best friend.

The emotional side of you wanted to question why he did that without telling you guys first. Granted, most of the members would try to talk him out of it. They would convince him to go to another agency if he wants to be a model. Taehyung walked over to Hoseok, digging his head into his hyung's chest. Namjoon was saddened to see the first year broken hearted like that. Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung were taking this the hardest. Their plans were to stay with the gang. To keep this family forever and now one wants to leave. What if that makes the others go too and destroys the family? Seokjin frowned to see this as the reactions.

"Don't cry, Taehyung." Seokjin sighed.

"I'm not crying. I'm disappointed," Taehyung mumbled. Namjoon squeezed the boy's shoulder to cheer him up.

"Seokjin...why didn't you bring it up before giving an answer?" Namjoon furrowed his brows. "We usually make big decisions together. We're a family."

"I know, but Namjoon, I'm older than all of you." Seokjin crossed his arms. "I have to make my own decisions about my future. The gang isn't going to last forever and that's the sad reality."

"So just because you're older you think you can hurt the people who care about you?" Yoongi growled. Seokjin's eyed widened to hear this sudden comment. Jungkook and Jimin gave each other worried stares. The third years might start a giant fight over this. It's only going to tear apart the gang even further.

"That's not what I'm saying at all!" Seokjin stomped his foot.

"No, it is!" Yoongi nodded his head. "You can get f*cking lost, alright? Glad to know it's that easy to throw us away." The blue hair turned around.

"Min Yoongi!" Namjoon shouted. "Let's talk about this!"

"There's nothing left to talk about. Didn't you hear?" Yoongi scoffed. The leader shook his head as Seokjin brought his hands to his hair.

"Don't just leave. You think I'm not sad to hear this? Look at how Taehyung is handling this." Namjoon reasoned, making the third year turn around.

"And yet Seokjin is still going to Australia. He doesn't care about us," Yoongi said bitterly. Hoseok patted Taehyung who finally turned around to face everyone. His eyes didn't glow as bright as they typically did.

"I do care! Stop saying that bullsh*t! How can you say that I don't care about you guys!?" Seokjin shouted in outrage.

His voice grew shaky as he yelled at his friend. The one who's supposed to understand what he's going through and be supportive. Yoongi tightened his fists, making his knuckles go milky white. He didn't care to hear anymore from the black hair. All he wanted was for things to stay the same. It's not that Yoongi hated change, he only wanted things his way. Seokjin marched towards Yoongi, looking him straight in the eye. All the members in the room stopped speaking. They wouldn't interfere anymore. It felt like you had to give them privacy for how personal their conversation was.

"I took a bullet for you...I was the first to forgive you for when you literally betrayed us...and you're telling me this?" A tear fell down Seokjin's cheek. He scoffed in disbelief to hear only silence on his friend's part. Not talking anymore? "You got me into the gang. The gang made me feel like I'm an actual human. Not an object to get gawked at or yelled at."

"Then why are you leaving? If things were so good?" Yoongi asked in a quiet voice.

"Because it's time." Seokjin took in a breath. "I have to feel like a human all the time. Not just when I'm with you guys."

"I'm suffering too," Yoongi spoke through gritted teeth. "If you leave, things won't be okay anymore."

"Yoongi, please...and to everyone here. I want you all to understand." Seokjin looked around.

With a heavy heart, you nodded softly. Namjoon and Hoseok didn't say anything. They continued to comfort Taehyung who was sniffling at this point. He was quietly crying now and Namjoon pulled him into a tight hug. Jimin tugged at his long sleeves, standing awkwardly and not knowing how to respond. No one else seemed accepting except for Jungkook. He stood with a gentle expression, nodding his head to his hyung's words. The two of you were ready to let go even if it hurt a lot. Yoongi wouldn't budge no matter what. Seeing Seokjin plead only made Yoongi scowl.

"You should've just let the bullet hit me if this was how you were going to end things." Yoongi huffed. Gasping softly at that, you were shocked. Seokjin didn't take that well. His sad expression changed. His face grew slightly red and his eyes weren't soft anymore.

"You're the one who doesn't care!" Seokjin grabbed Yoongi's shirt. "You're too f*cked up from your past to understand this for me!"

"I'm not f*cked up!" Yoongi clawed Seokjin's hands off. "Don't f*cking call me that!"

"It's true. Face it." Seokjin growled. "What would your brother think to see you like this? It's like you haven't cha—"

"NO!" Yoongi pushed the black hair onto the floor. Namjoon looked at Jungkook to handle the situation from escalating. Hoseok immediately jumped off the stage to stop this. Taehyung wasn't crying anymore, but still shivering. Namjoon held the boy tight as Jimin took a few steps back from the fight. "You're lucky you didn't say his name, you sh*t."

"Go back to that d*mn trailer! Maybe you'll learn some manners!" Seokjin got up, pushing past Hoseok to punch the blue hair. Yoongi moved, but got his shoulder hit instead. Yoongi grunted and his eyes were now burning into the male across from him.

"Just wait until you become exactly like your father." Yoongi tried throwing a hit.

His arm was held back by Jungkook who was starting to restrain the third year. Yoongi shouted wildly to be let go of, but Jungkook didn't listen. He forced his hyung down on the floor with his hands behind his back. Seokjin was panting heavily, furious to hear that come out of his best friend's mouth. The eldest started to run with a fist, only to get tackled down by Hoseok. The red head did his best to keep the struggling male under control. At that moment, Namjoon ordered Jimin to help the second year. You were covering your mouth with your hand to witness all of this.

"They don't mean what they said..." You frowned.

"They know that too." Namjoon glanced down at Taehyung. The silver haired boy had red eyes and refused to see his hyungs fighting. "I suggest you go home, (F/n)."

"No way. We're going to stay here and fix the problem," You said stubbornly.

"I'm afraid this isn't a problem we can fix in one day..." Namjoon sighed. "I have my own thoughts on the situation. What I do know for certain is that I don't want them forming a new enemy and losing a brother at the same time."

"I don't know exactly what has gone down in their personal lives, but I want to help anyway." You looked Namjoon in the eyes.

"I know and thank you. For now, give them some time to cool down." Namjoon sighed at your persistence.

He gave Taehyung one last hug before walking over to the two third-years wriggling on the ground. He gazed at them in disappointment but pushed aside most of his personal feelings. Namjoon wanted to be a leader right now. The person the gang always listened to. You felt defeated as you watched Namjoon telling the boys what was going to happen. Seokjin would be brought home by Hoseok and Jimin right away. Jungkook will keep Yoongi's hostility under control. Namjoon's job will probably be to get them to forgive each other, but much later. They needed time and you understood that, but school is going to end in literally two weeks. They really don't have much time left.

It physically hurt you to imagine Seokjin going to Australia with some hatred in his heart. Their words were cruel to each other somehow. They've never filled you in so you weren't aware of what they meant. All you knew was that Seokjin hated both of his parents. Jimin and Hoseok brought Seokjin up to his feet. They didn't give him time to glare at Yoongi or say anything else. They dragged the member out to take him home. You hated this. That's when you felt something tug at your jacket. Turning to your side quickly, Taehyung stared at you with big eyes. They left you breathless from how much emotion was in them.

While Namjoon tried to calm down Yoongi, Taehyung whispered the address of Seokjin's house. He told you that it was important to talk to him tonight. At first, you didn't know what to say, but Taehyung said he trusted you and that you were capable of fixing this. How? He had faith in you, but you didn't have the slightest clue in how to get them to be friends again. Talking it out could help, but Yoongi needed to be there for it. They have to lay out all their emotions on the table without getting angry at each other. Yoongi stopped screaming and moving. He laid still with Jungkook's knee on his back. Namjoon stood up with another heavy sigh.

Taehyung told you to not tell anyone what he had just told you. It was supposed to be kept a secret. This mission is only something you can handle. Nervously agreeing, Taehyung smiled softly to hear that. He wrapped his arms around you and whispered another piece of information. Don't go inside Seokjin's house. The boy pulled away to walk over to Jungkook. That sounded very ominous. How bad was his home life? Taehyung pushed Jungkook off Yoongi without speaking a word to anyone. Yoongi pushed himself up, growling until Taehyung shook his head. The blue hair quit acting like a wild animal and watched the first year move sluggishly to the back room. You'll make things right for him. Hopefully Seokjin will listen.

*~*

Namjoon didn't say much to Yoongi after he was freed. Jungkook made sure to keep a watchful eye on the third year. It's not like he was going to randomly become violent on the other members but did it to make Yoongi calm down faster if he knew their would be consequences. Taehyung didn't leave the backroom, so you decided to take Namjoon's suggestion to go home. That's actually what you did. Going to Seokjin's place right away would be a mistake. It was still possible to run into Jimin and Hoseok. He also needed at least two hours to reflect. Seokjin won't be able to push away his feelings for that long. He's going have to breathe and get his thoughts together.

The sun was setting by the time you walked all the way over to Seokjin's house. You prepared a few things to say to him. The last thing you wanted was for him to get mad at you too. Two weeks kept haunting you. That should be enough time to fix a friendship, right? It made you wish Yoongi could be as forgiving as Taehyung. Then you remembered Seokjin's advice that he gave you about your sister. Forgive only the people who deserve it. Oh boy, this is going to be fun. When you made it to his house, you saw the black truck in the drive way. The front lawn had dying grass and the house looked not just drained of color, but of life. Not the homiest setting.

Taking a deep breath for courage, you went up to his front door and knocked. Please let Seokjin be the one to answer. You don't know what you'll do if you meet his 'bad' parents. Biting your lip, you waited patiently to hear nothing inside. He has to be inside. Then your heart almost stopped when you heard a few clicks behind the door. It began to open and Seokjin's handsome face poked out. He still looked like he was having a tough time. As soon as his recognized it was you on his front door, he immediately had a mixture of shock and anger on his face. You didn't even have to say a word to get him mad at you. Taehyung will know you tried. You're nosey and persistent. Let them get mad at you, but not at sweet Taehyung for not wanting his hyungs to fight.

"(F/n)!?" Seokjin shouted before lowering his voice to a furious whisper, "What are you doing here!?"

"Seokjin oppa!" You smiled as sweetly as you could. He was bewildered by your presence and didn't know exactly how to react. Seokjin opened his mouth, but nothing came out. That's when you heard a grumpy shout from an older man. It made the elder boy growl. He glared at you, stepping out of his house to shut the door. "C'mon, we're talking outside."

"Okay." You nodded as he roughly took your hand.

He quickly took you away from his side of the neighborhood. It felt like he was going to try to take the two of you out of Korea just to talk. It's a good thing he didn't tell you to come inside. It sounded terrifying the moment Taehyung told you not to enter and when you heard that drunken shout. Seokjin stopped dragging you and dropped your hand. He faced you now with his nostrils flaring. You nervously smiled, rubbing your wrist that was finally receiving proper blood circulation again. Someone is not getting called oppa any time soon again. The two of you stood in not the best lit street. Not a single light was on in the houses. It was like the whole street was gone to leave some privacy for you and Seokjin.

"Who the hell told you where I lived? Why the f*ck would you come?" Seokjin growled.

"I came because I wanted to talk to you about your fight with Yoongi," You said. He rolled his eyes at that, growing annoyed with the fact that he has to deal with you. "Have you not cooled down?"

"Look, I just think you shouldn't get yourself involved in this." Seokjin put his hand on the back of his neck.

"...I'm going to be honest with you." You twiddled with your fingers. He didn't hesitate to glare at you again. He expected you to tell him not to go to Australia or to just say sorry and forgive Yoongi. That wasn't the case. "I'm going to miss you a lot when you go."

"Oh..." Seokjin let his walls down. He wasn't as defensive and blushed lightly, scratching his neck now. "I'll miss you too..."

"I'm happy that you're following through with your dreams. I'm sure you understand why most of the members are hurt though." You took a step closer to him.

"Yeah." He sighed. "I didn't want them to stop me. It's selfish and reckless, but...I needed to do this. I have to let the gang go."

"I'm sure with time all the members will understand that." You nodded. "But, you can't just rely on time to fix what happened between you and Yoongi."

"Jesus, (F/n), let me take you home." Seokjin patted himself for his keys. "D*mn it, I left them at home."

"I'm not going home." You crossed your arms tightly. They all keep trying to send you home! This is seriously getting on your nerves. Do they not consider you close enough to be here with them? You've done more than enough to prove you're worthy of their trust. "Seokjin, we're talking tonight."

"I'm not gonna talk about him," Seokjin objected. Despite being the oldest, he sounded like a child.

"You care about Yoongi. There's no way you would ever want to hurt him on purpose. Especially the gang," You stated.

"Try getting him to understand that." Seokjin avoided facing your body. If you tried making him look you in the eyes, he would only turn away.

"Seokjin, school ends in two weeks now. Don't let your relationship with the gang end like this," You pleaded.

"Did Namjoon send you? It doesn't sound like him though..." Seokjin furrowed his brows.

"What did I tell you? I came here to help you figure things out." You forced him to look at you. You grabbed the sides of Seokjin's face and made him bend down to your eye level. "Tell me you want to make things right with Yoongi. Of course, you're mad. He said some rude things, but he's your best friend. You guys can't throw that away all of a sudden."

"...Yoongi doesn't care about me anymore." Seokjin pulled your hands gently off.

"What? He does! He can't just dro—" You said undoubtfully, but Seokjin shook his head.

"No, Yoongi is not like us." He looked to the side. "He'll do what he can to survive. Sure, he considered me family but not anymore. Yoongi is done with me."

"Why do you say that? He's still human!" You countered.

"Barely." Seokjin chuckled. "I tried talking to him earlier. You saw that he won't listen."

"Try again! I'll help get Yoongi to understand!" You insisted as Seokjin stared at you with tired eyes.

"Drop it, (F/n)." Seokjin started walking back in the direction of his house. "I'm not going to force this. Yoongi doesn't want to see me. I'm going to Australia and that's final."

"Please don't go to Australia like this! Seokjin—!" You ran after him only for him to turn around abruptly. You bumped into his chest and he leaned down to your face with a mean look. Seokjin was usually warm, but he managed to make everything about him cold whenever he wanted.

"Do you still have a crush on me? Do you think I'll like you back if you fix my friendship?" He asked with disgust in his voice. You were taken aback to hear that. You never imagined he could be so cruel. "Because I don't like girls like that. I don't owe you anything."

"N-No!" You barked only to have him chuckle darkly. "I wouldn't have a crush on a literal child!"

"Child?" Seokjin straightened his back, towering over your smaller form. He brought his hand up, his thumb on your chin. "Sweetie, there are so many things that I could teach you about being an adult."

"Don't be like that." You smacked his hand away. "Don't treat me cruelly only to get your way. You're someone people can consider beautiful both inside and outside. Don't let the inside rot because of your pride."

"..." Seokjin frowned as you shook off any emotions. No tears are allowed tonight. You're not going to make Seokjin hate you too tonight either.

"Think harder about this. I'm not stopping you from going to Australia and Yoongi didn't say those things because he wanted to hurt you." You pursed your lips. "He was hurt himself."

"Do you need me to drive you home?" Seokjin asked, his eyes on the ground.

"No. I'm not feeling sleepy." You sighed, making the decision to be nosier tonight. Unnie won't be home until past midnight. You had time to make a quick stop at the warehouse. Seokjin lifted his head, cocking up a brow to hear that. "I still have some work to do."

"...I'm sorry. I didn't..." Seokjin sighed in frustration, shoving both his hands in his back pockets. You smiled softly at him and went to hug the struggling male. You had seen him snap like this before with Hoseok's parents. Seokjin stiffened up to feel you wrapping your arms around him but loosened up. He took out his hands and hugged you back. Seokjin muttered sweetly for you to be safe out here on the streets and you told him that you got this. He doesn't have to worry about you.

The two of you parted ways at that moment. Seokjin made sure to tell you to never come back to his home again. That was a little frightening, but you agreed since he was so serious. Then he left a little less angry from when you first chatted to him. The broad-shouldered male walked off and you began running towards the warehouse. It wasn't too far, so you figured you'd be safe. Creeps occasionally linger, but Jimin taught you a few taekwondo moves that he knew. Apparently, Jungkook taught him some when they first joined the gang. The air was cold but running gave your body enough warmth to survive.

Running onto the street of the warehouse, you smiled to see the building within sight. Yoongi lives in the warehouse so he has to be there. He might not want to talk about Seokjin, but you're going to make him. Okay, he definitely won't want to talk about Seokjin. He's just going to have to deal with it though. You made sure to toughen yourself up before entering the warehouse. He's going to throw a bunch of insults at you and tear you to shreds with his venom like words. This is for Taehyung so it's going to be worth it. You'll take anything cruel for your friends.

The moment you entered the warehouse, you didn't spot Yoongi right away. He was up on the stage, putting away some dish he used. The blue hair looked exhausted and ready to just fall asleep. Biting your lip, you walked closer to the couch as he yawned. He didn't notice you come inside the building. You'll be like a little surprise, but you doubt he'll like it. Yoongi cracked his back and started making his way to the couch. As he did that, he found you standing near it with a smile on your face. That instantly made him scoff, annoyed that you showed up. His glare was strong, and you had to pout. Weren't the two of you getting along now?

"Yoongi, what's with that face?" You whined.

"I don't want you here." He huffed, walking over to the couch.

"Well, I had you in my home! What's so wrong about me being here?" You asked as he fell onto the couch.

"I was using your kindness." He kicked up his legs on the coffee table.

"No, you needed a friend." You sat down next to him. Yoongi told you to go away, but you just ignored that. "And now you have them back except you're throwing someone special away."

"I'm calling Namjoon to take you home." Yoongi pulled out his phone.

Again with home! You're so done with that. You tried stealing his phone away, but he wouldn't let you take it. Somehow you got a hold of it, but he still had a strong grip. The two of you were tugging back and forth until he finally won. Instead of calling, he texted the leader about an unwanted guest at the warehouse. You frowned, knowing you had less time to talk things out with him. Now that your time is limited, you can't ease him into the conversation. That would take an hour and Namjoon is going to arrive here on bike. That leaves you with about thirty minutes, so you better make the most of this.

"What is with your obsession of keeping the gang together forever?" You went out with it. "Didn't you improve on that when telling the others that Jimin dances?"

"...it's just dancing. He's not trying to leave to pursue it anymore," Yoongi grumbled. "That black haired idiot is."

"But doesn't he deserve the right to decide when he leaves or not?" You tilted your head.

"Not now!" Yoongi shouted. "That f*ck said he was going to stay with the gang. He lied."

"Don't you lie?" You questioned to get a sharp glare from him. He didn't like getting all these questions thrown at him. Especially from you.

"For sh*ts and giggles or to save my @ss. Why are you here of all places?" Yoongi scoffed. "What? Are you lonely? Had another fight with your sister?"

"Luckily, I'm doing just fine. Thanks for asking." You chuckled. "I came here to check up on you since you're my friend after all. I want to make sure you cooled down and are thinking about what you're going to say to Seokjin the next time you see him."

"We're not friends and I'm not seeing him ever again." Yoongi growled.

"We're friends." You booped his nose, only for the male to quickly clutch your wrist tightly. He didn't appreciate your affection. It was to be expected, but you wanted to see if it would cause any change in him. "Namjoon and the others are going to make you see him and talk it out."

"Forget about them." Yoongi shoved you down on the couch. Grunting, you struggled as Yoongi began to straddle you. He had you trapped under him. This time you weren't afraid that he'd do anything. He's just trying to be a jerk and avoid the questions. "You came here for a better reason, huh?"

"Seokjin is your best friend, alright? You're a person. The two of you have a bond that can't be destroyed just like that," You said, "Seokjin has done so much for you and you know what you did for him the night I was kidnapped."

"Shut up about him and moan my name." Yoongi lowered himself down on your body. This was getting uncomfortable. You refused to let him kiss you and turned your head to the side to avoid that situation. No more kisses for you. That didn't stop him though as a new idea came in mind. His lips grazed against your neck, tickling your skin. Goosebumps covered your body to feel his hot breath. This was too intimate. "Don't tell them you got these hickeys from me." His mouth pressed against your neck and he barely sucked for a second, making you panic to the extreme.

"What did he mean by the trailer!?" You squeaked, making him stop all his actions. Yoongi lifted himself away from your face with the darkest expression on his face you've ever seen. Not even the one he gave Myon was like this. He stopped restraining your wrists with his hands. Yoongi was about to choke you until you quickly asked him about his brother. Now he wasn't moving anymore.

"...I don't want to talk about it," Yoongi spoke softly. He looked hurt now. Like a broken human who wasn't putting up this tough and rude exterior anymore. Just like the Yoongi you used to talk to late at night in your apartment. "And you don't need to know."

"I can't believe you actually did that." You wiped your neck clean of his saliva.

"Want me to continue?" He joked with a smirk.

"I will kick, you know where." You glared at him.

"I bet." He nodded but didn't get off of you. He was still straddling you and just sat comfortably. How kind of him. The glares weren't doing a thing. He only went back to restraining your wrists but wasn't leaning down to your face anymore. "Seokjin isn't a part of my family anymore, (F/n). You have a better chance of being my girlfriend than that."

"I'll never become your girlfriend, so he has a better chance." You gave him a fake smile.

"I can make you want me," Yoongi said confidently.

"I don't fall for boys easily anymore." You grinned to get an amused chuckle out of him.

"So you learned your lesson?" He tilted his head.

"I already did from your cruel and unusual punishments." You smirked to see him nod. "So please think about what I said. Not only do Seokjin and you need to make things right for yourselves, but for the whole gang. You guys are a family."

"Cute..." Yoongi sighed as he lifted his head up with a giant smile. "Hey Namjoon! You're finally here."

Your eyes widened to hear that. Yoongi still had you trapped under him and this was the worst situation to be found in. He purposely did this. Gosh, Yoongi is so mean like that. Wriggling underneath him, he laughed as you finally crawled away. Freedom! As soon as you escaped, your eyes met with Namjoon's. He was standing nearby with a shocked expression. His mouth was open and he was blinking repeatedly to make sure what he saw was real. Blushing furiously, you smacked Yoongi's arm and stood up. Home sounded nice now, thank you very much! That blue haired rude boy only laughed as Namjoon took you out of the warehouse awkwardly.

Hopefully he didn't get the wrong idea but it's kind of hard not too after seeing something like that. It wasn't even possible to make up an innocent lie. The only way was the truth. Your name had to be cleared up. There's no way you had a sexual relationship with Yoongi in secret. Namjoon had to believe you on that. Namjoon coughed as he brought you to his bicycle. The two of you didn't get on and only stood there in the dark. Yoongi was probably already dreaming of a sweet candy land right now. That little punk is definitely getting kicked next time you see him.

"So—"

"Yoongi did that to be mean!" You interrupted Namjoon. He was stunned and took in a deep breath.

"What?" He furrowed his brows.

"He acts sexually around me only when he wants to avoid answering questions, be rude, or just for fun." You sighed heavily. "Not the first time."

"...do you want me to talk to him? Why the hell is he doing that?" Namjoon turned to the warehouse with a spark of anger in his eyes. You placed your hand on his shoulder and shook your head.

"It's fine." You shrugged, but he didn't like that.

"I get Yoongi has issues but this...just to be rude?" Namjoon huffed in disbelief. You frowned to see him getting upset with the third year. Here you go again, defending the boy who mainly treats you like trash.

"To be fair, I asked him to forgive Seokjin. And about what Seokjin meant with the trailer and his brother." You looked down at your feet. Namjoon was quiet for some time.

"I told you not to intervene," He stated right away.

"I know!" You groaned.

"And asking him about those two things wasn't a good idea. They're touchy subjects." Namjoon pursed his lips. "Only Yoongi can tell you what they mean if he ever chooses to."

"I doubt that, but that doesn't matter." You shook your head. "Namjoon, I really want them to patch things up before they graduate. Two weeks of school are left!"

"(F/n)...I'm worried too and we'll do as much as we can." Namjoon petted your head. "You just can't force it in the end. They're the ones who have to make up."

"And do you like Seokjin going to Australia?" You asked as Namjoon sat down on his bike.

"...I hate it, but what can I do?" Namjoon admitted in a weak voice. "C'mon, let me take you home now."

"Alright." You gave in and sat on the back of his bike. Wrapping your arms around his waist, he began to peddle softly.

"Everything will turn out okay. Trust me." Namjoon's grip tightened on the handle bars. Snuggling your face against the back of his warm sweater, that let him know that you did indeed trust him full heartedly. It has to turn out okay.

Chapter Text

Ch.50

Today you were awakened by a flood of texts. They all came from Taehyung who wanted you to come over to his house after school. School was going to start in about two hours. He woke you up before your alarm clock. You sluggishly replied that you would. It'll give the two of you some privacy and you'll get to tell him all the progress you've gotten. Nothing seemed to work with Yoongi, but you believe you got Seokjin to think about it. Maybe the slightest bit with Yoongi. It's hard to tell when he's like that. Namjoon protectively told you that he'd have a talk with Yoongi. It wasn't necessary, but he was set on talking to his hyung about it.

It'll be embarrassing at school today. And it was. Yoongi purposely didn't look you in the eye at all. Seokjin sat on the opposite side of Yoongi, not expecting him to show up for lunch. He thought Yoongi would run to the bathroom again. That wasn't the case since Yoongi felt it was Seokjin who should have been gone. The eldest isn't a part of the gang to him. Lunch and after school was awkward. Jungkook and Jimin didn't say much the whole day. Namjoon tried to ease down the tension and avoid the topic of the fight. Hoseok made himself act cheerier and happier than usual to influence his other members. That must be tiring to ignore your feelings for the sake of other's.

Taehyung didn't talk to you at school. He did keep giving you secret glances though and smiled when you looked back at him. When school ended, Yoongi didn't speak a word to the other members. He was walking over to the warehouse. Where else? Jungkook and Jimin frowned, looking at the blue hair and then at the rest. They made the decision to follow Yoongi while Seokjin didn't care. He was going to drive Namjoon and Hoseok home. He offered the same to you and Taehyung. Seokjin didn't keep eye contact with you for that long. Though his offer was kind, Taehyung declined for you. The elder members didn't think much of it and left.

From there, Taehyung told you to just follow him home. He didn't talk to you about the third years during the walk. He only went on about his day and you listened. Bringing up the older boys will be for later. For now, you'll listen to Taehyung retelling the moment he told Mr. Pyo that he was Pyo Taehyung. That made the math teacher boil, but he didn't say a word. He let the silver haired boy goof off in his class. All his jokes were calmer today and he didn't disrupt as much. Even students kept turning around to see if he'd make another joke. Jungkook gave you a worried glance and you wanted to tell him that you'd fix it. That's what you hope for at least.

Taehyung then told you to stay outside of his house. He had to do something really quick and then he would bring you in. Awkwardly agreeing, he ran inside to do whatever. Staring at the house he lived in, it definitely looked like the nicest house you've seen from all the boys. It looked relatively huge. There was even a small pond in front of the porch. The house was mainly cream colored with some white. Going up the steps to the front door, you continued taking a look around at the lovely house. That's when the door opened, and you thought Taehyung would be giving you his box smile, but there was no one there. A ghost?

"Are you hyung's girlfriend?" A voice asked which made you jump. That's when you saw two small boys in front of you. One was taller than the other. They both eyed you with a lot of curiosity.

"O-Oh! You scared me there." You chuckled and shook your head. "I'm just his friend. Are you his younger brothers?"

"I'm Gisu!" The taller boy said.

"Hojun..." The smaller one quietly added.

"Are you shy?" You crouched down to be less intimidating. After all, you're a stranger to them who's saying you know their older brother.

"He gets shy around pretty girls." Gisu smirked to get smacked from Hojun.

"That's kind of you." You grinned, petting Hojun who softly smiled. "Just don't hit your brother, okay?"

"Okay!" Hojun nodded enthusiastically.

"Who's at the door!?" An old voice shouted.

Immediately, you stood up and straightened your back. Looks like you're meeting the whole family today. Where did Taehyung even go and what is taking him so long? Hojun opened the door wider to reveal yourself to an older woman. She had a slightly hunched back but walked perfectly fine. Her skin was wrinkly with a few liver spots on her cheeks. Her greying hair was tied in a tight bun. She eyed you up and down with confusion. Instead of asking you for an introduction, she turned to the two boys for answers.

"Why'd you open the door for a stranger? Who is she?" She scolded.

"Halmeoni, she said she's a friend of hyung's," Gisu said. So she's Taehyung's grandma. Did he live with them instead of his parents? His parents were probably working in another town just like yours. It's pretty common.

"A friend?" Grandma raised a suspicious brow at you. "How long have you known my grandson?"

"For most of the school year," You answered, bowing your head down. "Hello, I'm Kwon (F/n). A first year at SuChin."

"Hm, I see." Grandma nodded and looked down the hall to hear a door open.

Coming out was Taehyung in comfortable clothing that kind of looked expensive. His eyes widened to see you already in the house with his family members around you. That boy took too long. Gisu told you to take off your shoes and so you did. Switching into the slippers Hojun gave you, you thanked them and came inside. Taehyung nervously smiled as he came over between you and his grandma. His two siblings snickered behind his back, waiting for him to get scolded.

"Halmeoni, I see you've met my friend (F/n)." Taehyung faced the older woman who let out a chuckle.

"You didn't tell me you were bringing a guest over. Especially a girl." She leaned in to say the last words. "Ha, you better not be lying to me about her being a friend."

"They're dating!" Gisu shouted. Hojun then started making kissing sounds that made Taehyung turn around with a flushed expression.

"Cut it out!" Taehyung put his hands on his hips. "You're being disrespectful to (F/n)."

"Can we call her noona?" Hojun smiled at you.

"Of course." You grinned back at him.

"We'll be in my room now." Taehyung motioned you to follow him. As you did so, his little siblings kept snickering.

"Leave the door open!" Grandma shouted as Taehyung's face grew redder.

"Halmeoni, we're friends." Taehyung pouted.

"Why does the door have to be open?" Hojun asked as Gisu giggled.

"You'll learn when you get older." Gisu smirked, making both Taehyung and Hojun upset.

"How do you know what that means?" Taehyung eyed his brother suspiciously.

"I don't." Gisu winked. How old is he?

Taehyung shut the door anyways. He told everyone the two of you were friends for the last time and you felt like you were in Namjoon's house. This experience was all too familiar. Grandma didn't say a thing when he closed the door. She only hummed lightly, going back outside to the garden. The first year shook his head at his relative's behavior as you sat down on his bed. Did he actually change out of his uniform to get in that outfit? Setting down your bag, you chuckled to see this side of Taehyung. It's interesting seeing him out of school mode and gang mode. Now you've met some of his family and they all appeared extremely friendly. Nothing showed you signs that he had anything against his parents. Then again, you don't quite know that yet.

Taehyung sighed as he sat down on his bed. His room was different from Jungkook's. The maknae's room was small, dark, but completely showed what type of person Jungkook is. He made his room his home and everything in there was his. Everything outside of his room felt like a whole new world meanwhile Taehyung's room matched the house. The floor was wooden and so was everything in his room. The desk, wardrobe, table. He even had a plant near a connected bathroom. It felt calming just to sit in this room. Taehyung grabbed your bag and placed it on a hook hanging on another door.

"What's that door for?" You asked since one already led to the hall and one to his own private bathroom.

"My closet! It's not a walk in though which is kind of disappointing." Taehyung sighed. "I have a lot of clothes."

"Yeah, what is that outfit you're wearing? You look great but that's what you left me outside for?" You couldn't help but giggle. It sounded ridiculous saying it outloud. Taehyung was completely serious though.

"It's Gucci. I like to collect it even though I can't have much of it. It'll make my grandparents suspicious which stinks." Taehyung sat down on his bed. "And I had to change out of that uniform. I wanted you to get a good impression of me in my house since this your first time over."

"Thanks for caring. I wish I was out of my uniform." You looked down at your plaid skirt. It wasn't the ugliest thing on earth, but you'd prefer your casual clothes any day.

"Want me to buy you Gucci?" Taehyung bounced on his bed.

"What? No, I'm fine." You shook your head. He looked slightly disappointed, but you didn't want him wasting his money on you. He should be spending his money wisely. Gotta set a good example for those younger brothers of his. They were quite cute and looked really fond of their older bother despite teasing him about you. Taehyung then lit a scented candle before turning to face you again. A little strange, but you didn't mind it. These occasional weird habits of his were charming since he wasn't afraid to be himself. "So you have two younger brothers?"

"I do. The twins live here with me while my older sister lives with my aunt. She's going to be entering college soon." Taehyung grinned as your eyes widened.

"They're twins? And you have an older sister?" You tilted your head.

"Technically Gisu is in fifth grade and Hojun is in first grade. I just like to call them that." Taehyung shrugged. "And yeah, my sister is like two years older than me. She trusted me to take care of the twins and not rely on my grandparents so much."

"That's good. Do your parents work in a different town?" You asked, hoping to not touch a nerve. In the end, you did. Something in bright Taehyung's eyes grew a little dark, but he wouldn't let it completely take over. Instead, the boy smiled strong and it reminded you of Hoseok.

"Both my parents aren't alive anymore." He smiled softly. "And don't feel bad or say sorry. Everything's okay. I'm over it now and so are my siblings."

"...I see. Well, how about the Seokjin and Yoongi situation?" You bit your lip.

This time Taehyung let himself frown. He didn't force a smile on his face or pretended to act strong. From the day the fight happened, he was the most affected by it. He was not only hurt by Seokjin suddeny deciding to leave, but also the fact that two of his hyungs completely lost it at each other. You didn't know how he completely felt, but you could sympathize. It was hard watching the two best friends fight. Especially talking to them now was hard. Seokjin didn't believe Yoongi cared to forgive him so he was giving up. Then Yoongi is too much of a stubborn b*tch. You'll get through to him. Somehow.

The silver haired boy crossed his legs on his bed. He became very soft spoken at that moment. As if he were any louder, it would hurt him. Taehyung asked you if you went to Seokjin's house to do the job. He wanted the problem fixed right away. Opposite of what Namjoon—the guy he admired so much—wanted. Namjoon was going based off timing and being tactical. Taehyung asked you to handle this out of emotion from the heart. That spoke to you more. The two of you were here for each other whenever it came to something troubling. If there was something you didn't feel comfortable letting the other members know then Taehyung was the friend to talk to. He was your age and it was easy to let your walls down with him.

Taehyung was the first to learn about the rumors, he confided in you when worried about Namjoon's leadership, and now this. The two of you were closer than most people would think. That's why you had to see Seokjin and talk to Yoongi. So that's what you told the worried boy. Everything that happened with Seokjin and with Yoongi. Of course, you didn't quite mention the time both boys basically implied sex or were going for it. All you told him was their current thoughts on the matter and how they took it when you spoke to them. Taehyung was immediately grateful that you not only talked to the eldest member, but the angriest member for him.

"I'm sorry for bothering you. I just want them to be friends again but I can't bring myself to be brave enough to talk to them myself." Taehyung looked down at his lap.

"Anything for you, Taehyung. I'm not bothered at all." You took his hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "I want the third years to realize what they'd be losing if they don't talk it out too."

"Yeah...I'm also heartbroken that Seokjin hyung wants to leave." Taehyung's eyes went up to the ceiling. "I've known him for as long a I've known the rest of the hyungs. He was there the night I really needed help and I just remember thinking when I first met him...he's really handsome."

"That's what you thought?" You smiled.

"I did. Those little memories mean the world to me." Taehyung's voice became shaky. He took in a breath, trying to control his feelings. "I just want one more year of seeing hyung and thinking he's so handsome. It's dumb, but...I wish I could have one more year. T-This feels so sudden..."

Frowning to see a tear fall down Taehyung's cheek, you couldn't stand to see him like this. He always tried his best to be positive and silly like his other role model, Hoseok. Except Taehyung put his own twist on it with his pure personality. Taehyung quickly buried his sad face into his hands. He whimpered softly, and you had to pull him into a tight hug. He slowly wrapped his arms around you, soaking a spot on your uniform jacket. It didn't matter. You'll let him cry it out since it looked like he was trying not to during lunch. He hated the tension between all the members because of the fight.

"I'm gonna miss Seokjin too, but he wants to go. It sucks." You rubbed his back.

"I want him to be h-happy...but I'm happy w-when we're all together." Taehyung's lip quivered. "I'm selfish for not wanting him to go!"

"No, you're not." You shook your head meanwhile he nodded his head. "Would you let Seokjin see you like this? Tearing yourself down because he wants to go to Australia?"

"N-No." Taehyung sniffled.

"You don't want him going, but you're not stopping him." You lifted up his face to give him a gentle smile. Most of his face was pink and his eyes were puffy. His eyes were still watery, but nothing slid down anymore. "You don't want Seokjin to see you like this because you don't want him to change his mind. That's selfless to me."

"D-Does that mean Yoongi hyung is the one being s-selfish?" Taehyung took in a shaky breath. He left the bed to walk over to his desk. Grabbing tissues, Taehyung cleaned himself up in front of a mirror.

"Slightly." You shrugged. "I don't think he doesn't want Seokjin happy. Yoongi probably wants Seokjin to follow his dreams and stuff but doesn't want him to leave the gang. I think that's just it."

"I can't imagine ever leaving the gang. I know he feels the same way and Namjoon hyung too," He said.

Taehyung threw away his trash. He came over to the bed again a lot calmer than before. Nodding your head, you had to agree with him. When Yoongi was kicked out of the gang, it looked like his life was over. He came to you incredibly vulnerable and had no idea on what to do. He could barely function like a normal human being. It took a lot of talking to him to make him get comfortable around you and feel somewhat normal without the gang. It made you remember what Yoongi had once said. The other members in the gang could turn off the switch while he couldn't. Maybe now it was actually getting to Yoongi. The fact that the rest of his members could lead normal lives and move on while he was stuck. Now you were starting to understand his case a lot more. You have to talk to Yoongi again.

"Do you think you could leave the gang if you had to?" You asked, glancing at your backpack. You would have to get that back right now if you were going to the warehouse before dark.

"...I hate saying this, but I could." Taehyung sighed. "It would be hard to adjust, but as long as we still stayed friends then it would help. But our eldest members are making that transition quite hard for me."

"Let me talk to Yoongi again. I think I can get through to him." You stood up with absolute confidence. At that exact moment, Hojun opened Taehyung's door with a grin on his face. Taehyung turned to him in surprise. It's a good thing he didn't look like had cried just recently.

"Taehyungie hyung! More of your friends are here." Hojun played with the knob.

"Hojun, remember what I said about manners?" Taehyung raised a brow.

"Oh!" Hojun then knocked twice on the door. "May I come in?"

"What's the point now?" Taehyung laughed. "Who's here?"

"Jimin hyung and Jungkook hyung," Hojun stated as Gisu brought in the two boys. They laughed awkwardly to be holding hands with Gisu until they spotted you. Both of them were shocked to see you in Taehyung's room.

"Thanks for bringing them here, little bud." Taehyung motioned his friends to come in. Hojun and Gisu stood to the side as the boys walked inside. Hojun closed the door as Taehyung smiled at Jimin and Jungkook. Jimin brought over the chair from the desk while Jungkook leaned against the door frame. Taehyung offered to find him a chair, but he declined.

"So? Am I right to guess you guys came for the same reason?" You asked them both. Jimin and Jungkook glanced at each other, sighing in defeat. You were tired of them keeping secrets from you just because you're not in the gang. It's only ever Taehyung and sometimes Jimin who reveal the truth to you. Jungkook on the other hand rarely ever tells you secrets. He barely talks about his feelings and it naturally an introvert. He doesn't talk about himself that much so he doesn't talk about others either. "We have to fix the friendship between the third years."

"Do you have any plans?" Jimin questioned.

"I'm going to talk to Yoongi alone," You said to quickly earn protests.

"You're not going alone. I'm coming as muscle if you go." Jungkook crossed his arms.

"We just came back from the warehouse," Jimin mumbled.

"I have to go alone though, Jungkook. Yoongi trusts me deep down." You frowned.

"Yoongi hyung knows us first years aren't going to betray him," Jungkook countered.

"He had me under control when it came to dancing." Jimin chuckled. "He knows the control he has over us as our hyung and because he can be a bit terrifying at times."

"Well, I helped him let you dance. I think I can get him to make up with Seokjin." You smiled at Jimin who nodded with a smile.

He was still thankful to you for that. Those late-night apartment talks did help. Now you just need to have another one with him. You know that it'll work. Taehyung had a lot of faith in his eyes and Jimin was willing to let you go. The only thing stopping you was Jungkook being a little protective. He had reason to be. Yoongi and you didn't have the best record. Plus, Yoongi did go a little too far last night. Seriously, you were still shocked about that. Namjoon was even furious when he heard about it for the first time.

"Let me come with you. I'll wait outside," Jungkook insisted.

"I think since I'm not in the gang, that's how I can get him to talk." You reasoned. "It's not like he's afraid about me leaving."

"...are you guys okay with Seokjin hyung leaving?" Taehyung stared at his two friends. Jimin sighed while Jungkook pursed his lips. They probably had a lot to say. They never really expressed their opinion about this openly.

"If Seokjin wants to go then he has the right to go." Jungkook shrugged. "I don't know. I respect hyung a lot even if I tease him. I like all my hyungs...I never really thank you guys but...I am happy that you guys became my family when I really had none. And with most families, someone moves out but that doesn't stop them from being a family." Jungkook's eyes fell to the ground as he put his emotions into words. He nervously touched his hair as Jimin and Taehyung began to smile. "I think Seokjin made the right choice to go. So in the future, if one of us wants to leave then we can do so without problems."

"You've gotten really good with your words, Jungkookie! I'm proud." Taehyung grinned, embarrassing the maknae.

"I agree. He's really grown, hasn't he? You're not even an adult yet!" Jimin whined. "Man...you used to act like a child, but you've been through a lot. I'm happy to know you do care about us. Thank you."

"I just tease you guys like a younger sibling does...I d-do care about you guys a lot though." Jungkook chuckled. "It's for fun. What's family for if we can't joke around like that with each other?"

"Kookie is absolutely right. Not just about the teasing, but with Seokjin leaving." Taehyung slowly nodded. "It's tough on me but I know he has to do it too."

"You guys have that feeling as well?" Jimin tilted his head. "Thank goodness. I don't want Seokjin to go since I'll miss him. His jokes too, but I feel like it's important for him."

"So we all agree that Seokjin should go to Australia to be a model in the end?" You question to see them all nod in agreement.

They all smiled at each other, happy to have gotten this talk. That's good. Everyone is on the same page. You could always count on the first years to think just like you. It was easier to relate to them and you guys would always get in the most trouble together. The four of you are quite the troublous pack and you don't think that's going to end any time soon. Standing up to grab your bag off the hook, both Jimin and Taehyung stood up onto their feet. Jungkook pushed himself to block the doorway. This boy. Rolling your eyes playfully, he tried to be stubborn about not letting you go alone.

"Oh come on." You laughed. "We're going to the warehouse together."

"Really?" Jungkook was shocked you gave in so easily.

"All of us." You glanced at Jimin and Taehyung.

They immediately grew smiles reaching from ear to ear. The two high fived each other and stood excitedly behind you. Jungkook soon grinned too, glad to have a team. The four of you would confront Yoongi together. Hopefully, your efforts will get through to him this time. You had a strong feeling that you could get him to become vulnerable if you mentioned the stuff he revealed to you. Not the stuff you knew nothing about like the trailer or his brother. That was dangerous waters like Namjoon told you. Only if he ever wants to. Now you didn't feel such an urge to know everything about the boys. Whatever they're comfortable telling you, that's enough for you.

Jungkook opened the door wide, but Taehyung had to stop the show all of a sudden. He had to change his clothes to go outside. Jimin laughed as Jungkook groaned in annoyance. You left the room to give him privacy to change. According to Jimin, this is very typical of him. Once Taehyung was ready, he came out with another outfit and told his grandma he was going out. The twins whined, asking if they could come. Taehyung handled the kids like a pro instead of just shutting them down with 'next time'. He seemed to be really good with kids. Jungkook and Jimin waved goodbye to the twins and so did you. After Taehyung shut the door to his house, he clapped his hands together and shouted, 'to the warehouse!' at the top of his lungs.

The walk over wasn't planning out points to bring up to Yoongi. Nothing was planned in advance. Not even sentences or little thoughts. The four of you were going to wing it because why not? How much worse can things get? The gang was already falling apart. So instead of thinking negatively or worrying over talking with Yoongi, all of you joked around like the friends you were. As if there wasn't a problem in the world. When times were good like this, the four of you removed all issues from your lives. Whatever was going on didn't matter anymore. Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook helped you keep a genuine smile at rough times. Out of all the members, they made you feel the most a part of the family. They never told you to go home since they felt just as powerless as you. Now it was time to take it a stand.

When you guys reached the warehouse, the laughter died down. The smiles weren't as strong as the boys began to focus. Taehyung and Jimin stayed trailing behind you. Jungkook made attempts to walk right beside you, but you wanted to be the first one seen by Yoongi. He'd know what you came for right away. Stepping inside the warehouse, Yoongi noticed you arriving immediately. He didn't growl in distaste but raised a brow to see the other first years with you. He didn't know if they came here to play around or talk about the fight. Yoongi was originally laying down on the couch with no other members in the warehouse but was now sitting up to see he had company over.

"What are you guys doing here?" Yoongi rubbed his eyes.

"I wanted to see if you thought about what I said last night at all." You walked over to him. The three boys didn't follow to give you some space with the third year. Yoongi rolled his eyes and slouched his back.

"Didn't lunch give you a good idea on where we stand?" Yoongi scoffed.

"That's only because you're a stubborn b*tch who won't talk first." You crossed your arms as he chuckled to hear you call him that. "Seokjin thinks you won't change your mind."

"Well then he's right!" Yoongi groaned.

"Yoongi..." You sat down on the couch with him. "The rest of us first years think the two of you are making a mistake."

"Then why aren't they talking?" Yoongi glared at them. They all froze nervously to suddenly be looked at.

"Because I wanted to talk to you first," You said. "I know you think you're not normal."

"Stop." Yoongi growled.

"You told me this yourself, Yoongi. It's a switch that you can't turn off." You frowned to see him grit his teeth. He didn't make a remark or insult you. He stayed quiet as you felt yourself going down the right path. "I don't know much about your past or Seokjin's, but there's clearly something bothering you."

"You think?" Yoongi nervously glanced at the first years. It confused you on why he would be that way. Maybe you actually knew more about him than the others did.

"What's wrong now?" You furrowed your brows. He leaned closer to your ear with frustration.

"I don't smoke anymore and I'm getting f*cking stressed out right now." Yoongi huffed.

"You don't smoke anymore?" You smiled, speaking quietly. The first years were growing curious but didn't intervene. This was big news! Did the others know already? "So what do you do to get rid of stress now?"

"...Holly." Yoongi slowly pulled out the plushie dog from his blanket. He made sure to still keep it hidden from the others. You smiled to know he still had the dog and he looked well kept too. Yoongi pet the poodle's fur and sighed. "He helps me with a lot of things."

"I'm glad this little guy makes you happy too." You grinned as he blushed.

"Whatever." He looked away.

"Has Holly told you to throw away your pride and think about this?" You asked to get an annoyed expression from him.

"I may not be normal, but I'm not insane." His glare wasn't as strong as it used to be. That means that he's lowering down his walls.

You smirked to know he was letting himself become vulnerable with you again. He told you he wasn't smoking anymore and even brought up Holly. The other members didn't know about Holly, so you felt special. You gave the dog to him and you never would have thought that Holly would become so important to him. Of course, he did threaten to steal Holly if you didn't hand him over. Yoongi hid Holly back in the blanket to make sure his fellow members wouldn't spot the plushie. Maybe he didn't want them thinking he was becoming soft or something.

Your relationship with Yoongi is an interesting one. He doesn't go out of his way to be cruel to you anymore and doesn't make fun of you in front of the others. Only when the two of you are alone does he tease you and show you a side he doesn't show the other members. So far you know he's siller with the gang, but with you he becomes soft if that makes sense. He listened to you cry about his best friend and that still surprises you. Moments like that remind you that he's changed and is making an effort. Yoongi is normal even though he doesn't feel like it all the time.

"You're normal, Yoongi." You grabbed his hand. His skin was cold to the touch and he didn't look you in the eye. "We all don't want Seokjin to go, but he wants to become a model. Shouldn't we support him?"

"But why did he make the decision without us?" Yoongi grumbled. He slowly started to squeeze your hand tighter. "I always thought he'd be with us until the end. That he wouldn't be the first to go."

"Then who would be the first to go?" You asked.

"No one." He shook his head as the first-year boys started to come closer.

Yoongi wasn't paying attention to them. Now that you got him to talk, he didn't even realize they were here. He only saw you and was tired of holding in most of his emotions. Yoongi didn't even know some of the emotions he was feeling inside of him. The blue hair only let anger get the best of him, but the rest were foreign feelings he hated. They made him feel weak and truly broken. The look on the third year's face hurt the boys too. Yoongi squeezed your hand tighter, lowering his head down to let his faded blue bangs cover his eyes. Did he still not want people to leave? You wondered why he was okay with leaving people but not with others doing the same to him.

"That doesn't make sense," You said.

"I don't want anyone to go yet. One-minute Seokjin was telling me he doesn't want to graduate and now he can't wait to get out of the country!" Yoongi gritted his teeth.

"Seokjin might be excited to become a model, but that doesn't mean he won't miss you guys." You began to pet his head with your free hand. "I talked to him. He doesn't want you to be angry with him."

"...I always thought our lives were like parallels," Yoongi admitted as Jungkook and Taehyung took a seat on the coffee table. They glanced at each other, knowing what he was going to talk about. Jimin came over to sit on the other side of Yoongi on the couch. He was careful not to disrupt the conversation. "We both have f*cked up lives. Sort of."

"You felt like you could really connect with him on that?" You tilted your head.

"I mean, my old man wasn't an alcoholic like his." Yoongi scoffed, making your eyes widen. "And at least he know's who his mom is, but hey, both our moms don't want us."

"..." You lips parted in shock. Nothing came out as you looked up to the first-year boys. Taehyung stared down at his lap. Jimin pursed his lips and focused on his hyung while Jungkook noticed your confused gaze. He nodded, confirming Yoongi and Seokjin's home lives.

"And at least his younger sibling is still alive! That lucky f*ck..." Yoongi slowly realized Jimin was sitting next to him. He stared at the blonde with teary eyes. "You're the closest to my brother."

"Remember to breath, Hyung." Jimin gave a soft smile to the third year. That's when Yoongi's grip lessened and you could feel him starting to tremble lightly.

"I think Seokjin has it better than me...his old man is starting to become abusive though, so I know he should run." Yoongi continued to stare at Jimin. "But why not to the warehouse? Why Australia? And why is he leaving his little sister with them?"

"I think, hyung, that Seokjin is trying his best to make life better for him." Jimin sighed. "You know his mom adores his sister. She'd never let Seokjin's dad lay a hand on their daughter."

"What a b*tch." Yoongi groans. "Seokjin doesn't ever do anything wrong and she hates him for no reason..."

"Seokjin hyung is a kind person, Yoongi hyung." Taehyung smiled. "You know that better than anyone. He's always here to protect us and would never hurt you on purpose or any of us."

"He's being strong enough to try and move on. He needs our support." Jungkook watched Yoongi slowly lift his head to face all three of them. "We're all going to have to leave the nest at one point."

"Why didn't he talk to us first though? That's what I don't get!" Yoongi huffed and Jimin helped calm him down.

"Because he's an adult who has to start making his own choices." Jimin had his hand on the blue hair's shoulder. "We can't weigh him down."

"Are you saying that just so you can leave as a dancer?" Yoongi quickly glared.

"No, I'm not. Listen to us." Jimin frowned.

"We're talking to you so you and Seokjin can be happier." You gently squeezed his hand to catch his attention. "We want to see you two hugging each other at graduation."

All the first-year boys nodded in agreement. Everyone wanted to cheer both of them on as they got their diplomas. It sounded so cute to imagine them cleaned up more than usual to get their photos taken. Hoseok has already been talking about dying Yoongi's hair color back to black for him. Yoongi wasn't a fan of the idea since he was still going to be in the gang. Seokjin was already in the clear with his jet-black hair. Jungkook and Taehyung waited for Yoongi to say something. He only began to mumble about how their lives aren't parallels at all. How Seokjin is doing much better than him and how he hates it. Jimin rubbed Yoongi's back as he started to cry.

"It's not fair..." Yoongi's lip quivered. Jimin held his hyung, telling him that he can do better too. They all told him that it was possible for him to move on from the gang life. Yoongi kept disagreeing with everyone. He thought he was too broken to fit in society. He had his quirks, you have to admit that, but he can get a job if he wants.

"You're normal, Yoongi." You continued to squeeze his hand. "You feel like others do. You just struggle to show and understand them. That's fine. That's normal because it's a hard thing to do."

"She's right, hyung." Jungkook nodded.

"You're not heartless," Jimin said, making Yoongi lift his head up to his members. He saw them all comforting him and didn't understand why the four of you were trying so hard. It slowly started to click in his mind on what he has been missing. He wiped his tears and cleared his throat, getting a boxy grin from Taehyung.

"Think you're ready to talk to Seokjin hyung?" Taehyung asked, Yoongi making eye contact with everyone in the warehouse at least once in silence.

Chapter Text

Ch.51

Seokjin's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

All the first years didn't want to get a ride from me. Yoongi didn't hesitate to leave for the warehouse. It's technically his house so I knew I wouldn't be going there any time soon. Lunch was really awkward. He didn't bother to look at me. Not even in the class we share. As soon as our teacher said we had to find a partner, Yoongi left the classroom entirely. He never came back and frustrated our teacher to no end. I ended up doing the project alone. The most annoying part was my teacher assigning Yoongi as my partner since we always team up. That meant he's going to still get a grade based off my work. This school is loaded with bullsh*t.

I tried not to get too angry. (F/n) came to me last night to talk about the fight. She didn't want me fighting with him anymore because we graduate in two weeks. It's hard to believe I'll be leaving this place now. I used to feel imprisoned here, but I almost didn't want to leave so I could stay with everybody. Now that I'm going to become a model, the idea of leaving doesn't sound so bad. The only thing I don't like is the fact that Yoongi hates me. He can be frustrating like that, but (F/n) told me she had another job to do. My best guess is that she went to talk to Yoongi.

It did get me thinking, but today proved that her work was fruitless. That was to be expected. Yoongi is a stubborn as a rock. Even though he's done all this awful stuff in the past, I've forgiven him without much thought time and time again. I didn't understand why he couldn't do that for me. Is he just that bad of a friend? Maybe it's good for me to go to Australia and cut out all the toxic stuff from my life. Though I didn't want to leave my little sister, Jiwoo alone with my parents, I knew she would be fine. Mom will take care of her and it's not like our father ever paid any attention to his kids.

Jungkook and Jimin followed Yoongi off to the warehouse. I thought Taehyung would go with them, but he didn't. (F/n) trailed behind the silver haired boy. Did they want me to drive them home? That wasn't the case either. Taehyung told me not to worry about it and (F/n) stayed by his side. That's weird. I didn't think about it for too long though. Namjoon and Hoseok joined me in my truck. Do they want to be dropped off at home or to the warehouse? Either way, I'm going to just go home. Yoongi won't like seeing me in the warehouse. I know if I go, there's going to be another fight. Going home is my only option and not a thrilling one.

"So where do you guys want to go?" I drove off campus, glancing at the second years. "Home? The warehouse?"

"I'm not going home." Hoseok shook his head.

"Going to Namjoon's?" I asked, slowling down for a red light.

"Nope. I'm not going home either." Namjoon smirked. That's confusing. I raised a brow at the two who seemed to be enjoying themselves. They acted like they knew something I didn't. "We're going to your house."

"WHAT!?" I abruptly stopped the car.

Our bodies flung forward, but we luckily didn't get hurt. The seatbelts kept us from flying off. My grip on the wheel tightened as I looked at them with a glare. They're crazy if they think they're allowed in my house. I don't have a problem hanging out with them, but there's no way they're coming inside. Dad would get furious to see outsiders, but still wouldn't have shame to yell at me in front of them. Hell, that thing might even beat me in front of them from how aggressive he's been getting lately. Just thinking about that thing makes my blood boil. Hoseok laughed in his seat, grinning at me and Namjoon who sat in the passenger's seat as always. Next time he's going in the back.

"We're hanging out with you, Seokjin hyung!" Hoseok cheered.

"No, guys. You aren't coming over to my house." I shook my head, driving forward when the light turned green. "That's not happening."

"As the leader, I planned a meeting with you at your house with my right-hand man by my side." Namjoon suddenly made up.

"As the eldest, hell no." I scoffed.

"C'mon. We don't have to go to your house, but we need to talk to you." Namjoon frowned.

Hoseok nodded his head like it was really important. What were they thinking? I'd rather drop them off at the warehouse with Yoongi. I knew the second years would want to talk to me about the fight. Hoseok was already giving me puppy eyes to convince me. That Hoseok! I sighed again, driving in the direction of my home. We won't go inside, but we'll stay in the truck. Everything we discuss is not going to leave the truck. At least that's my plan. They're only going to get the same information (F/n) got out of me yesterday. It's not like I don't want to make up with Yoongi. It's just complicated.

Hoseok got really excited when I gave in. He jumped around in the backseat, making Namjoon laugh. I tried to focus on the road, but I occasionally checked on Hoseok through the rearview mirror. The red head was having quite the time back there. Shaking my head, I turned into my street and parked on the opposite side of my house. There's no way I'm going to park in the driveway. The thing will know I'm back and he'll get angry at me for staying outside for too long. One time I slept in the truck instead of going inside and he threatened to lock me out of the household if I was going to continue acting ungrateful. What exactly should I be grateful for?

Unbuckling my seat belt, I adjusted myself in my seat to look at the pink hair and red hair. They both had a plan in mind. Namjoon is smart, so I didn't understand why he would be doing something like this. Usually it was the first years pulling stupid stunts like these. Maybe Hoseok convinced him to do this. They should've seen from the fight that it's not going to be cleared up that easily. Today also proves my case because Yoongi kept his word. He wants nothing to do with me anymore and will act as if I don't even exist. I'm not a member anymore to him. That pained me to think about. I still want to be a part of the gang. I still consider myself as one of them, but he doesn't see it that way. Why? It made me want to shout in frustration.

"I think you know what we want to talk to you about," Namjoon started.

"It's pretty obvious." I leaned against my chair.

"You know that Namjoon wants you to officiate his wedding with (F/n)!?" Hoseok shouted as my eyes widened.

"Wait, what the hell!?" I turned to the leader who shook his head furiously.

"That is not happening!! Hoseok is just crazy!" Namjoon playfully smacked his friend. He shook his head at Hoseok's nonsense while Hoseok seemed pretty proud of himself. My heart was pounding against my chest. Why did I believe him? My first thought was why was (F/n) going to marry him? She is too young. They're also not the legal age to get married so why wasn't that not my first thought? Hoseok grinned and crossed his arms.

"I didn't like you thinking you knew what we were going to talk about." Hoseok shrugged.

"Well is it about the fight with Yoongi?" I asked.

"Yep!" Hoseok grinned.

"God, you are crazy." I laughed. "There's no way (F/n) would marry Namjoon."

"...it's not crazy," Namjoon mumbled.

"Do you think she'll marry one of the first years?" Hoseok looked at me with curiosity. Those options were still not that satisfying to me. If those are (F/n)'s options, I know I'd be disappointed.

"That doesn't matter." I shook my head.

"He's right. We're hear to talk about the fight." Namjoon put us back on track.

Hoseok calmed down and stopped acting hyper. I listened to what Namjoon had to say. It only reminded me of (F/n)'s attempts to get through to me. She did make me think about talking to Yoongi. The thing is that I know how Yoongi is. We've known each other for the longest time out of all the members. Yoongi and I have only been friends for two years out of all the years we've known about each other. We're kind of like opposites. He had a negative and dark reputation following him when he first talked to me. I had this reputation around me that I didn't even have to work for. My looks were what made me popular. It was all superficial and that gang changed that for me.

The gang has been here for me for a lot of things. It's the main reason I feel alive and like a functioning human being. Yoongi asked me to do a deal out of no where. Doing the deal gave me such a rush that I had never felt before. I liked working with the other members. They didn't care about my reputation at school. To them I wasn't an object to stare at. That's so important to me. Just having them call me their friend means the world to me. I've never told them that. I only ever told these thoughts to Yoongi when we were going to become third years. Taehyung had joined our gang, making everything feel more complete.

Namjoon told me about how Taehyung felt when he saw the fight. I felt bad for the little kid. The second years cared about him in particular. They found him and insisted that Yoongi and I help him out. When Hoseok told me about the situation, I thought they were just getting attached to a homeless. I soon learned that wasn't the case when Namjoon got out of the truck to find Taehyung passing out near a payphone. We all connected on a level most people don't on the first day of meeting each other. It made me feel disappointed in myself for attacking Yoongi. I tried defending myself and making him understand, but that didn't work at all.

Yoongi and I embarrassed ourselves in front of all the members. I should't have punched him or brought up his past. He said things he shouldn't have too and did regrettable actions with me. We were both to blame. Nothing was one person's fault. I'm mature enough to realize that. The only problem is that Yoongi will probably never come to that conclusion. I'm left alone to grow up while he's staying stuck. It's not only frustrating that he won't understand, but that he still acts like the world hates him. Hasn't the gang taught him that he's cared for and doesn't need to have trust issues like this?

"The fight isn't just between you guys. It affects all the members." Namjoon stared me in the eye. Sometimes he left me shocked from how mature he was himself. Namjoon had a lot of qualities about him that made him admirable as a leader. That's why I listen to him despite being his hyung.

"Especially Taehyung." Hoseok looked out the window. "Y'know how we get a little protective over him."

"He's like your child. I know." I chuckled lightly. "He's not even the maknae and has a better living situation now."

"He used to be the maknae." Hoseok pouted.

"And yeah, he may have a better living situation now, but I still have to take care of him. Y'know?" Namjoon tilted his head. "He doesn't look both ways before crossing the street sometimes, so I have to keep him in check."

"He holds Taehyung's hand!" Hoseok snickered, getting a quick glare from his best friend.

"Wait. Are you the reason Taehyung always holds my hand before crossing the street?" My mouth opened wide to see Namjoon blush. "Namjoon, no! He's a first year in high school already! You baby him more than I baby Jungkookie!"

"I don't do it on purpose!" Namjoon defended himself.

"Do you hold Jimin's hand too?" I questioned with a serious voice.

"Only when I'm with Taehyung because he gets jealous." Namjoon tried making excuses. I know how those two would fight over being his favorite. Jimin and Taehyung are best friends, so they tease each other a lot when it comes to Namjoon. Hoseok couldn't stop laughing at how red the leader's face was getting. "H-Hey! You always buy Jungkook food!"

"But he doesn't ever pay me back! At least Taehyung idolizes you guys!" I scoffed.

"Aw, you know Kookie is thankful though." Hoseok smiled. "The first years are all so adorable and very sensitive. Seeing their hyungs fight is like watching their parents fight. Taehyung taught me something about forgiveness that I won't ever forget." Hoseok glanced at Namjoon who gave me a soft gaze.

"All of them are like orphans. They don't have parents." Namjoon shrugged.

He had a point there. That was something the first years could relate too. I felt like that was the main reason they were stuck to each other like glue. Jungkook was disowned for the stupidest reason, Jimin's parents are never around, and Taehyung lost his mother and considers his father dead. Though he's most likely alive, Taehyung refuses to acknowlegde his existsence anymore. He may have his grandparents, but it's not the same as parents. He still loves his grandparents and they care about him deeply too, but its just not the same. That's why us older members began acting like their parents. It's a weird habit, but we still see each other on the same level though. Like brothers.

"Are you trying to make me feel guilty?" I sighed. "I didn't start the fight."

"We know that, Hyung, but you did let the anger get to you." Hoseok reasoned. "You tried to keep calm. We saw that. In the end, you told Yoongi some nasty things and even punched him."

"I only got his shoulder..." I uttered.

"I don't care if you missed. Either way, you attacked your brother." Namjoon made me shut up. "We're going to fix this problem tonight. I know (F/n) talked to you."

"She did?" Hoseok turned to face his friend. Namjoon kept a stern expression at me.

Nodding my head, I told them exactly what happened last night. I was at home after Hoseok and Jimin dropped me off. Only a few hours passed and I was starting to calm down. It was really hard with an alcoholic shouting at me. That thing pushed me into the wall that night. He got annoyed with me for my tone of voice. He didn't care when he pushed me into a bunch of crap. I brought down a bookcase, chair, and almost the small kitchen table we own. It didn't help that there's trash all over the floor. Then he ordered me to fix the mess I supposedly created. I wanted to ignore the pain so I weakly put everything back in its place. What's the point though? I preferred it when he just yelled at me. Lately, he's been making his anger physical. Mom refuses to do a thing about it and blames me for treating him cruelly. That I deserve it.

When (F/n) came, I wasn't in the best mood. I was tired with life. Australia sounded like heaven to me. An escape from that house. I didn't want to be anywhere near it that I forgot my first ever escape. The people who helped me forget. (F/n) arrived by the time the alcoholic was passing out. Seeing her brought me into realization that the gang existed. How could I be happy though? Yoongi basically tried to kick me out of the gang. She didn't let me think like that anymore. (F/n) did her best to comfort me and get me to understand not just Yoongi's point of view, but of the other members. Just like what Namjoon and Hoseok are doing right now for me.

But I was rude. What a sh*tty thing for me to do to her. After I did it, I immediately regretted it. I asked her if she still had a crush on me to make all the things she said pointless. She's such a good friend and a sweetheart. Then I hit a soft spot with the worst intentions. Luckily, (F/n) called me out and didn't back down. She even stopped me when I implied having sex with her. How classy am I? There's a lot that I share with Yoongi. I seem to be numb to female affection and he's numb to most people. There's only a few people in our lives that we can truly trust. I feel like now, I should understand that (F/n) is somehow I shouldn't toy with. She's a great friend.

"Wow, (F/n)'s so thoughtful." Hoseok rested against Namjoon's chair. "(F/n)'s such a good friend to us!"

"I know I told her to wait, but it's been getting to me too." Namjoon ran a hand through his hair. "You guys are graduating soon."

"Yeah..." I wanted to hit the horn on my truck. "Do you think Yoongi is willing to talk to me now? I mean, you saw him today."

"Are you willing to talk to him? I mean, I saw you today." Hoseok raised a brow. How could these second years be so understanding and mature? They took my words and made me realize how ridiculous I truly am. They're putting all this effort and doing this because they care. I really can't let these guys go. And lord knows how much I appreciate Yoongi as a friend.

"(F/n) talked to Yoongi too," Namjoon said as I put my seatbelt back on. My mind was made up. "I think we can get him to talk too."

"Yeah! Let's go to the warehouse." I turn my key, taking the truck out of park. I looked over my shoulder to see the pink hair and red head grinning. "I'm ready."

Chapter Text

Ch.52

Jimin spoke softly to Yoongi. The third year calmed down after a while. All the boys helped him feel better. He had a small break down, but Jimin made Yoongi slowly return to normal. Taehyung asked Yoongi is he was ready to face Seokjin. It's been minutes since then and he hasn't given his answer. The blue hair has chosen to remain silent. Jungkook nibbled on his bottom lip nervously as the eldest hyung in the room stared aimlessly at the ceiling. For the most part, you believed you and the boys managed to get him thinking. All you had to do was get the third year to lower down his walls.

He didn't push away your hands or stop you from petting him and squeezing his hand. Occasionally, he would squeeze your hand back. It made you smile since that let you know he wasn't completely off in his own universe. It also meant that Yoongi didn't mind the physical contact you had with him. Jimin eyed Yoongi, waiting for him to make up his mind. The first-year boys were ready to walk over to Seokjin's house. It was getting a little late, but you would go with them too. Unnie won't even realize you're not home once she arrives to the apartment. She's just going to crash in her own room and get ready for tomorrow.

Taehyung glanced at Jungkook. Jimin had stopped talking which left nothing, but silence in the warehouse. The air was cold and everyone was beginning to freeze. The only blanket here was on Yoongi's lap with a hidden Holly inside. There's no way he's going to give it to the others. Taehyung and Jungkook didn't want to break their concentration. They were going to power through the chilly atmosphere until Yoongi decided to talk to Seokjin. That's when Yoongi didn't stop squeezing your hand. He kept a tight grip on it and you stopped petting his head in confusion. Jimin and you made baffled eye contact before looking at Yoongi again who sighed heavily.

"...I guess." He lowered his head.

"You're ready to talk, hyung?" Jimin smiled, rubbing Yoongi's shoulders.

"It's going to be cold. Zip up your jacket," Taehyung said, Jungkook excitedly zipping up his jacket as an example.

"Seokjin should be awake. Let's get to his house before it's too late." Jungkook bounced up to his feet.

"Let's go." You lifted Yoongi off the couch. He stared down at you with an empty stare. There was no annoyance or sadness anymore. You ran your hand through his hair one last time with a smile. "I want to see that gummy smile again."

"Sure..." He chuckled lightly, grabbing your hand out of his hair. He had a small smile and squeezed your hand. "Now let's go before I change my mind."

Everyone nodded in the warehouse. Yoongi was amused to see all the excited first years in the room. The four of you must have looked like children at a birthday party. The boys bounced around Yoongi, following him out of the warehouse. Except, the five of you barely stepped out of the entrance to see Seokjin's black truck rolling in. Its engine shut off and was parked right in front of you guys. Seokjin got out of the truck, slamming the door with a weak smile. He didn't look too confident to show his face here. Namjoon and Hoseok came out of the vehicle too.

They were just as shocked to see the first years as you guys were to see the second years. Did all of you have the same plan today? Yoongi swallowed hard, tightening his fists as Seokjin made small steps over to his friend. Namjoon and Hoseok shoved their hands into their pockets. They stood in front of the truck to watch Seokjin meanwhile you and the other first years stood behind Yoongi. It was to give them space to talk somewhat privately. Hopefully both of them were here to forgive each other and apologize. A part of you worried that Yoongi would suddenly flip like a switch to see Seokjin. You didn't want him to bring his walls up again and deny his hyung anymore. They had to make up. They just had too.

"What are you doing here?" Yoongi asked first. It made Seokjin tense up and become more nervous than before.

"Namjoon and Hoseok talked to me. (F/n) did too about our fight." Seokjin frowned.

"She talked to me too and so did the rest of the first years..." Yoongi looked down.

"Really?" Seokjin looked at the three boys who stood sheepishly in the background. He sighed, facing his friend again with a little more confidence in his face. "Well, they all got me thinking...I really don't want us to stop being friends. I'm not trying to abandon the gang. Those are not my intentions at all."

"But why Australia? Can't you go to a modeling agency in Seoul?" Yoongi balled his fists even tighter. "Why do you have to go so far away?"

"...I really want to go with Alpha Agency." Seokjin cracked his knuckles.

"You can easily get picked by another agency..." Yoongi mumbled.

Seokjin bit his lips. He quietly thanked Yoongi for thinking so. Though they weren't hugging each other and forgiving one another, you did see how Yoongi was clearing up his confusion. He asked all the questions you guys couldn't answer for him. Seokjin tried his hardest to answer them all carefully. He thought about each of his words but spoke from the heart. He wanted his new-found dream to become a reality and to make Yoongi understand. The first years beside you fidgeted around. They wanted so badly for the fight to end. Even the second years looked ready to have it over with.

Yoongi kept with his questions. It might have sounded like he still wasn't for the idea of Seokjin leaving to become a model, but you started to hear something else. How scared Yoongi sounded at the idea of one his friends leaving him. Abandoning the gang for what he used to consider a selfish reason. Yoongi was trying to wrap his head around it and not burst into a ball of rage. He listened to Seokjin explain himself but wanted to be satisfied himself. All the members want Seokjin to be happy, but Yoongi needed to know that their memories wouldn't be thrown away.

None of the other members told Seokjin that they felt the same way. Yoongi wasn't the only one who was hurt by Seokjin's sudden decision. It felt like he didn't want you guys involved in his life anymore at the beginning. It doesn't take long to realize that he just wanted to be independent and was scared of you guys destroying his dream. He barely found out what he wants to do in his future so you guys were going to support him no matter how much it hurt. Everyone wants Seokjin to not be afraid of admitting his dreams to his own friends. Namjoon hated the idea of Seokjin leaving and Taehyung wanted everyone together. Hoseok and Jimin would miss their elder hyung so much and so would you. It's be hard to forget someone like Kim Seokjin.

"It still feels weird calling it my passion." Seokjin chuckled. "But I know I want to do this for as long as I can."

"...how long is that?" Yoongi's brows knitted together.

"I'll just be gone for modeling college. I'll be coming back to Korea once I'm done." Seokjin stepped closer to the blue hair. "I'm not going to be gone forever. Don't worry, it's not a big deal."

"If it's not a big deal then why didn't you tell us before making the decision to leave to a whole new country?" Yoongi remarked. He suddenly grew bitter which made you suck in your breath. Seokjin regretted his choice of words there. It wasn't a smart idea to down play the situation and tell Yoongi how to feel. The second years worriedly glanced at each other. Seokjin tried reaching out for Yoongi, only to get his hand smacked away. His walls were coming back up against everyone. "Don't touch me. Talk."

"...I don't have chlamydia." Seokjin slowly smiled. Everyone's eyes immediately widened to hear this. How come he was revealing this right now? You looked at the other members and they were just as confused as you were. Yoongi didn't speak but eventually started chuckling.

"The f*ck?" Yoongi crossed his arms, tilting his head. Answers were needed right away to know why he said something like that. Last you checked, the possibility of Seokjin having chlamydia wasn't a worry with the group.

"You told me to deal with the sluts and I said it wasn't my problem." Seokjin grinned. "And you said—"

"I can make it your problem." Yoongi looked down at his feet, kicking dirt around. "Yeah, I remember that. And?"

"You tried telling people I had chlamydia and I jumped you before you could. That's how we became friends!" Seokjin cheered.

"It wasn't the easy." Yoongi shook his head.

"Well...it was the start. Our friendship literally started with us fighting." Seokjin nervously licked his bottom lip. "We fight, but our friendship only gets stronger. We're best friends and even if I go to Australia, that won't change anything. It'll only be two years over there and I'll come back to see the gang. You guys are my family and I'd never abandon you guys with cruel intentions. The gang means the world—"

"I know." Yoongi connected his eyes with Seokjin.

"Please, I...you know?" Seokjin was shocked. He didn't think stubborn Yoongi would accept so easily. Just a minute ago, he was ready to rip the elder's face off with his bare teeth. Neither did the second years in the back expect this outcome yet. They saw the three boys smirking next to you and were impressed. To be fair to Yoongi, you figured he would come to this conclusion very soon.

"You can leave for Australia if you want. I don't care anymore." Yoongi shrugged. "I don't give a sh*t. I don't give a f*ck."

"I don't think you know—" Seokjin furrowed his brows.

"Let me finish." Yoongi rolled his eyes. "I don't want you to go—"

"This doesn't make sense!" Seokjin frowned.

"Motherf*cker, let me talk!" Yoongi huffed, making the eldest shut up. Jungkook and Taehyung snickered together. The second years grinned and you shook your head. Yoongi wasn't actually angry. Maybe a little annoyed at most. "As I was saying, none of us really want you to go. But I know you want to be a model and sh*t."

"...are you giving me permission to go?" Seokjin tilted his head.

"I'm not going to stop you." Yoongi sighed. "...and I hope you do care about us."

"Of course, I do! You don't have to worry about that." Seokjin quickly hugged the blue hair. Yoongi stiffened up, not a fan of the sudden hug. He lightly patted the black hair's back. Eventually, he was released and could breathe again.

"Text us, write us, I don't care if it's expensive. Share all the money you get with us." Yoongi smirked.

"I don't know about that last part." Seokjin grinned. "But ah...I want to say I'm sorry for bringing up the past. I should know better not to bring that sh*t up."

"...I didn't mean to compare you to that @sshole. Or tell you that you were going to become him. The fight is kind of a blur." Yoongi rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm a f*cking awful person, but I'm glad to actually feel like a person now."

"You're forgiven and you're not that awful. Trust me, you know there are worse people out here in this hell hole." Seokjin looked Yoongi in the eye as if he was telling him a message. Yoongi understood and slowly nodded. He hesitated, trying not to turn his expression into a gloomy one. "Am I forgiven?"

"...yeah." Yoongi nodded as Seokjin brought him into another hug.

At that moment, Hoseok ran into the hug. He brought both of the men tightly together with his arms. Namjoon clapped his hands together and let out a sigh of relief. Soon he joined the hug too with the first years coming over too. You smiled to yourself and walked over to the group hug. Every member squeezed the third years in the middle. Jungkook made sure to squeeze them extra hard while scolding them. He told them to never fight again on this type of scale. Since he was squeezing the air out of them, they really couldn't protest.

When they were released, both panted heavily to catch their breath. Yoongi was showing his cute gummy smile now and Seokjin was laughing his classic laugh. They were on good terms again and you were incredibly thankful. Graduation was two weeks away. Technically it was less than two weeks now. Just a week and a half, so you were glad that things could be resolved before then. Taehyung was telling them how excited he was to take pictures with them once they get their diplomas. Jimin and Jungkook admitted that they were looking forward to that too. They wanted to see their hyungs graduate.

Meanwhile Seokjin called his dongsaengs cute, Yoongi walked over to you. Namjoon and Hoseok began doting on the dongsaengs too. Jungkook was smiling wide but wouldn't look Seokjin in the eye from embarrassment. Then Taehyung insisted that he was Namjoon's favorite and asked Hoseok to confirm it. Jimin told Hoseok to ignore his best friend's silly question. They were making quite the fuss over it, but it was all playful. All of them couldn't stop laughing and it looked like their cheeks would start hurting soon. Yoongi had his hands in his pockets and smiled softly at you. It made your smile grow bigger too. Having Yoongi in a good mood made everything better.

"I don't really like to say thanks or sorry, but I think...I have to." Yoongi sighed.

"You feel it in your heart?" You raised a brow. He rolled his eyes as you giggled. "Those little feelings you have make you normal, Yoongi. It's your conscious."

"...I have one?" Yoongi tried not to smile too wide. "Hell yeah."

"Hell yeah!" You cheered.

"Anyway, I should probably thank you since you're the main reason I'm actually able to graduate." Yoongi shrugged. "Forcing me to do homework actually made me get enough credit to pass. Plus, it made me actually remember stuff for tests so...thank you."

"Aw, you're welcome!" You tried to throw your arms around him for a hug, but he stopped you. He quickly grabbed your hands to prevent another hug. Your fingers were interlocked with his, making a light blush go across your face.

"No more hugs." He smirked. "There's been enough of that for today."

"Fine." You groaned. "But! You did say you also wanted to say sorry. What for?"

"You really are annoying, huh?" Yoongi teased. His tone wasn't hurtful, but playful. "I just...sorry for all the sh*t I pulled in the beginning. Women haven't really been the greatest in my life."

"I accept your apology and hope that you can lower your walls with other people in the future." You gently squeezed his hand. Whatever problems he has, you hope he learns to deal with them and continue to become the good person you know he can be.

Yoongi didn't respond verbally. Instead, he squeezed your hand back to let you know he was hoping for the same thing. You knew he learned a valuable lesson after all this time you've spent with him and the gang. If he wants good people in his life or to keep them, he's going to have to put some effort in too. Nice people can only be nice for so long. The both of you stared at each other with soft eyes, ignoring the background noise from the rest of the members. He nudged his head to the side, moving some of his faded blue bangs to the side of his face. He smiled softly as you stared into his dark eyes.

The moment didn't last long. His phone started to ring and he stopped holding your hands. Yoongi took his phone out, noticing your curiosity. The third year looked confused too to hear who was on the other side. You were about to whisper a question about it until he held up his finger. Yoongi looked really concerned as he walked off. All the members were still playing around. They didn't notice Yoongi go into the darkness, away from the warehouse. Currently, Jungkook was telling his hyungs how much he appreciates them. Jimin and Taehyung were encouraging him to continue. Seokjin appeared to be very moved and the second years were clutching their chests. They were so proud of their maknae.

Biting your lip, you looked over your shoulder to check on the faded blue haired boy. It was hard to see his face in the dark. You didn't know what time it was, but it was probably not midnight just yet. Yoongi's body language looked nervous and shocked. He paced around but stood still after a few seconds. You felt like he wanted to move around but was too stunned. Hopefully it was good news. That's what you wished for at least. Being the nosey person you are, you quietly walked over to where he was. It sounded like Yoongi made plans to meet up with someone. By the time he hung up, you were standing behind him and hugged him. Would that cheer him up?

"Jiminie, is that you? What do you want now?" Yoongi looked down at the arms wrapped around his torso. "Or is it f*cking Tae? I told you that I'm not interested in Gucci!"

"It's not Jimin," You said, "Or Taehyung." He stiffened at your voice.

"Did I ever give you permission to hug me like this?" Yoongi scoffed. "I don't remember that..." His voice sounded weak. Why did it sound so hard for him to tease you right now?

"Everything okay?" You asked. "Was the call serious?"

"Too serious." Yoongi sighed as you rested your head against his back to comfort him. "An old friend called me...I don't really talk to him anymore. I figured that maybe my old man finally died or something, but it wasn't good news."

"You can trust me," You stated. He's confessed a lot about himself today. Stuff about his past that you didn't know and what he would consider good news.

"The address people think I still live at is the trailer home. Mail for me always goes there instead of the warehouse." Yoongi slowly put his hands over yours. "I never cared, but that old friend told me something that I didn't want to hear. God, it's going to f*cking ruin everything. I want to stay with the gang!"

"What is it?" You worriedly questioned. This sounded so frightening.

"The country needs me to serve. I have to go into the military a week after I graduate." Yoongi hung his head low. Your eyes widened and you didn't even notice yourself squeezing him tighter. He has to leave too? No, not yet. But he has to go. D*mn it.

"Already?" You frowned. "Why do they need you so soon?"

"I'm not going to college so I can't use studying as an excuse...f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" Yoongi started to struggle in your arms. "I'm supposed to stay with the gang! I don't want to go! They can't make me!!"

"Yoongi! Min Yoongi!" You shouted as he panicked. He wouldn't stop moving around and you had to let go of him.

"I have to avoid it! The gang needs me!" Yoongi gritted his teeth. "I need the gang..."

"Yoongi!" You grabbed the sides of his face and pulled him close. His eyes were looking everywhere until you forced him to make eye contact. He breathed heavily as you calmed him down from his freak out. "Breathe, okay? Think things through. Little by little, okay?"

"Okay..." Yoongi nodded, licking his bottom lip nervously.

"Now what do you have to do first? What'd your friend say?" You asked. The male collected all his scattered thoughts. Once he got them gathered, he spoke slowly as if he was unsure.

"I have to meet up with him to get the letter...I h-have a medical check up the day after graduation," Yoongi said. "I have to pick up my uniform a-and I probably can't keep my blue hair..."

"Okay." You nodded your head. "Well, at least the blue is fading. I'm sure you'll look good in black hair."

"I don't want to go." Yoongi shook his head in protest. "The gang just got better...then we just started being friends..."

"To be honest, I considered you a friend way before." You gave him a small smile.

"That doesn't count." Yoongi narrowed his eyes on you. "It doesn't count unless I say so."

"But if you accepted then we would have been friends for months," You reasoned. He sighed heavily while you tried your best to ignore the ache in you heart. Both the third years would be gone from your life until you basically graduate yourself. How wonderful is that?

"I didn't like you calling me your friend," He said and you remembered the days he would glare at you for calling him that.

"What would you have preferred me calling you?" You raised a brow. He didn't say a thing to you. He only stared at you silently, scanning your whole face and eventually locking eyes with you. For a second, you forgot how close your faces were and how exactly to breathe.

"Wah! Are Yoongi hyung and (F/n) going to kiss!?" Hoseok's voice shouted.

Yoongi broke out of his silence. He pulled your hands off his face and took a step away from you. There was a light blush on his pale skin. Since Hoseok shouted at the top of his lungs, he captured the attention of all the other members. Immediately, they all spotted you two standing next to each other in the dark. All of them had different facial expressions. Hoseok seemed amused while the rest weren't as entertained to hear that lie. Taehyung was baffled as he looked over. Jimin and Jungkook were raising a suspicious brow. Both Namjoon and Seokjin looked kind of disappointed. Yoongi started walking towards them with slight annoyance and you ran towards them too.

"We're not!" Yoongi scowled.

"We were just talking." You fidgeted with your fingers. Was Yoongi going to tell them about the military?

"Interesting," Hoseok teased. Yoongi didn't even bother glaring at the red head. He simply stared down at his feet with defeat. Not from Hoseok playfully not believing him, but with everything going on. Namjoon was able to pick up on that right away.

"Something wrong, Yoongi?" Namjoon quickly questioned. All the members became serious. They expressed concern now that their leader spotted something. Nibbling on your bottom lip, you gave the third-year space to talk. This was big news.

"...I have to enter the military a week after graduation. Apparently, the letter arrived at the trailer and I got a call from someone I knew back then." Yoongi scratched his neck.

"Wait, you have to go?" Taehyung's jaw dropped.

"Our third years are leaving us?" Jungkook looked at Namjoon as if he could fix this.

"Oh sh*t..." Hoseok brought his hand to his mouth.

"This means Seokjin and Yoongi will be gone for two years," Jimin said, getting a nod from the leader.

"We all have to do it at one point. Except for (F/n)." Seokjin sighed. "It's best to get it out of the way now, huh?"

"No way. I want to stay with the gang." Yoongi desperately looked Namjoon in the eyes. "I'll avoid going!"

"What? Yoongi, no! They'll put you in prison for eighteen months at least if you refuse to go." Namjoon eye's widened. "I hate that you have to go, but prison is not worth it."

"I really don't want to go." Yoongi sounded hopeless.

"You can do it, Hyung." Jungkook lifted up his fist. "Fighting."

"Jungkook's right." You smiled as Yoongi stared down at the ground. This still wasn't changing his mind. He might not be one hundred percent excited to go, but the gang needed him to do it. For the country and so he doesn't add more to his criminal record. Taehyung tugged at Namjoon's sleeve. The leader already looked down to hear Yoongi had to go and now Taehyung wasn't smiling either.

"What's going to happen to the gang? Yoongi hyung was supposed to become our get away driver," Taehyung whispered.

"I don't know...I'm gonna have to think it over." Namjoon didn't want to show how stressed he really was. While most of the members comforted Yoongi and told him to serve proudly, Namjoon had to think about the future of the gang. Was the question 'what are you going to do when the gang ends' becoming a reality?

Chapter Text

Ch.53

Namjoon has been stressing out about the future of the gang. It was settled that they would manage without Seokjin, but now they won't even have Yoongi. The leader and everyone agreed that Yoongi should go into the military without question. Not only is it his duty, but no one wanted to see him in prison. That'd be another criminal level that you never wanted any of the members to experience. Yoongi's already done a lot of illegal things so you hoped the military would help him. He still hated the idea of going. He just wasn't going to avoid it now because of the requests of his fellow members.

While Seokjin and Yoongi knew what they were going to do, Namjoon was clueless. Taehyung was extremely worried about what was going to happen to the gang and it didn't make Namjoon feel better. Hoseok, Jimin, and Jungkook didn't worry too much about it. They figured that their leader was capable of fixing this. It felt like the exact opposite from what you were seeing. Namjoon had been bottling up his feelings of Seokjin leaving and can't hold it in any longer. He was letting you see this side of him because he didn't want his members to see him exploding like this. All he wanted was to talk to someone close who knew of the gang but wasn't in it.

When you woke up, Namjoon texted you that he was outside of your apartment. You cleaned yourself up as fast as you could. As soon as you opened the front door, he was standing right there with a nervous face. He became relieved to see you though. He told you he'd explain better after you come with him. From there, you got on his bike with him and went over to the porridge restaurant he liked so much. The two of you were going to discuss the gang. Namjoon just needed help coming up with something and probably needed someone to rant to. That's why you're here with Namjoon. Sitting in the pleasant restaurant with Namjoon across from you, not touching his hot food.

"I needed to talk to someone who wasn't a member," Namjoon admitted, staring down at his porridge.

"I'm your person." You smiled at him. "You can tell me anything."

"Right..." Namjoon nodded.

"You're really stressing out over this." You worriedly watched him move around his spoon. He couldn't bring himself to sleep and he looked tired. He didn't get enough sleep last night then.

"Yeah, it's eating at me." Namjoon leaned back in his seat. "I just don't want the gang to end. I can't let it end just yet. We're a family and we haven't been with each other for that long, but it's like I've grown up with every one of them. We're just like brothers."

"You guys have an amazing bond with each other. Especially after everything you guys have gone through," You stated. The male across from you took in a deep breath. He let his thoughts run around in his mind and tried to grab onto a single one to talk about.

"I know I told Seokjin to become a model and leave for Australia, but I don't want him too." Namjoon closed his eyes. "I tell myself it's fine, but I still hate the idea of him leaving. Hyung has taught me a lot and I can't imagine two years without him. And without Yoongi either."

He bit his lip. Namjoon was in his own world as he spoke to you. Everything he said came from the heart. It was like a flood of emotions to hear all of this for the first time. He didn't even tell Hoseok how worried he was for the gang since Hoseok wanted to become a hair dresser. Namjoon wanted his friend to accomplish his dreams and didn't want to guilt him into staying. He truly is a good leader. He thought about the others before himself. But you needed him to remember that taking care of himself is important too because if he doesn't then he's just being reckless. Namjoon was hurting a lot to think of the gang separating.

"I don't want to let Taehyung down. I want the gang to stay together too, but it's hard imagining someone else joining." Namjoon shook his head. "They'd be replacing Seokjin and Yoongi and I hate that. Jimin once said himself that he wouldn't accept any more additions. Our family is perfect the way it is."

"When the members first joined the gang, would you say they needed it in their lives?" You asked.

"Definitely. All of us had something missing or wrong in our lives. The gang helped with everything." Namjoon smiled. "Sometimes I can't believe I created the gang and that I'm the leader of it."

"The gang has certainly helped the members. My question to you now is, do they still need it?" You tilted your head to see him frown.

"What do you mean?" He furrowed his brows.

"I think most of the members are ready to let go except for you, Yoongi, and Taehyung," You said. He didn't like hearing that but knew there was truth to your words. He stayed silent after those words left your mouth. He didn't want to accept that some of the members would handle the gang ending better than the others. It sounded impossible to him.

Namjoon shook his head at your words. He told you how he felt right away. The gang was his world, but the other members treasured it too. You had no doubt about that. They would drop everything for the gang. It was their top priority and they'd do anything for one of the members. It's given them a home, a family, and many things that their personal lives don't offer them. Now that the third years were graduating, you had a feeling that some of them were thinking about their own futures too now. One that didn't involve staying with the gang for the rest of their lives.

The members had their own individual goals and dreams. All you had to do was figure out what they were. Yoongi told you he had no goals in life, but that can't be true. He has to have something. Taehyung too. He practically sees the gang as his life and considers the warehouse his greatest accomplishment. Then Namjoon considered the gang the best thing he's ever done in his life too. They must have had a rough life to think of nothing, but the gang. That's what you got out of it at least, but you didn't know for sure. Namjoon was insistent that the gang had to live on.

"I can't tell you about the past of the others. That's their story." Namjoon sighed. "But my past...my father left my mom in a bunch of debt. It was left to her to take care of it, but I wanted to help. Creating the gang and doing the deals helps my family...it helps me."

"I didn't know about that." You frowned as he shrugged.

"He doesn't matter anymore. As long as I take care of my family, I'm happy." Namjoon assured you. His mother and the members. "I'd do anything for them and I know the feeling is mutual."

"Then how will your gang function as only five members?" You took a sip from your drink.

"I used to do deals alone, then as three, four, five, and then seven." Namjoon smiled. "I've done it before."

"But was it easy?" You set down your drink to see his smile fall. "I love you guys and how the gang brings you guys together, but I'm going to be honest. You know that I don't like you guys doing illegal things."

"I'm aware." Namjoon ran a hand through his pink hair.

"I think it will be for the best if the gang ends. You guys can't continue with five members and you guys don't want additions," You stated. "It sounds like the only option to me."

"Do you really not want us to be a gang anymore?" Namjoon looked like his heart was breaking. It hurt you to see him beating himself up like this and trying to guilt you. If the gang continues and struggles, he'll blame himself. If the gang ends and his little family isn't as close, he'll blame himself. He's fighting this internal battle all alone despite having six brothers by his side.

"Namjoon, I think it's time to separate the words family and gang from each other. They're both two different things." You sighed. "And even if the gang ends, trust me, you guys won't stop being a family."

"But..." Namjoon stopped talking. He swallowed hard and you noticed he was holding back tears.

A deep frown came on your face to see that. Leaving your side of the both, you came over to his side to hug him tightly. The two of you were in the corner of the restaurant. No one could really see or hear you with the busy kitchen nearby. Rubbing his arm to comfort him, Namjoon gritted his teeth. He soon wrapped his arms around you too. He gripped your clothing tightly, holding you strong enough to know he wasn't ready to let go of the gang. Namjoon only let one tear slip as you petted his pink head. When he pulled away, he stopped letting tears run down so you grabbed a napkin to dry up his cheeks.

"I want to see those adorable dimples of yours." You wiped his eyes. He chuckled softly and looked you in the eyes.

"You're really important to me too, y'know?" Namjoon said to make your heart skip a beat. "In the beginning, you were just the friend the first years had but you've become so much more to the whole gang. You're in the family too which I know you think you're not."

"I'm not in the gang." You shook your head to see him roll his eyes.

"You practically are. You just don't do anything illegal." Namjoon smirked. "But you're special to every one of us. I know I can say that for the members."

"...y'know Namjoon, you created something really special. I'm sure it wasn't your intention, but it really helped the boys. They could be doing a lot worse if they didn't have you and the others around." You noted the twinkle in his eyes. "If the gang ends, you can always do something else that helps people. You're a trustworthy person with amazing leadership skills. Why not use it for something not illegal?"

"You think?" Namjoon smiled softly.

"I'm positive that you have the power to change people's lives. You just have that in you and it's really beautiful." You grinned to get pulled into another tight hug.

Namjoon looked so moved by your words and kept you close to his chest. His embrace was warm and loving. It reminded you of your childhood. Nice, honey like memories of playing tea time with your stuffed animals at home. Nothing but good memories came when you're with him. Namjoon had a talent. You felt him kiss your head as he loosened the grip on the hug. His dimples showed and you were blushing a brilliant red. These boys loved making you scream about your platonic rule with them, huh? Namjoon still had a somber look in his eyes though.

"I'll miss the gang though. A lot." Namjoon bit his lip. "I know I can work with what I have. We just have to work harder."

"In the end, it's your call. You're the leader, Namjoon." You ran a hand through his soft pink forest, fixing up his hair. "I'm just telling you my thoughts and trying to help you out."

"Okay..." Namjoon let out a heavy sigh.

"You don't have to make the decision just yet. It can wait until graduation," You said. He didn't look as stressed at that moment. He nodded and relaxed his shoulders a bit.

The second year thanked you for talking to him. It was no problem at all. You wanted to be here for the boys and be someone they could trust with all their hearts. That's why Namjoon was so admirable. He's exactly that for them. Even for the two older members, they listen to everything he has to say without question. Namjoon has been proven to have flaws, but it's the way he handles them too that makes him someone people can aspire to be. That's why Taehyung stares at Namjoon like he's an idol. All the boys at one point have stared at Namjoon with absolute admiration. You've been guilty of it too.

Now that he wasn't so stressed, Namjoon could finally eat in peace. The two of you finished your porridge as fast as you could after talking for what felt like hours. The staff was probably wondering why two people were hugging and crying in the corner with porridge going cold. Namjoon refused to let you pay yet again. When you tried sneaking some won into his pocket, he took your money and shoved it back into your pocket. So adamant about not letting you pay! Namjoon then held your hand tightly when he saw you attempting to take it out again. You laughed and the male only rolled his eyes at your behavior. When the two of you walked out of the restaurant, someone shouted something embarrassing. It brought the both of you back into reality.

"What a cute couple!" A familiar voice yelled. Namjoon and you looked for the owner of the voice to see Hoseok walking up. He wasn't the only one here though. The rest of the gang stood behind him with small smirks.

"Looks like I have more competition." Jungkook shrugged. "But it's okay, I always win."

"I won't let any of you win. Sorry Namjoon, I respect you, but you understand." Jimin winked playfully at the leader.

"(F/n) and I have promise after I finish college, Namjoon." Seokjin teased as you smacked your face.

"You're not even into me!" You scoffed as his grin grew wider.

"You don't know that." Seokjin crossed his arms.

"Why are you still holding her hand?" Yoongi narrowed his eyes at the physical contact. Namjoon nervously pulled his hand away.

"Tell them about our love, (F/n)!" Taehyung pouted to get shocked reactions.

"Platonic!" You shouted.

"We'll see about that." Hoseok winked at you with a smirk. "Maybe I'm in the competition too?"

"Alright, enough playing around. I have some important things to say." Namjoon shook his head.

Hoseok and Seokjin kept smiling. Yoongi threw his arm around Taehyung's shoulder and ruffled up his hair. The silver haired boy screamed meanwhile Jimin and Jungkook pretended to fight. They only puffed out their chests before bursting into laughter. They eventually calmed down to listen to what their leader had to say. You stood next to them as Namjoon explained his worry for the gang in what seemed like a cleaned-up speech. He was really good at speaking. It sounded like he was an advocate for something. The boys nodded their heads, small frowns on their faces when Namjoon brought up the idea of the gang ending for good.

"Yoongi leaving for the military has certainly put a hole for the future of the gang. Taehyung mentioned to me on who was going to be our get away driver then. Doing deals without a car is a lot riskier." Namjoon sighed. "It's not Yoongi's fault or Seokjin's. This a problem I'm going to have to figure out so please be patient with me. If we can't continue to keep the gang going strong then the gang might have to come to an end. That, I hope will not happen. We'll have to see though so no promises."

"Just wait two years for me." Groaned Yoongi.

"What if Seokjin goes into the military pretending to be Yoongi?" Taehyung suggested to earn a scoff from the eldest member.

"Excuse you, I'm going to be a model!" Seokjin acted offended. "I'll do my service when the time comes."

"I'm not saying the gang is going to end for sure. All I'm saying is that I'm definitely going to have the answer by graduation. Maybe even before," Namjoon explained.

The members continued to talk about the gang amongst themselves. Some complained and some were more understanding than the others. All of them didn't want the gang to end. It meant a lot to each of them, but for example, Yoongi told Namjoon that the gang better not come to an end. That didn't help the second year feel relaxed. He was only going to stress out more about coming to a solid conclusion. You just hope the choice he makes isn't a mistake. Whatever he decides to do with the gang, you'll support him as much as you can.

Pulling out your phone, you went onto your social media accounts to do something. The moment you logged onto one account, you were hit with thousands of notifications. It left you speechless. You raised your head to glance up at the boys. They were still talking about the gang, so you took a few steps away from them to see what the heck was going on. A lot of people were liking and commenting on the video you posted of Jimin dancing. There were so many usernames you didn't even recognize. It's like the video went viral or something. So many people were adoring the way Jimin danced and even complimenting his looks. They called him idol material and the best thing to hit the internet. Jimin had to see this.

Biting your lip, you didn't want to bother the blonde. He was listening seriously to what his hyungs had to say. They were trying to figure out a solution together on what to do about the getaway driver. Taehyung was going to handle finding supplies and ordering it which was Yoongi's job. Namjoon was thinking of learning how to drive himself even though he wasn't legally allowed to. Dropping your eyes back to your screen, you noticed a few people were DMing you. They were mainly old friends you didn't keep in touch with too much. They were all questioning who the boy was in your video. Asking if he was your boyfriend, if he was single, and how you knew him. It all made you laugh to see how desperate they were to get to know him.

And then there was one message that stood out to you. It wasn't any of your friends. And it wasn't any random stranger either who was lusting over your friend. The message was professionally written and left you a business email. They informed you that they were interested in Jimin's talent. Your throat became dry to see someone wanted to become an agent for your friend. Jimin was literally standing five feet away from you. Reading the message over again, they worked for the company Jimin had already auditioned for a while ago. Jam Entertainment was showing interest in Jimin again! This was such a sign! You squeezed your phone tightly and tried not to scream.

First, you looked up if the agent was the real deal. And it appeared so. They worked with a few idols and none of them were major things. Some of their names were familiar, but this guy did work for a small agency. Jam Entertainment was trying to get its name out and hit it big with an idol. Did they think Jimin was the right material? The boys stopped throwing suggestions at Namjoon at this point. They decided to let him come up with something with their ideas. Now they were parting ways. Seokjin was going to the warehouse and Yoongi was heading somewhere else while Namjoon was going to head home to think. Hoseok was gonna take all the first years somewhere until you tapped Jimin's shoulder. The blonde turned around with big curious eyes.

"Yeah?" Jimin asked, catching the attention of Hoseok and the other two first years. They stopped walking away to wait for their friend who you were planning to snatch away.

"Can you come to my apartment?" You asked with a smile. "To hang out?"

"Me?" Jimin slowly smiled. He glanced over his shoulder to see Hoseok letting him know its okay. Jungkook tried to not question it and Taehyung snickered. Jimin happily walked with you in the direction of your home. "I don't think I've ever been inside your place before. This'll be cool!"

"It's going to be so much fun!" You grinned. "If Ms. Lee could only see us now."

"She'd break her whistle from outrage." Jimin chuckled.

"She really doesn't like me." You crossed your arms as Jimin pressed the crossing button. The two of you waited for the cars to stop before continuing on the way to your apartment.

"Well she has seen you following me into the boy's locker room more than once," Jimin said.

"A simple misunderstanding!" You scoffed to earn more laughter from him.

For now, you weren't going to mention the video or the agent. None of it. You're going to wait until the two of you are at your apartment, so he'll sit down. He'll take the news better and not run off. If you had told him near the porridge restaurant, he would've shot down the chance right away. Possibly even run if he felt like it. Currently, Jimin's thoughts on dancing were that it was just a hobby. A thing he did for fun when he's alone or hanging out with his friends. It's nothing serious though this could change the game. Jam Entertainment has showed obvious interest in Jimin since they did give him a callback. Maybe now things will actually work out. It'll give him something if the gang does come to an end. It'll be his decision, but you're just throwing this idea out there.

As the both of you came closer to the apartment, you felt bad for being sneaky. And for being your nosey self again. Jimin told you that he was just doing dancing for fun now. Hopefully this won't upset him. Or you don't have to tell him. But would he like to know? The comments would make him so confident in his dancing skills. The only thing you feared was the idea of him getting criticism. He's already so hard on himself. Opening the front door, you let Jimin inside and didn't know what to do. Hanging out with him is going to be fun, but were you going to actually mention Jam Entertainment again? Maybe he can just read the comments. That'll be fine, right?

Jimin sat down in your living room first. He looked around in awe from his seat. Unnie wasn't here right now. She was at work, probably rethinking her life choices. Come to think of it, only a few of the members have actually been inside of the apartment. Most of them stayed in Seokjin's truck or right outside the front door. Jungkook was the first to come inside when he was dealing with steroid withdrawals, then Yoongi when you housed him, and now Jimin. Gosh, you should invite all the boys over one day for a movie night. Definitely before the third years have to go. You smiled at Jimin to see him looking so excited.

"I didn't think my apartment was that interesting." You giggled.

"It's just cool being actually inside." Jimin grinned. "You should come over to my place one day too! It gets lonely so I wouldn't mind the company at all."

"I definitely will then." You nodded, sitting down with him on the couch.

From there, the two of you just watched a bunch funny videos on your phone. It never occurred to you that you should have logged out of your social media account. Since you were still logged in, it notified you of more comments praising Jimin. They popped over the video and Jimin chuckled to see the comments. There were a bunch of emojis. Especially hearts and heart eyes. Jimin wasn't paying too much attention until the comments kept popping up and becoming descriptive. Talking about a cute blonde boy who had amazing dance skills. Jimin was now laughing uncomfortably.

"What's all that?" Jimin asked. "It's like they're talking about me..."

"Sorry about that." You nervously brought the phone close to your chest. You were about to click on the app until your phone notified you yet again. Except it was a direct message coming from Jam Entertainment. "Holy sh*t..."

"What?" Jimin leaned in close as you panicked. His eyes grew to see the name of the company. Before you could properly react, he ripped your phone out of your hands.

"Jimin! Give that back!" You shouted as he shoved your hands away.

"Why is Jam Entertainment contacting you?" Jimin looked at the message. He got out of your direct messages and went on your profile. That's when he saw the video of him dancing outside of the warehouse. His mouth was open as he watched himself dance. "W-When did you record me? I don't remember that..."

"I'm sorry." You bowed your head down.

"There's a lot of comments. Do you know these people?" Jimin scrolled through your phone, skimming through them.

"No," You answered honestly. "I recorded you because you danced beautifully and posted it without a thought. It seems to have blown up though."

"...that's crazy." Jimin lowered down the phone. "Raise your head."

"I should've asked your permission first—" You brought your head up with a frown, but he shook his head.

"Forget that. What does...Jam Entertainment want?" Jimin bit his lip nervously, eyeing you with a twinkle in his eye. He wanted to hear good news but didn't want to be obvious.

"...they messaged me asking who you were and to know your information. Someone who works in Jam Entertainment wants to be your manager," You stated, "I can give you all the information they sent me."

"Thanks." Jimin handed you back your phone in shock. "But...I just dance for fun."

"Maybe you should think about it first." You forwarded all the messages to him. Jimin took out his phone to stare at the messages that were curious about him. He swallowed hard and sighed before looking at you with unsure eyes.

"Fate doesn't really like me dancing." Jimin eyes were sad, but you poked his cheek to make him chuckle.

"I think fate just wants you to prove your passion and love for dancing. I say go for it, but then again, listen to your heart." You smiled. "Not me."

"Okay."Jimin poked your cheek back, slowly grinning himself. "Thanks for everything."    

Chapter Text

Ch.54

Yoongi's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It's been years since I've been here. It hasn't been more than five years, but still. I never thought I'd come back to this dump. Scrunching up my nose, I looked at the place in utter digust. The only thoughts I allowed myself to only feel hatred as I stepped onto the lot. Nothing but anger and hate. Sadness was not welcomed at all. There would be none of that today. It took a lot out of me to show up here. Why did I have to come here? Couldn't I have just met him somewhere else? I didn't want to risk the chance of seeing him. Then I'll really go to prison.

That's why I was going to avoid seeing that specific trailer today. I came here to see someone I used to know to get that d*mn letter. It would let me know everything to get ready for the military. Just the idea of coming here has already made the process unpleasant. This is where I grew up. In a pile of trash with a giant rat taking 'care' of me and my younger brother. I still miss my brother a lot. Shaking my head, I reminded myself that sadness was not allowed today. My only job here was to find that f*cker and get the hell out of here with that letter.

But I wasn't moving. My feet stayed planted in front of the entrance for the trailer homes. Broken furniture and old toys covered the area. Children were running around in old clothes that they were outgrowing with week old mud on their skin. They continued laughing and running around, ignoring an adult who was yelling at them to quiet down. One family was grilling meat that they had probably worked their @sses off for. No one here had a lot of money. They all struggled to survive like I had once. Seeing this place was already giving me thousands of memories that I wished everday would disappear. I feel like I'd be much happier forgetting this portion of my life.

The only thing I'd like to remember is Jaehyuk. This still hurt a lot more than I thought it would. Letting out a chuckle, I felt pathetic. It took me forever to get myself to leave the warehouse. I talked to myself for what felt like hours to convince myself. Now I've arrived and I can't even get one foot in. Using all my strength, I forced myself to start walking into the area. Kids stopped chasing each other once I walked in their path. Some adults scoffed to see me back and I wasn't furious to get that reaction. My blood wasn't boiling, but my heart was racing. This isn't worth no d*mn letter! I'm gonna turn back right now.

As that thought came in my head, I heard a couple familiar voices in the background. It made me look around to spot people I used to hang out with. There were people I've fought, others I cheated, and controlled. They eyed me like I was a piece of meat. My feet began moving in the direction where I remembered the trailer of the old acquaintance. Looks like I won't be leaving just yet. I kept hearing them all talk behind my back since I showed my face here again. They all sounded like they were taunting me. The only good thing so far was the fact that no one has bothered to follow me or pick a fight. My boots left deep prints in the mud as I made my way to that old friend with the letter.

His name is Taejoon and he typically hooked people up with illegal jobs. I met him when I was eight and he basically prepared me to live like a thug. My first deal was when I was thirteen and I that's how I took care of myself. By growing tough skin, earning money, and making sure that Jaehyuk had less bruises than me. Taejoon found interest in me when he heard about this kid being called the embodiment of the devil. That was always amusing to hear. I didn't get along with other kids and often beat the sh*t out of them. We would fight over candy or anything. If some kid earned money from selling something in the street, I stole it for myself. Taejoon was sixteen when he first met me and decided to teach me the ropes in the criminal world. Who to work with and who to avoid. How to get money and how to survive.

I still remember the day I beat up a group of kids for no reason. They all went crying inside their trailers. Scrambling around and falling into the mud after I was done with them. It was starting to rain as I tried to wipe some mud off my face. Then I saw a tall shadow hovering over me. I knew it couldn't be another kid ready to fight back. My heart was racing since I strongly believed it was the monster. He was angry to see me outside and he was going to hurt me. When I turned around though, it was just some teen who looked awestruck. He bent down to my level and told me that I just had to become his apprentice. 'I could teach you a lot!' he said with a giant stupid grin on his face. So I listened to him.

All valuable information. Even though I've known him for a long time, calling him a friend was weird. Acquaintance fit better, but that word wasn't really accurate for us either. My hands were deep in my pockets as I saw smoke coming from a home in the far back. There he is. He always had the habit of setting things on fire. Trudging over there, I took in a deep breath as I came closer. We'll just have a quick chat and I'll go on my way back to the warehouse. Then I'll finally never return to this sh*t hole ever again for the rest of my life. It's worse than I remember. Not a single fond memory remains here. The only bright thing here was taken away from me.

I arrived at Taejoon's trailer home and he hasn't changed a bit. He looks almost the same. A tall male with the worst choice in hair cuts. He sat in his broken lawn chair, laughing at the tall fire that was getting too close to him. That idiot never learns. Last time he started a huge fire, he burned half of his trailer and it gave his mom a heart attack. Taejoon didn't really care though so it doesn't matter too much. Besides, it wasn't my problem if he burned his whole family alive. The only thing that bothers me is that he's still stupid at twenty-six. He once asked me if I wanted my brother to join the criminal life and I told him no. It kind of pissed him off, but I didn't care. That's why I don't consider this guy a brother like the gang members.

Taejoon watched the fire in awe. Shaking my head, I went over to kick his lawn chair over. The brunette fell right over to land face first into the ground. At least that was funny to see. Now that he wasn't tossing things into the fire, it became a little smaller. It used to be as tall as me, but now it was at shoulder height. Hearing a growl from the male, he lifted his face up from the gravel to glare at me. He was just upset that his fire was getting smaller. I glanced over my shoulder to make sure there was no one else around. Good, just had to check on my suspicions.

"The hell!?" Taejoon kicked gravel towards me.

"The letter, f*ck face. Where is it?" I narrowed my eyes on him. That's when something clicked with the guy.

"No way...Gloss, is that you!?" Taejoon jumped onto his feet. He dusted himself off and grinned at me. "I could hardly recognize you with the light blue hair."

"I don't go by Gloss anymore." I sighed. "It's Suga now."

"Right, right." Taejoon nodded his head. "Wow, it's like white hair you was here just yesterday with bruises from all kinds of things. How's things going with that gang you joined?"

"I'm not hear to chat." I crossed my arms as he put his lawn chair back up.

"Sit with me, Yoongi-ya. Then I'll give you the letter." He smirked.

"Why? I want to get the f*ck out of here." I stayed standing up.

"Just have a little conversation with me. I'll let the fire die out!" Taejoon knew that would make me think about it.

No one was around so I could do about three sentences at most. If we go over the limit, then I'll just throw him to feed his precious flames. I sat down on a giant tree stump that surprisingly hasn't been lit on fire by him yet. He looked a little too happy to have me sitting down with him. I took another look around the trailer homes, but there was nothing. This side of the homes were dead silent, but it didn't stop me from being paranoid. A part of me believed that Taejoon didn't really have my letter and planned this to be a surprise ambush. Everyone wanted to attack me now that I was back.

"Relax, Yoongi." Taejoon chuckled. "You've always been so paranoid. Don't worry, your old man isn't going to hit you and the others aren't going to touch you. You're like a hated legend here."

"...I'm relaxed," I lied through my teeth. Letting out a sigh, I pretended to be calm. I was still on high alert though. "So what did you want to talk about? My gang? We're fine."

"Okay, not that social as always." Taejoon laughed.

"Only two more things or I'm getting the letter by force." I cracked my knuckles.

"Yeah, whatever. Oh! Are you actually gonna do this military thing?" Taejoon asked, trying his hardest to not touch the box of matches on the ground.

"Yes," I said, "One more thing."

"Don't give me a limit!" Taejoon huffed as I stood up.

"You're done and I'm tired." I walked over to him, grabbing his shirt. "Where is that d*mn letter already?"

"Christ, you haven't lost your touch!" Taejoon grinned. He was afraid of me even when I was just a kid, but always found me fascinating too. I was just a little project to him. Not human. At least that's how I saw it. Taejoon wouldn't hesitate to throw me under the bus if he had to and that's where I learned it from. But I've learned better now. I raised my fist that had the most rings on it to see his eyes widen quickly. "Have you visited your brothers grave!?" He panicked, closing his eyes tightly. He had one hand on the one I used to grab his shirt. Taejoon waited for the punch but never received it. My fist stayed a foot away from his face.

"No..." I let go of his shirt and pushed him back. "I haven't done that in a long time."

"I see. Well you should definitely do that." Taejoon nervously patted himself down. Then he found what he was looking for which was a slightly crumbled envelope. "Here's the letter. It'll tell you everything I told you and more. Military service sucks."

"Thanks for the insight," I grumbled, ripping the paper out of his hands. Taejoon watched me shove it into my pocket without a care. Time to leave this dump.

"Have you seen your trailer today?" Taejoon asked to get a burning glare from me.

"Not mine. It ain't sh*t to me." I turned around from him and started walking away.

Adults looked away from me and children stopped playing to see me coming by again. The aura I had around me affected everyone. It was dark and toxic from how much hatred I held in my chest for this place. For everything that existed here. The teens my age who were originally talking behind my back now had their lips shut. They couldn't bring themselves to speak anymore. I'd be ready to knock their teeth out and leave them drowning in their own blood. I don't care how gory it gets. I'm f*cking Min Suga Yoongi and I'll do what ever I f*cking want. I flipped the whole trailer park off without a care.

As soon as I left the trailer homes, I calmed down from the rage I had felt earlier. My chest was burning too much. Taking in deep breaths, I reminded myself that I had changed. The gang knows I'm not that violent anymore. I'm working on my issues but d*mn does that place really bring out the dark side in me. The gang would be disappointed in me if I let out any of my emotions on someone back there. Especially (F/n). She's worked hard on getting me to feel normal. I won't lie about that. She's certainly helped even when I told her I didn't want it. But I was thankful though. Biting my lip, I walked by a flower shop before pausing in my steps. Should I?

My gaze shifted back to the window to see all kinds of flowers. Though they were kind of stupid and died easily, they did have something special to them. I faced the flower shop and felt myself going inside to take a look around. One specific flower caught my attention. Next thing I know, I had purchased them and was walking out in another direction I hadn't gone to in a while. I didn't go because I always told myself that I had him with me all the time so I didn't feel the need to come. But as I came closer to the cemetery, I knew I only told myself that because I was too afraid to come to his grave. I knew how emotional I'd get.

The walk to the cemetery didn't take too long. My heart felt heavy as I came inside. For some reason, I was almost scared to find his grave. I looked around and walked past all the headstones with unfamiliar names. Eventually I spotted his grave and sucked in my breath. My steps were slow and tiny as I came over and knelt down in front of it. Min Jaehyuk lies here and I haven't visited him since the day of the funeral. A large wave of regret hit me instantly as I set down the flowers. Have I always been that sh*tty of a big brother? Hunching over, I tried to not let any tears slip. I'm going to be strong for Jaehyuk as always.

"Hey...I'm sorry for not coming in over two years." I frowned, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Better late than never, huh?" I chuckled looking down at my lap and awkwardly moving my fingers around.

I obviously didn't expect a response, but how badly I wanted one. Even if Jaehyuk yelled at me for not showing up all this time. I want him to yell at me and to hear his voice just once more. Was that so hard to ask? There were barely any photos of him and it's not like there's videos of him. Our 'family' wasn't sentimental enough to do that kind of stuff. I could still remember his face to the exact detail though. How exactly his voice sounded and how his hair felt. The expressions he would often make. All of it haunted me in a good way if that makes sense. They put a smile on my face but leave a giant hole in my chest as an after taste.

"I still remember the day you were left at the trailer home." My breath was becoming shaky. "I was seven at the time and you were only three. That monster found you crying in front of the door with a note that explained the situation. God, he was so pissed and almost threw you into the mud. That awful...forget about him though."

Reaching towards the tombstone, I let my fingers slide down the smooth stone. My eyes were starting to burn and I tried blinking it away. My fingers followed the engraved letters of his name. I took a good look at his grave to make sure to memorize this too. Since I'm going to the military soon, I don't know when I'll see his grave next. I'm kind of glad Taejoon brought this up. I know I'd hate myself even more if I came to visit after four years. That's something I would never forgive myself for. Already, I was bashing myself up inside for being two years late.

"You could already walk and you kept crying about your mom...but it turns out you barely even saw her when you were at home. You couldn't even remember what she looked like! You had it crappy too just like me and I made sure to watch over you. You gave me a reason not to lose myself..." My eyes were watery at this point. It was becoming painful to hold back my feelings. They were too strong and my chest was hurting. "I protected you with everything I had, but it still wasn't enough. I keep...I keep thinking 'what if' and sh*t like that, but it's too late. I imagine days where I can just hold you and tell you not to do it. Because I care so much about you! I was so mad at you and barely said a word at the funeral! I wanted to scream at you, but all I could do was cry!"

It was all out in the open. I fell over his tomb, sobbing uncontrollably as I let out all the built-up emotions. It didn't matter to me if others were around. This was a private moment between us as brothers. We have a bond even if you're no longer here. I hate acting like you're not here because it just makes it more real, but I have to let go. That doesn't mean forget you. No, I could never do that as hard as I had once tried. But I need to move on in a healthy way. The members know about you, but not who you are. I wish there were others who knew you and were there for you too. That monster made sure we barely left the trailer for anything and you were too afraid to make friends. All you had was me and I hurt for months thinking I wasn't enough. How could I be? He was hurting more than I could ever imagine. I'm not a saint to keep him living.

"J-Jaehyuk...we're brothers no matter what anyone says. And I wish you could've met the gang. They would've loved you and appreciated you as much as I do." I sniffled loudly. "I'm sorry I didn't see the signs. The things you were doing that were basically a cry for help. No, Yoongi hyung was too busy living the criminal life and enjoying the adrenaline. The money and the drugs!"

Pounding my fist against the grass, I didn't care if I hurt my hand. I kept pounding the ground until my knuckles were aching. Frustration hit me to know I wasn't ever over my brother's suicide. Will I ever be? All I did was bury everything through an unemotional expression. That didn't help with anything. My whole body was shaking as I screamed softly at his grave. There was a lot of anger, confusion, and sadness in my voice, but it was soft. As if I didn't want to hurt his feelings. I didn't know if Jaehyuk was in a better place or not. Either away from an abusive home or lost in darkness. Was there even a difference? I hated thinking about that.

"...I just miss you so much. No amount of a-apologies could ever bring you back o-or...I don't know. I want to go back in time to hug you. Rethink the things I've said to you. Let you know that you are loved and that it gets better. It really does!" I bit my lip hard before taking in a deep breath. "I never thought t-that I would ever have friends. Friends like Namjoon, Seokjin, Hoseok, Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook. (F/n) even. Someone like me has actual people that care about me. I think why me instead of you? But I can't keep asking these questions, but little things remind me of you. You've left me with a life ton of memories despite cutting yours short. You weren't even done with primary school and you ended it all at twelve years old. Do you know how f*cking young that is!? DO YOU!? JAEHYUK."

Please answer me. Talk to me. Something. Sitting here in this graveyard made me feel so lonely. When people said they felt their loved ones from beyond, I always think they're crazy. How come I never feel you? Do you not want to talk to me? Sometimes I wonder if I was a part of the reason you took your own life, Jaehyuk. These are the questions you left me with. Killing yourself doesn't end all your problems but passes them on. It's left me broken, but I didn't want to blame Jaehyuk. It hurt too much to do so since he's already been through enough. My tears kept rushing out as I shouted at my brother. I wanted him to know how I felt despite not knowing how he did. I only knew things from my perspective and I hated that.

"I remember the day you did it to the exact detail. How the air felt, the clothes I wore and how you smiled at me before I left for the day. You were so happy that day. It wasn't anything too strange but...I wish I could've been someone you had talked to." I sighed heavily. "I couldn't continue staying with that monster, so I left to a park. Then to the warehouse where we could have lived together. Imagine that. I have to stop the 'could have been' thoughts though. It's just hard to think that one second you were laughing, filled with real joy to the point your stomach hurt and then you just became lifeless. It's hard to accept. I can't bring you back to life...but I can always love you and remember you."

Wiping the tears on my face, my mind couldn't help going back to the day he did it. He showed so many signs and I ignored them. They weren't so obvious to me. Tightening up my hands into fists, I tried calming myself down from all the crying. Coming here reminded me of the dream I once had in the warehouse. The dream wasn't completely accurate to what had happened. I didn't suddenly wake up in the trailer to find Jaehyuk dead. No, I had been out that day it happened. I was beat by that monster and promised to protect Jaehyuk and I also was pulled away from holding his dead body. Those parts were true memories. Even the monster beating me with no mercy in front of my dead brother...

*~*

Jaehyuk was moving around the trailer with a serious expression. What's his deal? I was sitting down on on a seat with my feet on the table, playing a video game as he took out a bag. It was hard to focus on the game now. Putting it on pause, I smiled to watch the little guy go. For some reason he was cleaning up our side of the trailer home. It didn't matter if this place was tidy or not. The monster didn't care if we lived in a pig sty or not. As long as we didn't bother him, we're fine. For the most part. Setting down the console I had stolen a few months ago, Jaehyuk notices me staring at him with amusement.

"What?" He asked.

"Why are you cleaning?" I raised a brow.

"Why not?" He frowned.

"Kind of pointless isn't it?" I teased to see his grip tighten on the trash bag.

"No, it's not!" He shouted and I was stunned for a bit. Removing my feet from the table, I adjusted myself to sit properly in my chair.

"Sorry...I didn't mean it in a bad way," I said as he sighed. "You know I'd never hurt you on purpose, Jae."

"I know...sorry, I just can't stand the mess anymore." Jaehyuk loosened his grip on the bag.

He continued shoving trash inside and the place was certainly looking better. Maybe we should make more attempts to clean our side up. It'll make it more bearable after all. I watched him without saying a word as he went around. He did jokingly tease me back by saying my hair looked like a used napkin he had found. Dying my hair white wasn't supposed to make me look like a dirty old napkin. At least this boy has humor though. I ruffled up his hair to give him a piece of my mind. We laughed as much as we wanted to. The monster wasn't in the trailer so we weren't going to get yelled at by him or hit for stupid reasons. That's when Jaehyuk picked up a figurine he had won at a school raffle. It's his favorite thing, but he was handing it over to me without a care.

"Why are you giving this to me?" I tilted my head as he shrugged. "Isn't this your favorite toy?"

"I'm getting too old for toys. I think you'll like it though." Jaehyuk smiled. "Take care of it."

"If you care about it then why don't you keep it?" I furrowed my brows. "Are kids in your class making fun of you for having toys? Because I'll beat them up for you."

"No, that's not it." Jaehyuk shook his head. "Trust me. And can you take care of the fishes too from now on?"

"Huh? I forget we even have those things." I glanced at the tank. "You should continue taking care of them. They teach you responisblity which is helpful for the future."

"Right...well, just keep the figurine then," Jaehyuk mumbled.

"Okay...but I'm going to be very suspicious about the kids in your grade." I crossed my arms.

"They're innocent, hyung!" Jaehyuk shook his head with a grin.

"I'll beat their @sses. That's a promise." I smirked. "I know kids in your grade were dying to win this thing."

"No thanks, hyung, but thanks." Jaehyuk chuckled, everything about him becoming softer. "Just keep it, okay?"

"Fine." I placed the figurine in front of me. I had no idea what I was going to do with it though.

Whatever, Jaehyuk might want it back in a day or two. I'll just keep watch over it. Jaehyuk picked up everything he could. He looked around the trailer home one more time and nodded to himself. When he started tying up the bag, I heard the neighbors dog barking loudly. That meant he was coming back early today. Standing up from my seat, I took the bag out of Jaehyuk's hands. Knowing him, he'd probably want to throw the trash out. We can't do that now that the monster is back. Jaehyuk looked at me in confusion as I raised it high up in the air. He thought I was doing it to be mean and jumped up to tug the bag down.

"You're going to rip the bag and make a mess again!" I whispered through gritted teeth. The door was getting opened.

"Give it back! I have to throw the trash away!" Jaehyuk bounced up and down. The monster came inside and was going to ignore us, but we kept making noise. "Hyung, please!"

"Jaehyuk, later!" I whispered harshly. This was for his own good, but he didn't know the monster had arrived.

"I need to throw away the trash! Why won't you give it?" Jaehyuk cried out like this was the worst thing I was doing for him. What's his deal lately?

We usually get along with out any bumps, but he's been acting pretty weird for a while. It didn't make sense to me. Maybe puberty was getting to him or something. Hearing an annoyed groan, Jaehyuk stopped jumping around and I lowered down the trash bag. Crap. I didn't want us to get hurt today. The monster showed himself in our side of the trailer home. He glared at us after a day of essentially doing nothing. Jaehyuk tried smiling at him in hopes that would calm him down. It wouldn't work. I knew that would do nothing and my blood was starting to boil just seeing his face.

"What's with all the f*cking noise!?" He shouted.

"We were just playing around, Appa." Jaehyuk looked down as he snatched the garbage bag away from me. "I'm gonna do throw away the trash now."

My hands balled up into fists as he walked towards the front door. Though I loved my brother a lot, that was a stupid mistake. The monster scoffed and slammed his small body against the wall. I ran over and kicked the trash bag out of the way to defend Jaehyuk. Immediately, Jaehyuk was fell to the floor and the monster roughly grabbed my throat. He didn't care about my gasps about air and forced me onto the ground. He treated me like a rabid dog as I hit the ground and coughed for air. Jaehyuk was breathing heavily with huge eyes to see me struggling to get up. Hell no, I have to get a few hits on the monster. I don't care if he breaks my nose. As long as I get a scratch on him!

"Hyung!" Jaehyuk screamed as I began fighting the monster.

He was bigger than me, but he didn't expect this sudden attack. He fell backwards as I pounded my fist against his face. Eventually, my hands wrapped themselves around his neck. I'm going to do it now. I'm going to kill him once and for all. Everything has led to this moment. Jaehyuk and I will finally be safe. Free. The money from the deals with be enough to live on our own. I'll take care of him and this will all be over with. Jaehyuk shivered in the corner to see how blinded I was with insanity. The monster growled as I laughed in his face. He grabbed my wrists and threw me off of him. I hit my back against the chair and grunted. Why can't I ever finish the job!?

"Getting cocky, huh?" He wiped the saliva off his chin.

"Don't kill each other," Jaehyuk pleaded to get a sharp glare from the guy he still called 'Appa'.

"You're nothing but pathetic and weak!" The monster yelled. "The both of you know the rules. You stay inside this trailer or you never come back here again. You little sh*ts should be grateful you have a place to stay and that you're not dead on the streets. Nothing but burdens!"

"Why should we be grateful when all you f*cking do is hit us? Crazy b*tch." I growled.

"You know, at least Jaehyuk takes it without opening his mouth." The monster turned around to reach for something. He slowly showed what he was hiding in his hand. I almost stopped breathing to see the shine on the metal when the light hit it. The monster stared at the knife, flipping it around as if he was examining it. "Speechless now? Does that mean I won't have to cut out those f*cking vocal chords of yours?"

"No..." Jaehyuk shook his head nervously. We've been burnt and had objects used to hurt us, but never an actual weapon that could kill us. Just seeing him threaten me with one was infuriating. Does he actually think I'll let him kill me? Not a chance.

"Try it, you sick b*st*rd." I spit at his feet.

He was fuming at this point as he took a step forward towards me. He hated the smirk on my face. Waiting for him to pounce, I kept a good eye on the monster. Except he didn't lunge at me. He leaped towards Jaehyuk instead and cut his sleeve open. Hearing his scream made my skin go white. Stab me. Cut me. NOT HIM. Getting up onto my feet, I battled with the monster to take the knife out of his hands. We were both trying to grip the handle, but I knew it was pointless so I grabbed the blade. Ignoring the fact that my own blood was getting onto the steel. The knife was now in my possession as the monster only chuckled. Jaehyuk was panicking to see cut on him bleeding. All the monster did at that point was grab a handful of my hair and throw me head first into the wall.

"That'll be enough for today." He left our side of the home as he reminded us of the rule. No leaving the trailer or don't come back at all. We snuck out anyway, using the window on our side when we needed too. We'll never listen to him.

Groaning at the throbbing pain in my head, I had dropped the knife on the ground when I was tossed. My body slid to the ground. Jaehyuk was trembling after this experience. It's the worst one yet. He's never wanted to leave us dead before. He always tells us how lucky we are to be alive instead. But I doubted his words held any truth when he threatened to take my vocal chords out. He wouldn't kill one of us. That's why he only cut Jaehyuk's shoulder. Rubbing my head, I crawled over to Jaehyuk who was beginning to cry. He never liked the sight of blood and was hurting from the quick round we went through.

"I don't think I can go through this any longer, Hyung..." Jaehyuk struggled to get his words out as I viewed the cut. His short sleeve was ripped too. It wasn't deep, so it should heal soon.

"I hate this too." I sighed, finding something to clean his wound up. He flinched slightly when I did. He stopped crying as much as I looked him in the eyes. "You will always have me though. I'll protect you from that monster."

"But don't...don't kill, Appa." Jaehyuk's bottom lip quivered.

"Stop calling him that!" I hissed.

"But that's what he is!" Jaehyuk hung his head down as he stared at the knife on the ground. He didn't speak for a long time. "He tried to kill me with that?"

"No, just hurt you to annoy me. He didn't hit anywhere important though. It's not even that deep too," I stated.

"I see..." Jaehyuk took in a deep breath. "A-And you don't hate the sight of blood?"

"A little blood doesn't frighten me." I chuckled, ruffling his hair. We were like polar opposites, but we were everything to each other. "I'm used to it."

"Okay." Jaehyuk nodded his head as I picked up the knife.

Time to hide this thing from plain sight. There's no way I'm leaving it out in the open again for him to use against us. Jaehyuk watched me stand up, flipping the knife as I took a look around the trailer. Now that most of our trash was cleaned up, I had to be creative. Hearing the sound of the fish tank, I smirked while Jaehyuk raised a brow. I told him the reason for hiding the knife and he immediately hated the idea of me putting it inside the fish tank. Where else then? If I throw it out then kids are going to end up killing each other by accident.

"In the fish tank." I walked over as he put his hand on my foot.

"Behind it!" Jaehyuk frowned.

"What's the difference?" I asked.

"Just leave it there." Jaehyuk stared at me with big eyes.

That alone did the trick and I gave in. Letting out a sigh, I slid the knife behind the fish tank. There. Now the job was done. Jaehyuk smiled at me as I helped him get up. I ignored any pain I felt and made sure he was okay. Checking the new marks on his body and making sure he wasn't crying anymore. Only then could we call it a night. I had a big day tomorrow. A deal was going down so I was getting paid, but it was going to be tough. Good thing the big bad wolf didn't hurt me too much. My shoulder still hurt from the time he dislocated it. That was less than three days ago. The night was coming so Jaehyuk got ready for bed. After he fell asleep, it was my turn.

Jaehyuk never knew how twisted the man he called 'Appa' could be. Sure, he was beat by him constantly just like me. Except there was some kind of torture the monster enjoyed getting from me at night that he never did with Jaehyuk. Mainly because I wouldn't let him. He forced me to do random tasks at whatever time and then force me to sleep. I had to be alert on thirty minutes of sleep sometimes to make sure he didn't urt Jaehyuk. It killed me and drained my energy. My little brother was a deep sleeper. He never heard any of it or woke up from it. And I never told him I did these things for him or else it would worry him.

For example, hurting us today wasn't enough. He was bored. The monster was moving around in our side of the trailer home. It was loud and clear. It woke me up right away. Slowly lifting myself up from the couch, I look over to Jaehyuk who was sleeping soundly. He's safe. I scanned our side with tired eyes to spot a dark shadow in the corner of the room. Watching me. It used to scare the sh*t out of me when I was a kid. Now I've grown annoyed to see the monster hiding there like I couldn't see him. There was no closet or bed for him to hide. He was out in the open and enjoyed it. He walked over to me, yanking a handful of my white hair.

"You're awake. Perfect." The monster smiled at my gritted teeth. "Time to clean the bathroom mirror."

"Do it yourself." I huffed.

"Should I make someone else do it?" The monster glanced at Jaehyuk's sleeping form.

"Fine." I forced my exhausted body off the couch. He played dirty like that. Always. Every time I talked back, he didn't hesitate to bring Jaehyuk into this. He knew my weak spot.

The bathroom was near the monster's side of the trailer home. Dragging my feet over, I felt his hand push me forward. I stumbled over my feet and hit the ground hard. He doesn't care about the house being clean. The monster kicked my hand when I tried lifting myself up, only for my chin to bash the ground. That hurt like b*tch. He didn't like how slow I was at getting up. Exhaustion wasn't hitting me too hard, but I was tired. It made doing little things like getting up so much harder. I wanted to sleep. When I finally got into the bathroom, I pulled out the supplies and cleaned up the small mirror. It didn't take too long to do the job. That meant I could sleep for now, but there was another problem.

Where was the monster? He wasn't watching me to make sure I finished. My heart raced as I hurried over to Jaehyuk. Then there he was. Towering over my little brother in the dark like a creepy @ss motherf*cker. He held a pillow above Jaehyuk's head. It hovered slightly over the snoring boy. Scowling, I jumped the monster and pulled him back. The pillow fell to the ground and soon I was tossed right next to it. The monster chuckled at my attempt to be the hero. He left our side, not caring about what just happened. This was all a game for him. I wanted to be asleep, but I had to be alert. This little night game of his happened almost daily. Jaehyuk thinks I have terrible sleep habits, but this is the real reason why.

When I went back to bed, I slept for who knows how long. There were no clocks here. Plus, the blinds were always closed since the creature preferred us to never be seen by others. They knew we existed though. Everyone in this trailer park knew of us and they knew d*mn well how he treated us. But they didn't say a thing. Not a word. I hope they all rot in Hell. My sweet dreams of the people I hated suffering had to be disturbed. As if he had known I had been dreaming about him dying, the monster appeared again once more in front of my eyes. Without saying much, he forced me out of bed to do something else in protection of my brother. I cursed at him quietly, telling him it was probably one in the morning. He only smirked. I didn't know what time it actually was. My current task was to do ten push ups and then return to bed.

This went on for not much longer. The monster eventually got bored. He told me in a threatening tone that if I bother him then we'll see who gets to be the one who dies young. Seeing him and being in this situation made me want to just die. Get it over with. This isn't livable. All it was to me was torture every day. How come I've come so far? I remember thinking I would never be alive to reach high school. Now I'm about to be a first year and I only have one person who keeps me strong. Returning back to our side of the trailer, I watch Jaehyuk drooling as he slept. He moved around and made noises. How could someone be so alive even as they slept? It made me chuckle. Knowing the monster was most likely done for the night, I slept peacefully. Like a brick until the morning.

Jaehyuk was up and about. He was smiling wide as he watched the TV. A cartoon wasn't even on. He was only watching stupid commercials about cleaning supplies. Shifting around on the couch, I squint until I can get my eyes fully open. That was practically painful to do. There's no way I had more than five hours of sleep. Groaning at the sound of the TV, I tried convincing myself to get up. There was a deal going on today and I had to be there. I was saving up money to get my own place so Jaehyuk and I won't have to deal with the monster anymore. Then I also wanted some pocket money for anything I wanted. Jaehyuk turned to face me with a sparkle in his eyes.

"Get up, sleepy!" Jaehyuk laughed.

"I am." I grunted, propping myself up with my elbows. "Is there anything to eat today?"

"We ran out of food yesterday. Sorry, hyung." Jaehyuk frowned.

"It's okay. I'll just buy something at the store." I placed my feet on the ground and tried finding my shoes. "I'll try to bring as much as I can."

"Where do you even get the money, hyung?" Jaehyuk turned to me with curiosity.

"Ah...odd jobs. Don't worry about it." I found my shoes. "As long as we don't starve anymore like we used to, huh?"

"Right!" Jaehyuk grinned.

He got up onto his feet as soon as I made my way to the front door. The monster was either out like a light or somewhere in town. That meant I could use the front door but coming back was trickier. Jaehyuk knew the drill and kept the window open for me. He never locked it on purpose. Jaehyuk stood at the door while my feet made contact with the muddy ground. Trash was everywhere, the sky was grey, and people looked homeless. This has to be considered one of the seven wonders of the world. It's disgusting.

"I'll be out for a while. Don't wait up for me!" I shoved my hands in my pockets, walking backwards so I could see his grinning face. What's got him so happy about today?

"Alright, hyung! Be safe!" Jaehyuk shouted. Hearing that automatically put a smile on my face. Thanks, I'll be needing that for the deal. "I love you!"

"What?" I chuckled.

"Exactly what I said." Jaehyuk held the door, tightly gripping it. His smile was now looking tight too. "C'mon, say it back! Please, hyung?"

"Eh...maybe when I get back. I got a rep to keep, Jae." I laughed as his smile stopped showing his teeth.

"Okay...take care of yourself, Hyung." He nodded, understanding what I meant. He gave me one last wave as I went off for the day.

After leaving the trailer park, I got breakfast and checked what time it was. The deal wasn't starting until later. Good timing for me then. The deal today was with a couple people I knew. They weren't friends of mine. I've known them for a little bit and barely know any of their names. I think one of them is named Myon? But I can't be sure and I honestly don't give a f*ck. By the time the sun was setting, I went off to the set location to meet up with them. There they were. About seven guys, most of them older then me and one my age. I'm not friends with them and I think I proved that at the deal. As soon as they handed me the money which was supposed to be shared by all of us, I ran.

No one should really trust me, but they always did. I had experience in the field and people were intimidated by me. It's a perk with most things in life. They shouted at me in anger to know they had just been betrayed. Cheated out of a good amount a money if I say so myself. No guilt was felt. Only laughter and my cheeks were hurting from how much fun I was having. They couldn't catch up to me when I used the sewers to escape from them. From there, I took the money over to the trailer park. People weren't in the area I entered in since I came from the back. That way I avoided getting unwanted attention. I came over to my trailer, tossing the bags of money inside and hopping in threw the window. What a rush.

"Haha! Jaehyuk! Where do you want to eat tonight? It's on me!" I shouted, shoving the money into pillows. Jaehyuk wasn't in our side so that was a bit off. He normally stayed here and followed the rules even without the monster present. I looked around and spotted the dead fish in the tank. Sh*t. Maybe Jaehyuk was crying in the bathroom over them. But I couldn't hear him crying. My heart began pounding as I started walking out of our side. Pushing open the curtain, my eyes landed on two feet outside of the bathroom with blood sinking into the carpet. This isn't real. No. "JAEHYUK!!"

*~*

Shaking my head as I stared at his grave, there was so much regret I felt. The memories haunted me constantly. It's hard to accept death like this. When the gang members rejected me for my dumb@ss betrayal, I felt like I had no one. I meant it when I told Jungkook to just kill me. So I could possibly be with someone who did care about me. Except I learned that night that maybe the members aren't the only thing to life. (F/n) told me never to think like that again. She said what I wanted to tell Jaehyuk and caught me before I did anything stupid. Knowing how awful I felt to find Jaehyuk, I'm keeping that promise strong for (F/n). Even if things get tough.

"I shoud've said I love you back." I bit my lip, looking at my hands until I made myself look at his tomb. There. Here's his body and this is a fact. It's real life. Jaehyuk is gone, but that doesn't mean it's all over. "Because I do. I love you too."

I told myself it wasn't too late to say that. It felt like it was, but I wouldn't accept those thoughts. This is my way of finally making things right and facing my fears. I'm taking steps forward to change myself. I'm no longer Gloss or my past. The future me will be the progress of the present, so I wanted to start working on myself.

"When I come back from the military, I'm going to come visit you again. Okay?" I smiled. "Maybe you'll get to meet my friends."

Wiping my face one last time, I felt some pressure lift off my chest at that point. The sun shined a little brighter and things felt better. Maybe this is my version of having him with me. Negative feelings didn't hit me anymre as I stared at his grave. I think I've reached peace at this point with my feelings. The pain of the loss wasn't gone. I don't think that will ever go away but it doesn't hurt as much. Some unanswered questions still remained too, but what can you do? Standing up, I bowed to my brother's grave before leaving the cemetery. Hopefully it didn't look like I had cried a storm back there. The whole neighborhood must have heard my ugly sobs.

So I took a walk around the town to officially calm down. Make sure all my emotions where in check and I was stable again. Walking past a window, I checked my face to see that my eyes weren't that puffy and my face wasn't pink anymore. Now I can return to being a thug on the streets again. But a happier one this time. Shoving my hands deep into my pockets, I was turning the corner to see an idiot not paying attention to on going traffic. Cars were speeding through without a care and the idiot almost stepped right into the middle of it. Luckily, he had two friends with him who pulled him back. I think the worst part of this is that I know who the idiot is as well as his friends.

"Taehyung! What did we say about looking both ways!?" I shouted to see them all jump. They were frightened at first before seeing it was me. Soon a giant grin came across their faces and I gave them a small one back.

"Hyung!" They all cheered. As soon as they were allowed to cross, they all came running over to my side.

"What are you guys doing?" I raised a brow.

"Just hanging out," Taehyung said. They didn't have (F/n) with them. It made me wonder where she could be. Hopefully not on a date with Seokjin. Maybe talking to Namjoon about the future of the gang. She still doesn't want us to be a gang which is the only thing I strongly disagree with her. Other than that, she's fine. I shook off my thoughts of (F/n). She's not even here so why am I thinking about her?

"Yep. We don't really know where we're going." Jungkook shrugged.

"We're just wandering around. What are you doing?" Jimin asked.

"Doing the same thing as you guys." I sighed, looking around at the buildings. The sun was really starting to beat down now that is was past noon. Rainy and cloudy days are better. "It's kind of hot though. You kids want ice cream?"

"Really!?" Taehyung and Jungkook grinned at each other.

"I'll pay. Let's go." I told them to follow me.

"Thanks, Yoongi hyung!" Jimin bowed quickly with excitement in his steps. Taehyung and Jungkook copied him and did quick bows while scurrying behind me. Exactly like little kids. It's cute though so I don't have much to complain about. Only when they can't walk across a street by themselves is when I get a slight problem.

Jungkook and Jimin bounced around behind me meanwhile Taehyung kept trying to hold my hand. He was trying his hardest to pull my hand out of my pocket. This boy. I swear, Namjoon is going to hear it from me. I was there when the second years told Taehyung to hold his hyung's hands. When I joined the gang, this isn't what I signed up for. Taehyung eventually tried linking arms with me which was somehow worse. I gave him a look that made him settle for grabbing onto my jacket instead. Shaking my head, I just took his d*mn hand since he almost tripped over a rock. Wasn't Jimin the one who always tripped?

"Careful! There's a rock." Jungkook caught Jimin who tripped right after Taehyung. Wow. Then there's probably Namjoon breaking something out there in this world.

The boys came with me into a little ice cream parlor. The woman behind the counter was off put to see me. She was slightly frightened until she saw me holding Taehyung's hand. Once she saw the first-year boys behind me, she lightened up. Especially when they thanked me once more for paying. The boys went crazy over choosing their flavors. Jimin got one scoop, Jungkook got two scoops that were different flavors, and Taehyung got three different scoops that looked unappetizing next to each other. Personally, I would never put those flavors with each other. I got a small cup and paid before joining them at a table.

"Gucci~!" Taehyung pointed at his earrings. "Cool, huh?"

"You're going to get robbed." I sat down to see him frown. "But yes, it looks nice."

"You're so confusing, hyung." Taehyung began to chuckle.

"He's not wrong." Jungkook laughed. "You know what town we live in, right?"

"I'm aware!" Taehyung scoffed, making Jimin join into the laughter. His ice cream was slowly melting so I gave a Jimin napkin before it got his fingers sticky. "But we have nice people in this town too. Like (F/n)!"

"Not everyone is (F/n)," I stated as Jimin quietly thanked me. He realized he had to eat his a little faster.

"What even is your relationship with her, Yoongi?" Jungkook questioned, already eating his cone. He wasted no time to finish that.

"Curious or jealous?" I teased.

"Curious," He responded right away with pink cheeks. Look at this boy growing up. He's already noticing girls.

Facing him, I sighed as I thought about his question. My relationship with (F/n) has certainly changed from what it used to be in the beginning. A lot has happened which changed to what I have with her now. Back then I could proudly say I hated her with every cell in my body. Now I don't feel any of that towards her. She occasionally gets annoying, but everyone does for me. She's become normal. Seeing her no where in the warehouse is strange to me. I've come to the point where I kind of like having her around. It's more convient since I do start up conversations with her now. We've grown closer ever since she let me stay at her place and stood by my side despite my sh*tty behavior.

To be honest, I knew I got along with her. She had a similar feeling around her that the other boys gave. A family vibe. She really worked hard to earn our trust and make herself something to all of us. The gang loves her around. Whether they see her as a sister, friend, or a possible love interest. They're all seeing her in their own way. My relationship with her is...friend. I'm pretty sure. Calling her like my sister was too weird. And I don't think I know much about love to know what that is. (F/n) does have something special about her. I can admit that. If my brother were still alive, I would have introduced her to him too along with the gang.

"We're friends. I guess." I shrugged.

"Really?" Jimin smiled softly. He was probably the happiest to know I didn't have anything against her anymore.

"Don't lie! I've seen those sexual eyes you give her," Taehyung randomly accused me of bullsh*t.

"Is this true!?" Jungkook eyed my stoic expression.

"The f*ck? Hell no. Taehyung, just eat your d*mn ice cream," I said as he happily nodded.

These kids make me feel like a grandpa sometimes. I have to take care of them, but they all have too much energy. Namjoon acted more like their father. Then I was the one who found Namjoon. He was like a little kid to me too. Hoseok was like his adopted brother that Namjoon forced me to take in and Seokjin just showed up because I made him. Jungkook calmed down and was awkwardly laughing. He's clearly never had a crush before. His feelings are so intense sometimes and he struggles to show them. I know that all too well. Jimin finished his ice cream and was wiping his face. He gave me a wide smile as I stood up from my chair.

"Where are you going?" Jungkook asked.

"Warehouse." I scratched the back of my head. "Gotta read a letter and talk to Namjoon about my military service."

"Aww. Well then we'll see you later." Taehyung smiled as I gave him a napkin. He has some ice cream on his cheek.

"Alright." I took a step back, glancing at Jimin again who was grinning wide.

"Take care of yourself, hyung!" Jimin waved at me. I couldn't help but give him a smile. Hanging out with the first years could be exhausting at times, but I did like it. They truly made me feel like I was still a big brother. Especially Jimin. He reminded me most of Jaehyuk.

"Will do, Jiminie." I stood at the exit. "I'm happy to be your hyung."

"We're thankful to have you too," Jungkook chimed in, getting strong nods from the other two boys. My chest felt even lighter today. I'm doing good, Jaehyuk. I'm working on it and I'll make you proud.

"Thanks."

Chapter Text

Ch.55

Another emergency was happening. At least that's what Hoseok texted you. He said it was extremely important and you had to hurry. Then lots of exclamation points and emojis for emphasis. Though you doubted someone was dying, you met up with him like he requested. School had just ended and he wanted you to meet up with him after school in the second year building. As soon as you got there, you were panting heavily like last time. He seemed nervous though. When he greeted you, it wasn't as bubbly as usual. Furrowing your brows, you followed him out of the building. There were no deals going on today. Everyone had the day off to do whatever they wanted. Especially since Namjoon was still thinking about the future of the gang.

The two of you met him in the hallway. Most of the members were going to the warehouse anyway. Namjoon on the other hand said that if you guys needed him, he'd be at home. Hoseok wished him luck on figuring out this problem for the gang. You made sure to give Namjoon a hug to let him know it'll be okay. Something to get his dimples showing again. Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows and you playfully smacked his arm. After that, the two of you continued on this emergency call. Hoseok was letting himself become nervous again. He wasn't telling you what was going on. That only passed the feeling onto you. Where was he taking you?

First you guys were walking out of school and then waited at a bus stop. How far was the emergency location? It made you curious, but also a little anxious. What if this is a real emergency? That didn't sound like fun. The bus came by and Hoseok paid for your fare. He refused to take your money just like Namjoon. These boys don't understand that you just want to be kind! Hoseok didn't say much during the whole bus ride. From the looks of it, it looked like the bus was going to take you to another town. Hoseok stood up for the last stop before going to the next town over. You followed him out and looked around as the bus left.

"Where are we? I mean, I know where we are but...why?" You asked as Hoseok shook his hands.

"I'm nervous. But excited. AAH!" Hoseok randomly shouted. "You know?"

"I could if you would just tell me." You sighed.

"I haven't told you?" Hoseok raised a brow to get a head shake from you. "Oops."

"What's the reason?" You walked closer to him.

"Well, you know how I want to be a hair dresser?" Hoseok tilted his head. "Namjoon's Mom hooked me up with a trial. Sort of. I'm going to show her hair dresser friend what I'm capable of and I needed you to come for emotional support."

"Aw, I'll gladly support you!" You hugged the red head. "I'm sure you'll show her just how talented you are!"

"I also needed someone with hair. You don't mind if I cut your hair a bit, do you?" Hoseok questioned as you pulled away with a slightly less happy expression.

"Hoseok..." You narrowed your eyes on him.

"Just a trim?" He gave you a grin. D*mn it. There was nothing wrong with a trim, but you won't let him cut too much. Or leave you with a wild hair color. None of that.

"Why not?" You gave in. Hoseok cheered and threw his hands in the air. He didn't care at the fact that others were walking past him. They eyed him weirdly so you decided to start cheering out loud with him. The two of you were bouncing around, eventually hugging each other and getting strange looks together.

Soon the two of you calmed down from that. The both of you laughed like nothing had happened. People could stare all they want. They're missing out on what it means to have a great friendship like this. Though Hoseok typically tried to show everyone a happier side of himself for others, you're glad he trusted you enough to show you a different side. One where he's nervous and not as confident. He didn't want to tell Namjoon his worries since the boy was already working himself up over the gang. Hoseok cared about everyone to the point where he put their feelings in front of his own. It makes him a great friend, but you also wanted him to know that it's okay to take care of himself. Sometimes you just need to help yourself.

Hoseok brought you over to a salon that looked pretty cute. It made sense for it to be at the edge of town. Everything deeper in looked awful. The town you guys lived in didn't have a reputation for being the prettiest place in Korea. It's mainly known for how dangerous it can be and to avoid being there at all costs. Other than that, this town has left you with more than you could ever want. Friends for life and stronger skin. There's more, but that would take more than a day to list them all off. Hoseok opened the door for you to walk in first. The moment the two of you came inside, a woman Ms. Kim's age came out with short hair. Her eyes immediately landed on Hoseok with a smile.

"Are you Namjoon's friend?" She asked.

"I am! Did Ms. Kim mention me?" Hoseok smiled wide.

"She wouldn't stop going on about how you left her hair. She sent me pictures." The woman nodded. "Nice job."

"Thank you! Ms....?" Hoseok froze. He panicked, but the woman didn't seem to mind.

"Moon. Call me sunbaenim though," She said and Hoseok instantly bowed.

"Thank you, Sunbaenim!" Hoseok bounced up with joy.

"Are you his girlfriend?" Ms. Moon turned to you as your face started to burn.

"Oh no, just his friend." You chuckled as Hoseok was blushing lightly too.

"Well Hoseok, I saw what you could do with mediocre products," Ms. Moon became increasingly more intimidating. "Here I have the professional products. I want to see you work with these instead and I'm assuming you brought your friend over to demonstrate a hair cut."

"I-I did!" Hoseok nodded.

"Sit down," Ms. Moon order you and walked off into a back room.

Without hesitation, you did what she said. Ms. Moon didn't have to tell you twice. You hurried over to a chair and sat your butt down. No one could get you off except for Ms. Moon herself. Hoseok gave you a worried glance in the mirror as he stood behind you. He wrapped a cloth around your shoulders before bringing out your hair. While the two of you waited, Hoseok played with your hair. He was done examining it so now he was just twirling strands between his fingers. Ms. Moon eventually came out again. She approved of Hoseok already covering your shoulders and then requested him to begin. Hoseok and you were trying to remember how to breathe.

"W-What do have in mind?" Hoseok kept a smile on his face.

"Trim," You managed to blurt out.

Ms. Moon raised a brow to see the both of you acting robotically. It was impossible to act natural for some reason. She was really sweet and now the look in her eyes makes you shut up. It's like she's judging not just Hoseok, but you too in every possible way. Hoseok started off by brushing your hair. All you knew was that Hoseok could dye hair so hopefully he's good at cutting too. He began spraying your hair with water then grabbing little pieces with two fingers. And with that, he began trimming your hair by an inch. Ms. Moon didn't say a word during the whole thing which made you nervous. Hoseok seemed to be too focused to notice. He was making sure that it was perfectly even before turning to face Ms. Moon with a satisfied smile.

"Done!" Hoseok grinned.

"Hm...I was expecting something more than a trim," Ms. Moon said as you internally panicked.

To be honest, you'd really like to keep the current hair you have. No extensions or cutting it shorter. Hoseok nibbled on his bottom lip, trying to think of something to say. The male typically got along with everyone. He knew what to say during deals. Even if he had a gun pointed to his head, Hoseok could convince them to put away their gun with a smile. Now he was struggling to get a sound out in front of Ms. Kim's friend. Seeing Ms. Moon's personality, you could see why her and Ms. Kim were friends. They must have been the baddest b*tches back in the day.

Luckily, Ms. Moon lightened up the mood by telling Hoseok to relax. She didn't bite and had another plan. Apparently, she had a client in the back who was getting their hair soaked. That meant Hoseok was going to work on an actual person who he doesn't know. Ms. Moon showed that she was confident in your friend and you were too. Hoseok looked like a professional when he worked Ms. Kim's hair. He looked like he was in his element. Becoming a hair dresser is definitely the right path in life for him. The older woman left to go into the back room once again and Hoseok quickly clung onto your body as you took off the cape.

"Woah!" Your eyes widened as he held you tightly.

"What if I ruin their hair!?" Hoseok whisper yelled.

"That's crazy. You know what you're doing." You petted his head. "You got this."

"Yeah, but she's got all this fancy stuff. I just use basic at-home hair coloring kits." Hoseok frowned. "Should I just continue to stay as the distraction for the gang?"

"Think about yourself, Hoseok! This is your dream." You narrowed your eyes on him. "Right?"

"Well yeah but..." Hoseok sighed. "I keep thinking about Namjoon. He really wants the gang to stay together and I'm his best friend. It's his dream to have the gang and I still want to help him with that..."

"I know." You sighed. "But hey, you brought me here as moral support and as your second biggest supporter, Ms. Kim being your first, I think you should go in there and give it all you got. You'll nail it."

"Think so?" Hoseok stopped clinging onto you for life. It turned into a gentle hug instead.

"Know so~!" You intoned.

"Aw, you're so cute!" Hoseok pinched your cheeks. You gave him a playful glare, but he just laughed it off and continued to play with your cheeks. "Alright, I might take a while so you can leave if you want."

"I'll wait," You stated as Ms. Moon called him over.

Hoseok waved at you energetically before running to meet Ms. Moon in the back. While they worked, you checked your hair in the mirror. Hoseok didn't do a bad job at all. Maybe you'll just go to him for hair cuts from now on. Happily taking a seat in the waiting lounge, you could over hear what was going on. Ms. Moon was asking Hoseok questions and teaching him about what he needed to know. Not just technique, but how to make it as a hair dresser. It's good that Hoseok has made his first connection into the hair dressing world. Ms. Kim certainly hooked him up.

In the middle of waiting, your phone began ringing. Rummaging your hand through your backpack, you eventually found your phone. You quickly answered so it wouldn't go to voice mail. Bringing the phone up to your ear, you stood up from your chair to talk outside of the salon. There was music playing softly inside and then the sound of a TV on a random channel for people who didn't want to read magazines. The salon was mainly empty though. When you stepped out, Seokjin's voice greeted you with excitement. It automatically put a smile on your face to hear him.

"(F/n)!" Seokjin greeted cheerfully.

"Hi Seokjin!" You closed the salon door.

"I just wanted to thank you for suggesting modeling in the first place," Seokjin said. "Right now I'm at Alpha Agency. I have an manager now and everything! I've read the contracts, signed, and everything is set. I'm going to be a model!"

"Really!? Oh my gosh, that's so cool!" You squealed. "I didn't think it would be that easy. I thought you were going to wait until after graduation."

"Me neither and I couldn't wait anymore," Seokjin admitted. "And I know what I'm going to learn in the modeling school now."

"What?" You asked. You wondered what they could teach him since modeling didn't seem like a profession to go to school for.

"Types of modeling like runway, magazine, fashion, and commercials. Then photo shoots and learning how they work, head shots, and what it means to be a professional model," Seokjin stated, "Plus health, make up, walking with posture, the business side of modeling, and then safety."

"That's a lot," You replied.

"Yep, but I'm excited anyway." Seokjin chuckled. "It sounds like a lot of fun and I can't wait to meet people abroad."

"Don't forget about us when you're famous," You teased.

"I could never. Especially you, Baby." Seokjin's tone became flirty you shook your head. "I have to go now, but thanks for everything!"

"It's nothing." You smiled as the call ended.

When you put your phone away, Hoseok came out of the salon with a giant grin. It wasn't the scared, forced ones he gave Ms. Moon earlier. You glanced inside the salon to see a woman paying and realized he was done. Looks like everything went well after all. Automatically, you ruffled Hoseok's red hair and wrapped your arm around his shoulder as best as you could. Since he was fairly taller than you, he had to lean slightly down while you walked on your tip toes. This awkward walking didn't last long. Soon he wrapped his arm around your waist and kept you close to him. He made sure to keep you safe as the two of you started walking deeper into the town.

"It was so cool!" Hoseok had stars in his eyes. "She recommended a hair dressing school to me that would teach me all kinds of things! Then she implied that I could get hired at her salon if I come back with more skills and more knowledge!"

"Are you gonna take it?" You questioned.

"Hell yeah!!" Hoseok threw his fist in the air. "Ah, you don't mind if we go to Namjoon's place, do you? I'd like to thank his mom. Or do you want to go home already?"

"I can visit the Kim's," You responded.

It'd be nice to see Ms. Kim, but you also wanted to check on Namjoon. You wanted to make sure he wasn't stressing too hard over the decision. Now there's only one week until graduation. The days he had were becoming less and he still didn't have an answer. He was afraid of making a mistake. You wanted to let him know that it's okay. Though you loved all the members and them being in a gang is what introduced you to all of them, you figured the gang ending would be the best option. Hoseok wanted to become a hair dresser and Jungkook liked the idea of becoming a video game creator. Then Yoongi and Seokjin were going to be gone for two years after they graduate. And Jimin still had a chance of becoming a dancer which you wanted him to take.

Being nosey is a bit of a problem. Most of the boys knew what they wanted to do after they graduate while you had no clue. That's the main reason you didn't pressure any of them too hard about leaving the gang. You just wanted what's best for them. Taehyung was clueless about the future just like you. The only plans he had was to stay in the gang, following Namjoon and doing whatever he said. It was more of a plan than you had. You'll figure it out soon. Hopefully. It took some time, but Hoseok and you finally arrived at the front door of Namjoon's house. Hoseok knocked and waited for someone to answer. Right away, the door opened to reveal Ms. Kim.

"Oh Hoseokie!" she cooed. "And you brought (F/n) with you~!"

"I did!" Hoseok chuckled. "I came here to thank you for calling your friend. I learned a lot today and I'm incredibly grateful. Thank you so much!"

"Aw, anything for family." Ms. Kim watched the boy bow down ninety degrees and stay like that out of respect. Soon Ms. Kim told him to lift his head up and ended up raising him up herself. Hoseok couldn't stop grinning. "I'll call Namjoonie. He's been keeping himself couped up in his room all this time. Namjoon!!"

"Yes, Eomma!" Namjoon immediately responded. He came out of his room to see his two friends standing at the front door. Ms. Kim smirked as she took a step to the side.

"Your best friend and girlfriend came to see you," Ms. Kim said to make her son turn red.

"Not my girlfriend." Namjoon walked up to the door as you chuckled from embarrassment.

"My dying wish, Joonie." Ms. Kim pouted.

"You're not dead!" Namjoon frowned as Ms. Kim laughed. She then left the three of you alone to talk amongst each other. He stood tall, but with his shoulders slumped and a tired expression. Hoseok wasn't blind to it. He gave his friend a tight smile. He wanted to talk abut the hair salon but didn't feel it was appropriate to bring it up to his friend. Letting out a sigh, you figured you'd be the main one talking to Namjoon today. "What's up?"

"Just came to check up on you. We wanted to make sure your hair hasn't turned grey yet." You giggled as he lazily rolled his eyes.

"I'm fine. Thanks for worrying." Namjoon leaned against the door frame. "Just trying get my mind clear is all."

"...is there by any chance you know the future of the gang, but you just don't want to accept it?" You tilted your head to get a quick glare from him.

"I'm doing what I can to get the best outcome. It's just not easy though." Namjoon crossed his arms.

"We're here if you need help, Namjoon," Hoseok spoke up. "We're not saying these things to be mean. I also want the best for the gang, but the best can mean different things."

"I just...I'll take that into consideration. Sorry for being kind of hostile." Namjoon rubbed his neck as he stared at you.

"I'm used to you crazy boys not knowing how to deal with your emotions." You smirked. "Just make sure to eat and rest well. I care about the gang, but I care about you too. Promise?" You lifted up your hand, holding out your pinky finger.

"Promise." Namjoon nodded as he slowly locked his pinky with yours. Hoseok clapped his hands and joined his pinky into the weird knot. Everyone laughed, enjoying the moment for what it was and nothing else.

Chapter Text

Ch.56

The first year boys were ready to hang out together. They invited you to join in on the fun which was going to happen at Jungkook's house. How exciting is that? You were happy to spend time with the boys and get invited into their homes, but you weren't looking forward to possibly seeing Ms. Jeon again. She left a bitter taste in your mouth from your last encounter with her. Of course, the maknae never confirmed it was his mother but it was a given. All the boys didn't seem to have good bonds with their parents. The only lucky one was Namjoon and even so, it's only his Mom he cares about. Then Taehyung unfortunately lost both of his parents. Jungkook hasn't told you the story with her or with his life and you doubt he ever will. He's not one to talk about his home life or personal feelings.

Maybe one day he might though. Taehyung and Jimin were walking in front of you to Jungkook's house. All of you had switched out of your uniforms first before meeting up at the maknae's house. Jimin was clearly nervous to bump into any parents. He told you not to talk to them no matter what. Taehyung grinned and said he'd handle it. Hopefully the three of you can just avoid seeing his parents. Especially Jungkook's mother. You're tired of hearing people call you a slut. At this point, you're ready to throw your shoe at someone. Students at school don't care anymore, but if you ever annoy anyone at school they don't hesitate to pull out that word.

Taehyung ran up to the front door with a lot of excitement. Jimin stood behind with you right next to him. Please let it be Jungkook who opens the door. Crossing your arms, you tried not to get too nervous when Taehyung knocked his knuckles on the door. He did it with confidence and gave Jimin and you a smile. That's when the door opened to reveal someone with a shorter height than Jungkook. Jimin let out a small sigh of annoyance to see the woman you had a grudge against. She stood there, eyeing the boys before her eyes landed on you. Her glare lasted longer on you than on your friends.

"What are you here for?" She asked.

"Hi! We're here to hangout with your roommate, Jungkook." Taehyung smiled as Jimin let out a chuckle. Your eyes widened to hear that. Was Taehyung telling the truth about that or was he just joking? The woman dug her nails in her skin to hear that come out from the silver haired boy. "He told us he'd be here."

"Roommate?" She scoffed. "Is that what he's been telling everyone?"

"He actually describes his relation to you differently, but eh. Same thing." Jimin shrugged to your surprise. The amount of sass that came from him.

"Well—" She was ready to kick us out until Jungkook came to save the day.

"My friends! Come on in and ignore the maid." Jungkook waved you guys over. Taehyung ran past the older woman and Jimin squeezed past too. You awkwardly made your way inside, trying your best to avoid connecting eyes with the woman.

"Maid!? Are you kidding me, Jeon Jungkook?" The woman screeched.

"We don't know each other. Sorry," Jungkook replied back as everyone went inside his room.

Jungkook shut the room to his bedroom right away after that. Anymore screeches from her would be muffled from now on. Taehyung was sitting in Jungkook's gaming chair, whistling at how impressed he was with the woman's craziness. Jimin sat next to you on Jungkook's bed, breathless with what had just happened. You were a mixture of shock and confusion. She's most likely his mother, right? You were being nosey again. It made you want to ask but Jungkook shot you down last time you asked. Was it appropriate to ask Jimin or Taehyung if she was? It's not that private of a question. It's hard to tell anymore. Curiosity was getting to you to know what her deal was.

"Is she a human parrot?" Taehyung laughed to get Jungkook grinning too.

"Honestly, she looks like one too," Jungkook commented. Jimin shook his head but was smiling wide. They all found what just happened funny.

"Is she always like that?" You asked.

"Tiring, isn't it?" Jungkook sighed as he turned on his videogame console.

It seemed like Jimin and Taehyung knew fully well on how the woman typically behaved. They acted exhausted from that small encounter. It didn't take long for the mood to lighten up and for the topic to change. All of you were handed a controller to play the latest game Jungkook bought. He had been going on about it all throughout lunch today. The first years grew curious about it and you did too. The last time Jungkook and you played a game together, it was really fun. You were happy to be back and this time you were playing with others too. This caued a lot of chaos to go down in the game. The screen was split into four. You could tell what the others were doing, but Taehyung was on your team. Jungkook and Jimin were on the opposite team. Since they both wanted to be your partner, Taehyung happily joined your team instead of them.

The four of you played for hours. Eventually Jungkook started talking about the game he wants to create. Everyone stopped playing the game to listen to him describe the world he wanted to build. He had all these ideas written down in a spiral notebook. Jimin thought the game sounded so interesting. You believed who ever played it would automatically feel like they're in that world and out from the real one. Taehyung was flipping through the sketchbook that Jungkook owned. Not only did he have the designs of the characters, but he also had background images. They were in complete detail which left everyone with their jaws dropped. How did he have the patience to complete this? The world looked like a medieval fantasy world, but with bright colors. Jungkook blushed a dark shade of red when you told him that you would support him to the end. He became embarrassed so you hugged him.

Jimin had no bad feelings. He told Jungkook that he was excited to play the game if it's ever created. Taehyung didn't say anything during this time and only smiled softly at everyone. Jungkook thanked you guys before telling you his plans. He's been looking up colleges to go to so he can learn how exactly to create games. You clapped your hands to know he was making efforts on his own to complete his dream. This is what he wanted and you're so proud of him! Jimin stared at that maknae in awe. The brunette wasn't afraid of failure and wanted to give his best shot at being a video game creator. That's when Jungkook revealed something about himself. He spoke softly, telling everyone that he knows what it's like to be clueless about your future and having no dreams. Now he wants to pursue this with all his might.

"My future was being decided for me, but now it isn't. I have a dream now...a passion that I can't stop." Jungkook grinned. "I'm going to go all the way with this and try my hardest."

"You can do it!" You squealed.

"That's so cool, Jungkookie," Jimin stated. "Now you gotta show me everytime you draw more designs!"

"Sounds like a plan." Jungkook laughed, unable to control the grin on his face. He looked like such a happy little bunny. It was so cute that you wanted to give him a tight hug. The moment changed when Taehyung stood up onto his feet all of a sudden.

"I think we should start heading home, Kookie." Taehyung sighed. "It's getting late and (F/n) should get home."

"Hm, that's true..." Jungkook nodded, disappointed to see his friends packing up to leave now. "Thanks for coming, Hyungs. You too, (F/n)."

"We had a lot of fun!" Jimin smiled and you agreed right away.

The maknae followed all of you out to the front door in case the woman came to bother you guys. Luckily, she wasn't around. Jungkook waved goodbye to all you of enthusiastically. You couldn't help but giggle and return his waves. The blonde did the same as you while the silver haired boy only gave one weak wave. Something is bothering Taehyung and Jimin picked up on that too. The moment Jungkook shut the front door, Jimin and you gave each other a worried gaze. You had a feeling on what it could be. When Jungkook was talking about going to college, it implied him leaving the gang to do his own thing in the future. Namjoon and Yoongi were working on accepting members leaving, but Taehyung hasn't done that so far. He only ignores the idea and hopes people will stay.

It's probably starting to get to him. No one can control if a member decides to leave or not. Taehyung had his hands shoved in his pockets and wasn't talking to anyone. His head was hanging down which made your heart ache. Jimin and you had to talk to him before he goes home. At least to help him cope if some of his friends do leave the gang that aren't the third years who have no choice. They'll still be friends and family no matter what. Taehyung wasn't focusing on where he was going and almost bumped into a pole because of that. Jimin pulled the boy away from the pole and took the chance to talk to him.

"Don't walk aimlessly." Jimin sighed.

"What?" Taehyung furrowed his brows.

"Everything okay, Tae?" You asked to see the corners of his lips sinking lower. He sighed and kicked the air in frustration.

"I'm a bad friend..." Taehyung closed his eyes tightly. Jimin quickly grabbed a hold of his friend's shoulders.

"No you're not. Why would you think that?" Jimin questioned. He didn't like seeing his best friend beating himself up. "You're such a great friend. You got our hyung's the warehouse when you didn't have to, introduced Jungkook and I to the greatest gang in the world, and help us smile everday no matter what."

"I just...I don't want Jungkookie to leave the gang. No, Jungkook has to stay!" Taehyung stomped his foot. "Hoseok hyung too! I don't want him to leave! Then Seokjin hyung needs to stay too."

"Taehyung, you know you can't decide that for them." You felt bad for the boy. He wasn't handling this maturely like Namjoon and Yoongi. "And I thought you were okay with Seokjin leaving."

"I don't know. They all keep finding their own things in life and I don't know what to do." Taehyung rested his head against Jimin's shoulder. Taehyung stared at the floor so he wouldn't have to make eye contact with anyone. Jimin bit his lip nervously and it looked like something was eating him inside all of a sudden.

"I don't like seeing you like this, Taehyung," Jimin stated as his friend quietly began to cry. "It's one thing to have you sad about the members leaving and it's another to not want them completing their dreams."

"What?" Taehyung took a step away. He was in complete shock to be hearing this. You half expected Jimin to be more sympathetic. To hold his friend's hand and comfort him before making him realize that it's okay if the gang doesn't last. Instead, Jimin was scolding his friend for his behavior as if he were a child. "Jimin, what are you saying?"

"You know Jungkook had nothing but sports shoved down his throat until now. He's finally found something that makes him happy and he's confident enough to share it with us! The same goes for Seokjin! He hated school and always acted lost without the gang." Jimin gritted his teeth. "Then Hoseok joined the gang just to be a good friend. Maybe leaving the gang is better for everyone. Not everyone has to runaway from their past like you."

"I'm not running away from my past." Taehyung wiped his last tear. "Don't lie about that!"

"Taehyung the orphan?" Jimin laughed to make his friend tighten his fists.

"This is about the gang! Not about me!" Taehyung huffed as you took a step in between them.

"Breathe! I don't know what you boys are going on about now, but I can tell you that it's not going to get solved if you fight. The two of you are close friends." You glared at both of them. "Start over."

"...I don't want our gang to end. Is that so much to ask for, Jiminie?" Taehyung looked the blonde in the eyes.

"Tae..." Jimin sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. He glanced at you to remind himself to not start another fight. Graduation will be happening very soon for the third years. It's best to end everything on a happy note. "The gang means a lot to everyone. To me too, but just because some of us want to do our own things that doesn't mean we're throwing everything away."

"But it feels like it. You say it like it's so hard for Jungkook, Seokjin, and Hoseok to decide whether they want to leave the gang or not." Taehyung groaned in frustration. "This sucks! I feel like they can't wait to leave even though that's probably not true!"

"Fighting with yourself internally?" You said as Taehyung let his fingers get lost in his hair. He breathed, nodding slowly at your words.

"Why can't we be a gang for one more year? It's just going to be Namjoon and me as the members next year if everyone decides to leave for their dreams." Taehyung sat down in the middle of the road.

"And Jimin?" You tilted your head to see Taehyung shake his head.

"No...he's defending the others this strongly because he wants to leave." Taehyung played with the rings on his fingers. You turned to face Jimin who crouched down. He placed his hand on the first year's back to comfort him.

"...Jam Entertainment has interest in me again, but I don't know if I want to take it," Jimin admitted.

"You don't know?" Taehyung turned his head in shock.

He believed his friend would jump at the chance to dance again. Especially if it was Jam Entertainment wanting him back. Last time left Jimin with a lot of hurt. He couldn't go to a callback because of the gang. He didn't blame anyone for it except for you and fate. Not the gang. But eventually, Jimin found peace and settled for dancing just for fun. He still loved it with a powerful passion. You could see it anytime he danced, but you knew he'd be afraid to take another chance. All his past attempts have ended poorly. He doesn't want his heart to be broken again by dance. Jimin pursed his lips and looked down as he spoke.

"I don't know if I want to take anymore chances. I'm happy where I am." Jimin smiled lightly.

You frowned to hear that coming from him. He was still afraid, but you didn't want to ruin the moment happening between the two. You needed Taehyung to be the supportive friend and take your place. Taehyung saw a contrast in Jimin's expression. He had a smile but his eyes didn't look as bright when he mentioned not taking the opportunity. He was settingly for what he had because it was safe. That's the only reason. That's why he admired Jungkook back there who was prepared to bump into failure along his path to become a video game creator. Jimin gave Taehyung's shoulder a squeeze.

"You're not happy." Taehyung sighed. "I'm trying to become okay with others leaving. It's just hard...but seeing you giving up on your dreams for no reason hurts me. Imagine how it will hurt the other members."

"But Tae—" Jimin's eyed widened.

"I want the gang to stay together. Simple as that," Taehyung said, "But I also want my friends to be happy."

"...are you ready to let go?" Jimin asked.

"No. No way in hell." Taehyung chuckled as a tear slid down his cheek. "The gang saved my life. Literally. You know that. The thought of it ending still hurts a ton, but I don't see anything else happening and I know Namjoon hyung is probably coming to that conclusion too."

"It's going to be okay." Jimin pulled Taehyung into a tight embrace.

"I don't know what I'm gonna do in my future," Taehyung confessed.

"Well hey, we're in the same boat," You mentioned to see his eyes grow shocked. That wasn't the reaction you thought you would recieve from him.

"Really? But I thought you had your life together..." Taehyung spoke as you shook your head.

"I'm too nosey in other people's lives to get my own together." You sighed, crouching down with the other boys. "Everything okay between you guys?"

"I think so." Jimin loosened his hug on Taehyung.

"I learned from Namjoon to talk until the problem is over and I'm confident to say it is." Taehyung smiled. "Still hurts though."

"I bet." Jimin chuckled lightly.

With that, everyone stood back up to continue walking home. Taehyung was dropped off home first. When he opened the front door, he immediately started scolding his little brother's for still being up on a school night. It's so cute how he takes care of them. It's mainly his hyungs watching over him at the warehouse and then he comes home to take care of others. He probably gets inspiration from his own hyungs. That was even more adorable to think about. Jimin laughed at you for cooing at the idea. He had to push you away from Taehyung's house. Jimin and you kept laughing on the way home. Though things basically turned south at one point tonight, it was all good in the end anyway.

Like any normal person, Taehyung was struggling to handle the idea of something he loved ending. It would a be a huge change in his life. You could understand and you felt bad for the boy. He wasn't prepared to hear Namjoon call the gang over, but he knew it was going to happen. Everyone was accepting that as a fact. You wondered if Namjoon was going to confirm that anytime soon. Hoseok and you talked to him about it. He's definitely thinking about it more seriously. Last time, he was only focusing on keeping the gang alive somehow and that was stressing him out to the edge. Now you hoped that everyone would be ready for the outcome and stay together no matter what.

Jimin brought you back to your apartment first. He wanted to make sure you got home safely. What a gentleman he is! The two of you climbed the narrow stairs together until you reached your front door. Though Jimin stood next to you with a happy smile, you had a strong feeling that unnie was waiting inside to talk to you. That enough made you want to sigh, but you couldn't let that bug you tonight. Something else was going to bother you instead! Jimin never confirmed whether he was going to become a dancer or not. Even when Taehyung was essentially telling Jimin to do it for his happiness and for other's.

"I'll see you at school, (F/n)-ya!" Jimin grinned, his eyes turning to lines.

"Wait, Jimin." You reached to grab his wrist before he could go. "Are you going to become a dancer?"

"Oh..." Jimin looked down. He wanted to avoid answering this question. "I'm still thinking about it."

"I know it's your dream. The whole gang knows that it's still your dream even though you just want to dance for fun," You stated, "I can see it in your eyes every time you dance, Jimin. This is what you're meant to do."

"(F/n)...but I'm scared." Jimin frowned.

"And that's normal! That's perfectly normal and of coure you would be!" You took both of his hands into your own. "Doing anything towards you dream is terrifying because you don't want to screw it up, but Jimin you have to listen to me when I say this. Jam Entertainment wants you. If you accept, you're automatically a trainee. No, this doesn't guarantee that you'll debut but you'll form connections and that's very important in that business."

"That's true..."

"And you know what? You don't even have to become an idol, Jimin. If you want to work as a choreographer for Jam Entertainment, then you go do that!" You insisted as he nibbled on his bottom lip. "Becoming a dancer won't be easy and you know that, but guess what? Jam Entertainment wanting you for the second time is a sign. This is your big break. It doesn't have to be you getting famous or anything like that. Do you understand?"

"I get the picture." Jimin sighed before pulling you into a tight hug. "I'm still afraid though but thank you. For everything. I can never thank you enough, (F/n)."

"You don't have to." You smiled.

"But I do." Jimin held you tighter. "I know you said that we're only friends for now, but I want you to know that I care about you a lot. I'm still hopeful."

"That's okay." You patted his back. Knowing he had feelings for you was still interesting. Maybe once all this drama with the gang ending or not, you'll sort out your feelings with everyone in the gang. All the members have been making your feelings confused, but you never have time to figure anything out. "I care about you too."

Chapter Text

Ch.57

Yoongi and Hoseok were loudly singing a duet. It started with Hoseok humming at the beginning of lunch. The third years were here first and then you came with the rest of the first years. While you guys were waiting for the second years to appear, you guys didn't say a word to each other. For some reason, everything was awkwardly quiet. Hoseok then came to rescue to hum a tune loudly as soon as he came outside. Yoongi recognized it and began to sing at the top of his lungs. Eventually it became to the duet it is right now. Jungkook was cheering his hyungs on with Jimin meanwhile Seokjin was recording the masterpiece. Taehyung couldn't stop laughing and you were smiling at their silliness. The reason you couldn't let yourself completely laugh was because Namjoon was no where in sight.

Hoseok and Namjoon are always together as best friends, classmates, and because they're in the same grade together. It was reminding you of the times when he was struggling as a leader. Graduation for the third years was literally in three days. He's probably in the library trying to think in peace. Hoseok wasn't telling anyone where his friend was. He was too busy hitting his high note while Yoongi covered him for back up vocals. They certainly sounded lovely together. Letting out a soft snort, you couldn't help it to hear their voices crack on occasion. At least everyone is getting along before things have to change. That's the only sad part.

Seokjin continued recording and you smiled softly to yourself. Gosh, you definitely have to talk to the third years one on one. You'll miss them so much. Hopefully, they won't forget you. It was crazy to think that they would, but still. You didn't want to lose all your progress with Yoongi and you'd like to see how Seokjin is as a model. Then the door opened to interrupt the duet from going on for too long. Namjoon had pushed open the door with a serious expression. He didn't look tired anymore, but still had a somber look to him. Everyone stopped what they were doing to listen to him. Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin faced their bodies towards him. Yoongi and Hoseok sat down as Seokjin put away his phone.

"Hey guys..." Namjoon spoke softly. He didn't bother sitting down yet. "I've made my decision about the future of the gang."

"What is it?" Taehyung quickly asked.

"Namjoon, ple—" Yoongi frowned before getting cut off.

"Let me speak." Namjoon sighed. "I want you guys all to hear it and I'll tell you why. My thought process and how it was so hard for me to do this."

No one spoke anymore. They badly wanted to whisper and say their own thoughts, but respected Namjoon's request. He needed to get this off his chest already. You set down your food to give him your full attention. Everyone wanted to hear the plans already. The members probably knew what Namjoon was going to say with that look on his face, but they needed to hear it for themselves. Something to confirm the actual truth of the matter. Namjoon took in a large breath to prepare himself for this. It made you want to give him another big hug like you did in the restaurant. One that'll comfort him and tell him that it's going to be alright no matter what. Life always figures itself out anyway.

"The gang is coming to a close. There's really no other option with everything going on unless we want to change what makes our gang special. I don't want to do that so I've painfully decided to end the gang." Namjoon's eyes fell down to the ground. He couldn't look any of his members in the eyes. They all were sad to hear the news. To see their leader having a hard time and knowing that good things have to come to an end. "I didn't want to. I tried my best of thinking of solutions to continue going, but it just makes our life harder. More of the members are figuring out what they want to do with their lives and who I am to stop them from becoming good citizens?"

"Namjoon..." Jimin frowned to see the pink hair tearing up. He blinked the tears away and continued with his speech.

"The gang means a lot to me and I know the feeling is strongly mutual. I still don't know what's going to happen with the warehouse or what I'm going to do in the future, but I do know this." Namjoon smiled. "The gang isn't over yet. We're not done until graduation day at midnight. That's when we're officially over. We're still going to be friends and family first. Nothing can ever change that. We're just going to be friends who do normal things and I know some of you have been craving to be normal."

Namjoon lifted his head up high. He was sad with the gang ending, but still happy to know that they would be a gang for three more days. Even if it's just for 72 hours more. That's enough for him to start treasuring the time left. Seokjin nodded his head and Jungkook did too. They took it the best out of everyone. Jimin was giving Taehyung a side hug to cheer up. Soon Hoseok joined in the hug to ignore how he felt about the situation. He wanted to make sure the other members were okay before himself. Then Yoongi sat in silence, trying to grasp the situation first so he wouldn't burst out yelling or starting unnecessary fights.

"I don't know what to say..." Yoongi sighed.

"Sorry. I didn't want to let any of you down but..." Namjoon shoved his hands into his pockets.

"It's okay, Namjoonie." Seokjin smiled. "Don't worry about it. I know you worked hard and struggled to come to this decision."

"This f*cking sucks but what can you do, huh?" Yoongi groaned to get a light chuckle from the leader.

"If you'll excuse me." Namjoon turned around, going back inside the cafeteria. Where was he going?

All the members started talking amongst each other. Seokjin was patting Yoongi's back as they began reminiscing. Jungkook was listening to their stories and even admitted that he was going to miss them a lot. Then Jimin was still watching Taehyung taking this hard. Only Hoseok was staring at Namjoon who disappeared inside the building. The silver haired boy flung himself, clinging onto Hoseok at the news. He was moping about the gang ending and what it would mean for them. You made eye contact with Hoseok as he comforted Taehyung. The look in his eyes was telling you to chase after the leader. He'll catch up later.

"Please still take care of me, Hoseok hyung!" Taehyung shouted, muffled in Hoseok's sweater.

Jimin rubbed his friend's back as you got up onto your feet. None of the boys questioned you leaving. Jungkook raised a brow at it, but Hoseok assured him that you were fine. It was someone else who wasn't. Running out of the cafeteria, you wandered the halls looking for a pink haired male. You looked frantic to students who were making their way to lunch. Where was he? Slowing down, you were about to go get Hoseok to help you until you heard a light whimper. Turning your head in the direction it came from, it was the janitor's closet. It's possible that he's hiding in there. Walking up to the door, you gently turned the knob to step into the dark room. When you opened the door, the light creeped in and showed Namjoon sitting on the floor with red eyes.

Immediately, you turned on the lights in the small room and shut the door for privacy. Namjoon didn't want you in here with him. He hated for you to see him like this. You didn't care and hugged him tightly on the floor. The second year became stiff and stopped protesting your actions. Eventually, he let himself wrap his arms around you too. Lifting your head to see his sad eyes, you petted his hair and quietly hummed to calm him down. At least he wasn't crying anymore. It was a painful sight to see. Namjoon always came off as such a strong person to you, but he's human and has emotions. Namjoon's eyes connected with yours as he sniffled softly.

"You did so well as the leader. You know that?" You whispered. "You changed these boys lives and look at how well raised some of these boys are. I'm so proud of you. Especially for making such a hard decision."

"...y-you think so?" Namjoon stammered.

"I know so. All the boys are extremely grateful." You placed your hands at the sides of his face, your thumbs wiping away the stray tears.

"Are three days enough?" Namjoon muttered.

"The gang might end, but you still have a family," You replied to see him smile softly.

"God, I even told myself not to lose it..." He chuckled. "Are the boys reacting well?"

"Only Taehyung is super hurt about it, but he'll be fine," You said to see him sigh heavily.

"I was really worried about him taking it hard," He admitted. "But this is for the best. I just hate how it hurts so much."

"The pain can't last forever." You grinned to boop his nose. "I'm so glad I met you."

Namjoon's eyes widened at shock at your actions. It took him a second to realize what you had just done. It didn't take long for him to grin too. Namjoon then pulled you closer to him, leaving you a less than three inches away from his face. A blush spread across your cheeks to have him this close. The moments the two of you have are always something else. People always pair you together and then Namjoon does things like this now. It's making your heart pound loudly against your chest. He leaned in closer to kiss your cheek gently.

"Don't tell anyone I'm in the competition." Namjoon smirked as your face burned harder than before.

"Y-You're in what?" You stuttered. He ignored your question since he knew you understood. You bit your lip as you thought about the future. There's a strong possibility you'll end up dating one of the boys. It's becoming hard to deny that anymore.

"Let's get up." Namjoon stood on his two feet and brought you up with him.

He rubbed his eyes one more time but kept one arm around your waist. By that time, the closet door was opened wide by Hoseok. He was panting and smiling to spot the two of you. He came inside and instantly pulled the two of you into a tight hug. Namjoon was muttering something about his ribs getting crushed while you couldn't even breathe. Hoseok kept you guys in a monster hug until he finally released you both. Air never felt more great at this point! Namjoon rubbed his ribs, giving his red head friend a playful glare. They began talking right away. Hoseok was worried on how his best friend was handling the end and Namjoon answered honestly.

"Like Yoongi said. It f*cking sucks but it's the only way..." Namjoon chuckled. "I'm just glad you and (F/n) came for me. That means a lot."

"We had to make sure that you're okay." Hoseok smiled.

"I am now I guess." Namjoon shrugged. "I just...now I have to figure out what we're going to do with the warehouse. I don't want to just abandon it. Then Taehyung left that terrifying mural!"

"To be honest, you're the scariest in the mural." Hoseok laughed to get smacked by the pink hair. "It's true!"

"No one is gonna want the warehouse with seven creatures on the wall." Namjoon groaned with a giant grin on his face.

They both found it so funny. Outsiders will sh*t their pants to see Taehyung's spray paint art work. Hoseok was hunching over in laughter at the thought. When they calmed down, Namjoon confessed that he didn't want to abandon the warehouse. It's a home to the seven members and literally to Yoongi. The thing with Yoongi is that he's going to the military for two years so what's going to happen with the warehouse until then? Is he ever going to find a place or will he refuse to move? That sounded like a possible outcome. Namjoon then brought up what you had told him tin he porridge restaurant. About his talent for changing lives and using that for good. Hoseok was excited to hear that and agreed with you on it.

"(F/n)'s right about that! You changed my life for the better. Taehyung's, Seokjin's, Yoongi's, everyone's." Hoseok nodded his head.

"I don't think everyone's though." Namjoon rubbed the back of his neck until you took a hold of his hand. Giving it a light squeeze, you smile at him.

"Everyone's," You stated to see the shock in his eyes.

"Wow...uh, I didn't think I could've ever done that." Namjoon cleared his throat. "So you think I should use this in my future? How?"

"Counselor?" You raised a brow at your suggestion. Namjoon quickly scrunched his nose at the thought. He shook his head as Hoseok tried to think of something else. That's when a light bulb turned on for Hoseok. He began jumping in excitement, holding Namjoon's hand tightly.

"I know! I know!" Hoseok grinned. "You should turn the warehouse into a center for troubled teens!! Help keep them safe, off the streets, and make sure they turn into good citizens! Be the adult they need in life!"

"Hoseok, that's amazing!" You were in awe. Turning to face Namjoon, he looked speechless as he thought about it.

"...aren't I a troubled teen myself though?" Namjoon furrowed his brows.

"Which means you know where they're coming from! You're different from all these counselors at school!" Hoseok rolled his eyes. "And guess what? Taehyung is a perfect example of a kid you've saved!"

"You helped too. Yoongi hyung and Seokjin hyung too." Namjoon shook his head. He was being so modest that you wanted to scream. This sounded perfect for him.

"We helped, but you mainly did the work. Whose hair color did he choose to copy?" Hoseok crossed his arms with a smirk.

Namjoon blushed lightly and nibbled his bottom lip nervously. He continued to toy with the idea in his head. If he created a center, he could help decrease the crime rate. Teens wouldn't drop out of high school, they'd get jobs, and possibly go to college. He would make sure that they wouldn't turn to a life of crime. The sound of Namjoon helping teens sounded so cool. Hoseok looked like he wasn't leaving this room until Namjoon accepted this as his future. At this point, you were with Hoseok on this. Not only would Namjoon know what he would want to do with his future, he'll also have something to do with the warehouse. It's perfect.

"Gosh..." Namjoon sighed.

"What do you say?" Hoseok grinned, balling up his hands into fists in anticipation.

"Why didn't I think of that first?" Namjoon grinned to get pulled into another crushing hug. This time, Hoseok and you were both squeezing as hard as you could. The pink hair was begging for mercy, laughing along with the two of you. After he was given freedom, he thanked the both of you and returned to the rest with a smile on his face. He's going to continue planning out the center idea before he tells the rest. You're so proud of him!

*~*

The bus ride over was a mixture of emotions. One moment, it felt like eternity and then you were there with the blink of an eye. You weren't alone and you didn't come for yourself. Today, you were here for emotional support. Except that standing in front of this building was as far as you were going. He had to go do this himself. He struggled to tell you this after school. What upset you more was the fact that he was almost going to ditch the idea. Let the chance of a life time slip past his fingers when there's nothing stopping him this time. The two of you stood in front of the building as the bus left, leaving a bad smell in the air. It didn't matter too much though. You had to go through two buses just to arrive here! In front of you was Jam Entertainment.

Jimin let out a heavy breath as he stared at the building. He shook his body to get himself together. The blonde was wearing his best outfit, contacts, and had his hair nicely brushed. Though the company was basically begging to have him, he made sure to dress to the nine's. After Jimin had received interest from Jam Entertainment, people from other companies were intrigued too. Jimin only wanted Jam Entertainment though. The video of him dancing had gone completely viral. Occasionally, he even gets recognized in public. It leaves Jimin stuttering and blushing like a mess. For example, when the two of you came on the second bus the bus driver took a good look at Jimin. She believed to have seen him from somewhere and wouldn't let it go. Then she got so excited when she remembered him dancing. She felt like she had a celebrity in her bus.

Placing your hand on Jimin's shoulder, his tense body grew more relaxed. He turned to face you with a small pout. His plump lips were poking out cutely like a child. You giggled and gave him a quick hug. He's been through a lot to get here. He's always wanted to dance, but never got the chance. Then he felt afraid and bad for having this passion. It wasn't until you came along that he brought out this strong desire. He knew what's it's like to suppress his dreams and now danced like his life depended on it. That let you know that he was going to make it. Even if it's hard like it has been, you knew Jimin was going to become a legend.

"You can't turn back now," You reminded him, bringing your hands to his cheeks.

"Right. I know, but." Jimin pursed his lips. "I'm still scared."

"I believe in you." You grinned. "And don't you remember how excited the bus driver was to have you in her bus? She told everyone to watch the video and some passengers had even seen it before!"

"That was embarrassing." Jimin laughed, his cheeks becoming dusted with pink.

"I'm not the only one supporting you. The gang aren't the only people supporting you too," You stated, "Because you saw the comments. You even told me about this Hyungseong guy who believes in you too!"

"That's true." Jimin nodded.

"Now go in there. You can do it!" You pinched his cheeks. Jimin grinned, pulling away your hands from his face.

"Thank you, (F/n)," Jimin said.

"It's nothing." You then turned him toward the doors. "So stop stalling and go in there."

"I wasn't stalling! I am really grateful! You know, it hurts me that you—" Jimin frowned as you crossed your arms.

"Park Jimin." You raised a brow. He was defeated and began walking towards the front door. As he wrapped his fingers along the door handle, he looked over his shoulder to connect his eyes with you.

"I'll see you when I come out." He smiled, his eyes turning to lines.

"Sounds like a plan." You gave him two thumbs up and with that, he went inside. You wished him the best of luck now that he's on this career path. Good for him.

Chapter Text

Ch.58

Namjoon's P.O.V.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I was doing our last deal with the boys today. We had one crate left full of supplies, so we were doing a big sell today. After this, we'll have all drugs off our hands. Seokjin and Yoongi already helped me handle the back up supply in the country. They gave it to another gang for some profit. All the money we earned was never really for just pocket money. We didn't bathe in it like greedy creatures. We all had our own uses for it. Today would be the last time we get money so hopefully everything goes well. Okay, maybe I'm hoping for a little bit of excitement. I know the rest of the gang is itching for something to go slightly wrong too. Maybe they have backup or the refuse to hand over the money. Something fun like that.

All the money I earn today will go straight to finishing off the debt. My Mom is really astonished everytime I give her money. The debt is shrinking faster than she would have ever expected it to. It's not like it's going to disappear with a couple hundreds though. It's still ways away until Mom can relax and not stress about the debt anymore. Hoseok was saving his money for the future, Taehyung uses it to support his family so his grandparents don't have to work hard, Jungkook uses it to practically live by himself like Jimin, Yoongi uses it to survive, and then Seokjin uses it to take care of his truck and make sure his sister gets what she needs.

We were all packed in the truck right now. (F/n) was staying in the warehouse to wait for us to comeback. Just a second ago we all waved to her and now we're ready to feel adrenaline for the last time. Rollercoasters and anything innocent doesn't cut it. They don't give the same effect that deals do. It's quite addicitive. Sure, we were sad that this was our last but it's hard to stay sad during a deal. This is a deal! Each member can't wait to do their job and possibly break a guy's nose. It's going to be great. Seokjin was driving with a smile as he told us many of his Dad jokes. Hoseok sat in between us as I took the passenger's seat. In the back, the first years were squished with Yoongi. The third year sat behind me with the order Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook next to him. They were all goofing around.

"Hold on with your jokes for a second, Seokjin." Hoseok pulled something out of his pocket. A small black device. "I brought a speaker. Let's blast some music to hype ourselves up for the deal!"

"I'm ready for blood! How more hyped can you get!?" Yoongi grinned, bouncing in the back.

"Calm down, Hyung!" Jungkook laughed.

"Blood! Blood!" Yoongi continued as Jimin chuckled.

"I don't remember deals ever being that violent," Jimin said as Taehyung shrugged. Hoseok got the speaker to work inside the truck. Seokjin swayed his head side to side as the song played. I turned around in my seat to take a good look at everyone.

"Besides Yoongi, who's ready for the deal?" I asked as Yoongi f*cking screeched. Was he high or something? Taehyung was cracking up in laughter. His stomach was hurting and Jimin couldn't respond with a straight face. The only one to get a sentence out was the maknae.

"I'm definitely ready." Jungkook pounded his fist into his palm.

"The hell was that?" Seokjin glanced at his friend through the rearview mirror.

"I was cheering, you b*tch!" Yoongi shouted.

"You're so loud today, hyung," Hoseok commented. "Don't hurt your singing voice."

"I'm so good, I don't even need to warm up. Watch me." Yoongi put on a serious expression. The truck was silent as we waited for our ear drums to burst. He never sang and Taehyung nudged him. "...I don't know this song."

"D*mn it, hyung." I laughed, hitting my head against the head rest.

Hoseok switched the song to a famous one the boys often sang too. Yoongi started it off with a quiet voice. His tone was actually decent until he started to belt. His voice would crack so much and occasionally he wouldn't even scream. The blue hair would open his mouth as if he were singing, but nothing came out. Hoseok eventually joined the disaster. Jungkook used the flashlight on his phone as he swayed to their song. Taehyung faked tears at the 'angelic' voices and Jimin was trying his best not to laugh too hard. These were the times I treasured. I'll take them with me wherever we go in the future. To keep me sane, to remind me who I am, and just for smiles.

"Okay, okay, quiet down already." I watched the duo pout. Yoongi scoffed that I shut the show down, suddenly becoming a diva for five seconds before not caring anymore. "I'd just like to congratulate a certain member in this car. One who's really young and struggled the hardest to grasp his dream. His passion is in his blood and that's what led him to signing a contract with Jam Entertainment. Congratulations, Park Jimin!"

"Yeah! Jimin!" Hoseok clapped loudly with the blue hair and brunette in the car. Taehyung quickly hugged Jimin tightly.

"Good job, Jiminie!" Taehyung laughed as Jimin blushed at all the commotion about him. He was embarrassed but also enjoyed the attention. He was being recognized for his hard work and talent. No one was telling him to hide it anymore.

"Thanks guys...I'm going to work harder to make sure I make something of myself." Jimin bowed his head down.

"Nicely said. It's cool thinking we have two famous people in this truck." I glanced at the eldest member who began smirking wide.

"Wow Jimin, we're gonna be signing autographs and looking good in front of a camera." Seokjin glanced at the blonde through the rearview mirror. Jimin shook his head at the thought.

"Make sure to give the gang a shout out when you guys get famous." Jungkook grinned.

"Don't tell them you were in a gang though." Yoongi warned the two. They of course knew better than to admit that to the whole world.

Taehyung took the speaker from Hoseok's hand and raised the volume. With that, Jimin began to do a shimmy in the back seat to hear the music. Jungkook was moving his arms in the air and making shapes with them to dance. Taehyung moved his head back and forth like a chicken while Yoongi only snapped his fingers. Hoseok and Seokjin swayed side to side at the jam. I rolled my hands around each other and felt the music. We all enjoyed ourselves before arriving to the location. Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Seokjin sang different parts in the song. Yoongi, Hoseok, and I took the rapping portions. We three didn't ever really sing seriously unlike the other four who actually tried and sounded a lot better. They did compliment us on our rapping though but it's all for fun.

Soon I told the boys to focus and get their game ready. We were nearing the set location of the deal. It was a gang we hadn't worked with before. Taehyung told us that as long as we treat them right, we're most likely going to get out easy. They get mixed reactions as a new gang. Others say it's easy to deal with them and others say not to bother. Time to find out what's the truth then. It's not like we're ever going to deal with them again or with any other gangs. I never really bothered to befriend the gangs in this town. They became familiar with us and we could depend on some more than others, but we never really had brother gangs. That just didn't sound like a good idea to me and Yoongi told me from the start to keep ourselves isolated from them. It's good that our warehouse is farther from the scattered gang hideouts in town.

Seokjin unlocked the truck as we rolled through the area. He slowed down the car slightly, but we were still going at a fast pace. We wished Jimin well and he jumped out, rolling on the ground before bolting to a high location. Hoseok winced to hear the thump, muttering how he still couldn't believe that the blonde was able to jump out of a moving car with no problem. Jungkook shrugged and I told him that he was simply trained to do so. It wasn't easy in the beginning. Jimin didn't like doing anything at first and it became a slight problem. Taehyung was worried that he made a mistake by bringing Jimin onto the team. The maknae was getting annoyed, but in the end, Taehyung knew that Jimin was meant to be in the team, so I believed him. Even if Jimin was giving me slight trouble. I would talk to Jimin anytime we were alone in the warehouse to get him comfortable with the gang and doing deals. And he became irreplacible.

Seokjin circled around the abandoned construction site. He was looking for the right spot to hide and for Jimin to give him the all clear. Jimin needed to be in a high spot before we started. Seokjin also made sure the car was still moving in case he needed to quickly come to Jimin's rescue. Yoongi handed the knives out to Taehyung and Jungkook in the back. Everyone had their gloves on and Taehyung pulled a majority of the drugs onto his lap. They were all stuffed into a backpack. It was filled to the brim which made it hard to zip close. That's when Jimin gave Seokjin the all clear. We had our ear pieces turned on to keep track of each other. I grinned at everyone in the car.

"No regrets tonight, boys."

"Hyung, I'm gonna miss this." Taehyung whined as I nodded.

"I understand." I ruffled his hair as Seokjin slowed down to drop us off.

"I'm gonna get a tattoo of your face on my face so I never forget—" Taehyung started and I immediately had to shut the fool down.

"No, Taehyung—" I sighed, but Yoongi covered for me.

"If you do that then I'll skin you." Yoongi pulled out his knife. Taehyung swallowed hard and didn't protest. Hoseok and Jungkook held back their laughter as Seokjin told everyone to get out. I knew Taehyung was mainly joking for the most part. I still couldn't trust him since he was kind of a wild card at times.

The five of us exited the truck quickly with our weapons concealed. It's be proven that showing your weapons doesn't really set intimidation. All it does is create a lack of trust and tends to cause more issues than necessary. They'll know we're armed anyway. We'd be stupid not to be. Seokjin drove off to a hidden spot to wait for us. A place where it wouldn't be to hard to come back for us to escape. I walked in the lead, in front of all the boys. By my side was Jungkook who was already flexing his muscles. Behind us were the other three, Hoseok, Yoongi, and Taehyung. Hoseok could help ease tension and Taehyung could help talk about the information he was given when setting up the deal. Then Yoongi was used as intimidation because he was the Min Yoongi. He came with a lot of perks besides knowing where to get us a load of supplies.

We walked further into the construction site. I looked around the silent area with suspicion. Jimin spoke to us, saying that they were deeper inside. We had to pass the beams of buildings and walk over to an actual unfinished building. It gave the same eerie feeling that the warehouse originally did. Except this place still felt really off. Yoongi came closer to me, muttering to be on full alert. These people have never worked with us before. They're unfamiliar. Taehyung was starting to wonder if they were even here, but Jimin assured us that they were. He sounded like he was hiding something though. Jungkook told him to spit it out.

"I saw them through the unfinished roof," Jimin stated.

"Well where are they? We're stepping inside," Jungkook uttered glaring at nothing. Footsteps could be heard now. They were coming down and we all became more alert.

"One more thing." Jimin's voice was nervous.

"What is it, Jiminie?" Hoseok asked.

"They're a girl gang," spoke Jimin before staying silent. We couldn't talk to each other in front of the other gang.

All our eyes widened as we saw them come down making us all become tense. They were in fact, a female gang. It's not like they were new. They existed but just weren't as common. Usually a few females would be in a predominately male gang. Only three girls walked over to us which was strange. They're a really small gang then. Not a smart choice in my opinion. How come some people say they're hard to work with then? My suspicions were high as Taehyung came to my side. He didn't know they were all female, but it didn't really matter. As long as we get rid of all the drugs we have on our hands and get the money we're owed. Then we can go home happy.

The woman in the middle who I assumed to be the leader stood tall. She seemed to be older than Seokjin as she eyed us over. She had two people standing behind her. One about Seokjin and Yoongi's age and then the other one looked around the first year's age. My guard was up as I tried to figure out why they could be hard to deal with while actually handling them. Did they try to lower the amount of money they owed? Use their body to get their way? Not happening with my gang. The eldest didn't seem to play around while the youngest kept gazing in Yoongi's direction. It was making the blue hair next to me slightly uncomfortable, but he tried to ignore it.

"We hear this is your last deal ever. I'm Vene." The leader put her hands on her hips.

"RM. And it is." I sighed. "So the way we work is seeing the money first."

"I heard you like to get to the point quickly." Vene chuckled. "Satin, show them a sample." The second oldest nodded and held up a bag with a lot of money. Not the right amount, but she did say sample. The youngest who I still didn't know the name of was staring stronger at Yoongi.

"That's Suga." She nudged Satin who rolled her eyes. Vene quickly glared at the young one for speaking.

"Sorry about Clover." Vene's eyed landed on Yoongi who wasn't enjoying the spotlight. It's not anything he's new to. Other gangs always show interest in him. How did we get him in the gang? They tease him and wonder if he's still the demon he was known as. That old reputation occasionally gets on his nerves since it brings back bad memories. When he was angrier at the world. "It appears you have a well-known face in your gang."

"Yeah whatever, I'm Suga." Yoongi held up a bag of weed in his hands. "Here's one bag of what you guys asked for. Care to show us the rest?"

"Well we don't work that way." Satin closed the bag of money. She hid it behind her back and glanced at Vene. Jungkook was getting ready for any sudden attacks. They weren't compromising that well. Jimin wasn't speaking to us and it formed a pit in my stomach.

"How do you work? I'm sure we can easily get what we both want." Hoseok jumped in with a smile. "I'm J-Hope!"

"J-Hope, huh? You certainly think on the hopeful side." Vene snapped her fingers. Jungkook took a quick step in front of me for my protection. Nothing happened and we were showing our paranoia. Jungkook's glare was strong on all three women.

"Gosh...we didn't think you were that on edge." Clover frowned. "...but you do have good reason to be."

With a flash, Clover dived in Jungkook's direction. I took a step back to notice her stabbing Jungkook's thigh with a needle. Taehyung was panicking at this point. He started talking to Vene about the order. Vene wasn't really listening to him though. Hoseok took a step-in front of me in case they tried pulling something else with me, but I was more worried about Jungkook. He was holding Clover's tiny wrist and forcefully pushed her away. He removed the needle and tossed it to the side. The maknae was going to use his taekwondo on Clover but stumbled to the side instead. Yoongi gritted his teeth to see our muscle struggling to control his own limbs.

"JK!" I shouted.

"What'd you do to him!?" Yoongi growled, grabbing Clover without hesitation. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"I-I, oh my gosh!" Clover's face was turning bright red. "S-Suga is touching me!"

"Gotta be f*cking kidding me." Yoongi shoved her onto the floor. "Brainless." Clover hit the ground in shock. She stared at Yoongi like she was broken hearted.

"Sad that your muscle has been tranqulized." Vene gave a side glance to Yoongi who was panting angrily.

He froze to hear that and checked the maknae. Not everything in the shot was injected, but it was enough to still do some damage. I glared at Vene for making our job tougher. They knew our positions already and took out Jungkook because of his strength. They knew he would be the biggest problem to deal with. He could take out five people all by himself. Now we had to finish this deal with Jungkook down and take him back to Seokjin safely. Taehyung pulled out the knife Yoongi had given him and quickly got a hold of Satin. She squeaked as he pressed the knife hard against her throat. Vene didn't seem to care one bit that her two girls were getting treated like trash. She only pursed her lips as I ordered Yoongi to take Jungkook out of here. Best to do that now then struggle later.

"Bring him to Jin," I said to hear Vene tsking at me. She knew exactly how to crawl under my skin. "What? What is it now?"

"It's not a good idea to leave right now." Vene smirked as I heard Jimin's voice finally talk into my ear.

"RM...we're surrounded. I'm sorry." Jimin's voice was acting calm. "They have five girls with guns on me. Jin has seven pointing guns at him. He's trapped inside the truck." I couldn't believe this. Three members was too little. Here I am finding out Vene has fourteen girls she puppets around. She didn't seem to care for them, but they all listened to her anyway without question. These are the types of gangs I hate, but most of them were like this. My gang was a rarity.

"...f*cking hell." I groaned as my men heard this. Taehyung gritted his teeth to know his best friend and eldest hyung were surrounded. Worse than us. They were alone and had a bunch of guns pointed at them.

He lowered the knife swifly and struck Satin's thigh without warning. She screamed at the pain, her body getting pushed onto the ground soon after. Taehyung wasn't typically violent. He mainly fought with his fists and didn't crave the sight of blood unlike some members. The silver haired quickly hurried over to get a strong hold of Clover who was still staring at our blue hair. Yoongi licked his lips at his dark thoughts as Jungkook tried not to drift off. They were becoming violent and I needed them to stay calm. Luckily, Hoseok still had himself under control. He took another step towards Vene with a bright smile.

"How do you guys do deals?" Hoseok questioned before his smile fell. Vene held up a gun that was hiding under her shirt. She kept it aimed at Hoseok' head with a scowl.

"Your positivity is sickening." I heard her cock the gun. All she needed to do was pull the trigger.

Before I could do anything, Yoongi moved fast. He came from behind Vene to raise her hand up to the sky. A bullet shot out and Hoseok wasn't hurt at all. For a second, I thought the craziness was going to stop until Yoongi decided to stab Vene near the throat with the tranqulizer. Scrunching my face at the sight, I watched her body drop onto the ground. Hoseok was stunned and nudged her body to see if she would move. Jungkook let out a soft chuckle as he moved his head slightly. He still didn't have the best control over his numb limbs yet. Taehyung was silent but impressed with his hyung. It wasn't until Vene started twitching that he looked away in disgust.

"I'm not even going to ask if she's going to live." I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"You know the answer." Yoongi grinned, turning his head to look at Clover. She was trembling in Taehyung's hold, the knife harshly pressed against her skin. "I'm assuming you don't. You're too...unscathed. I'm sure this experience will leave you with something though."

"Agh...she'll survive." Satin grunted as Clover struggled to nod. Her sharp eyes lingered over to me. "RM, good luck trying to escape."

"Thanks for the tip." I walked over to take the sample money and tossed one bag of weed at her. "Let's go boys. J-Hope, carry JK. V and Suga, let's go." Hoseok and Yoongi nodded at my demand right away. The third year took her gun and left Vene's body to come to my side. Hoseok held Jungkook like a baby to catch up with us.

"You're lucky you don't have a single bruise." Taehyung removed the knife away from Clover. She gasped as if she couldn't breathe for a long time. Taehyung's glare on her burned. "Don't hurt my family ever again."

I lifted my arm up for Taehyung to run under. He stayed close to me, feeling better to have my arm wrapped around his shoulder. The silver haired mumbled in frustration how scared he got when Hoseok got the gun pointed at his face. He scolded himself for going for Clover instead of Vene. Hoseok shook his head at the boy's worry. Then Taehyung asked Jungkook if he was okay which we were all wondering about. He wasn't completely unconscious, but just really out of it. Jungkook couldn't lift his head and his words were extremely slurred. Eventually he settled for giving us the slowest thumbs up and we took it. I told Jimin that we got some of the money and we were on our way out. He didn't say a thing.

Taehyung was getting incredibly nervous. I didn't want him thinking that anything too bad would happen to any of us. We all knew that we could possibly lose our lives doing these deals. Those were just one of the many risks we took. Only a few times have we ever thought that we were going to die. Right now, all I felt was muted adrenaline. It was pulsing through my veins, but it was hard to feel since I was numb with anxiousness. Jimin wasn't answering me and Seokjin didn't have any weapons on him. The eldest was becoming Taehyung's worry now. Seokjin didn't like to fight since he could get his face hurt. He preferred racing away from angry thugs and that's why he refused to ever carry a weapon. D*mn it all.

"What are we gonna do now?" Yoongi questioned, staring at the gun in confusion. There was only one bullet inside for some reason. He tossed the gun away and began looking up at the unfinished buildings. He was trying to spot Jimin. It's possible that they could shoot us from up there, but that was a risk I was willing to take. Why so many people on a single person? Only for intimidation? Then only one bullet in her own gun for just one shot? The excessive guns didn't make sense. It looked like all the girls Vene had wrapped around her finger were young and most likely impressionable. I kept thinking about the best way to approach the situation.

"JM?" I asked one more time. Nothing was coming in. "Jin?"

"...I can't talk..." Seokjin's voice came through. It sounded like he was speaking through gritted teeth.

"Will they shoot you if you move?" Yoongi narrowed his eyes in annoyance.

"Yes..." Seokjin was breathing heavily.

"Okay, calm down. We'll get you safe soon." I promised. "We're going to go get JM first and then we'll come to the rescue. We managed to deal with our situation." Seokjin didn't say a word after that. I was going to try with Jimin again. I knew he was able to hear us. He just couldn't talk.

"Stay strong, Jin." Taehyung smiled.

"JM, you there? I have a strong feeling that each girl only has one bullet in her gun." I furrowed my brows, looking for the tallest building. "They seem like a new gang with not much experience or equipment. Only their leader seemed to know the gang world, but that's about it. Their methods are suspicious. It's a crazy feeling, but I doubt they're willing to kill anyone. The guns are just for show because they want to be taken seriously and intimidating."

"Woah...you're so cool, RM." Taehyung stared at me in awe.

"Gotta love his brain!" Hoseok grinned. Yoongi smirked at my thought process. I didn't find my thinking anything special. It was basically me trying to make connections and relying a lot on hope. I can't be sure that the others only have one bullet, but I'm going to risk it. I needed them all to have faith in me and it looks like they were without question. It put a smile on my face that they trusted me as a leader that much, but I didn't want to let them down. Be safe, Jimin. We're coming to get you.

We started walking around, clueless to where Jimin could be. There were so many building's, but I knew he would be at the tallest one. They were all towering over us though. Jungkook tried speaking to us all of a sudden, making us stop in our tracks. His words weren't clear in the slightest. Hoseok frowned as he watched the boy struggle to speak. The maknae probably hated feeling useless at a time like this. He relied heavily on his body. His own position is centered on his body so he might be pretty frustrated. We'll make sure he doesn't get anymore damage on him. Hoseok tried shushing the boy from speaking. The red head told him softly that it was okay to feel angry. 'Don't speak, we know how you feel' he said. Jungkook was glaring and attempted to nudge his head, staring intensely at a certain spot. I noticied that and followed his gaze. Narrowing my eyes, I eventually saw a couple of figures at the top of a building.

"Stop trying to talk, Jungkook. Just wait until it fades away. Don't force it to act strong." Hoseok smiled sweetly.

"No, Hoseok. He was pointing out where Jimin is." I tapped his shoulder and pointed it out in the distance. They all turned and saw what I was seeing. "There."

"Oh...nice job, Kookie!" Hoseok cheered.

"Let's be quiet. We have to get there secretly. They surprisingly haven't seen us yet." Yoongi eyed them. They were clearly circling someone who was most likely Jimin. The third year was careful to go unnoticied in the shadows as he hid into a ditch. Taehyung followed with determination and Hoseok slid in. I followed behind them and we tried entering at the side of the building. Right now, the sun was setting almost completely which would make hiding easier but fighting harder. Hoseok's arms eventually got tired so he set down Jungkook near a concrete mixer. No one was going to abandon him though. Hoseok and him were going to rest here while I went up with Yoongi and Taehyung.

Hoseok knelt down to watch Jungkook working on moving his body little by little. Licking my bottom lip, I was still nervous as we climbed up the building. Nothing here was really stable. I did my best to be quiet and secretive, but I didn't trust myself. Yoongi and Taehyung were easily climbing up the rickety stairs. They were going a lot higher than me and I felt disappointed in myself. I have to try hard! I'm getting Jimin back to safety. At that thought, my foot went through one of the planks. It fell down about thirty feet at least. I almost fell through and clutched at my surroundings. My eyes were wide and I was breathing heavily. Do I seriously have to start breaking things right now? I'm in the middle of something important! Glancing up at Yoongi, he had a sympathetic look in his eyes just like Taehyung. It's no longer cold like it used to be. Past Yoongi would be frustrated with me for making a mistake like that.

"RM—" Taehyung whispered as I shook my head. This is for the best though it kills me.

"Suga, take care of V and the situation. You're in charge of saving JM," I said as he his lips thinned. He didn't go against my word and nodded.

"Okay. We'll catch up with later." Yoongi gave me a look that made me feel confident.

He can definitely handle this. He tapped Taehyung's shoulder to continue moving so they could finish the job. Taehyung didn't budge at first and his eyes looked like a puppy being separated from one of it's parents. He frowned, but eventually followed Yoongi up the building. They had to go rescue Jimin. They shouldn't be weighed down by me. I owed them that. Letting out a sigh, I tried to be even more careful as I went down the stairs. The sound the plank made was so loud to me. It was still ringing in my ears by the time I reached the ground. Dusting off my hands, I wandered the bottom and looked for the two members I left down below. As I began to search, someone came up behind me.

"Are you looking for me?" Hoseok's voice asked. His voice was instantly recognizable to me, but I still jumped at the surprise.

"Don't do that!" I hissed to see him chuckle. Putting my hand over my chest, I breathed calmly and looked around. "Did you leave JK alone?"

"Wait, RM—" Hoseok held his hands up.

"He can't even move! Where is he!?" I panicked.

"I hid him because he told me too!" Hoseok grabbed my shoulders. "He's able to talk now and can move his arms slightly."

"But...where is he?" I furrowed my brows, still looking around. Hoseok opened his mouth to answer until we heard multiple gunshots go off. My heart began racing. Please tell me they all missed my members. We looked up at the tall building utterly speechless. It took me a second to get my sh*t together. This is when the ear pieces come in handy! "Suga? Is everything okay? Answer me!"

"Motherf*ckers...we're fine," Yoongi muttered. "The moment we showed up, they shot randomly. All their aims suck."

"Or they don't want to kill." Hoseok looked at me, a corner of his lips rising up.

"Murder is messy and I doubt this new gang wants to handle that yet with newbie members." I smirked. Taehyung told me that Jimin was fine. He was alive, just terrified since one girl still had her gun pressing against Jimin's head. I could hear the females giggling but not much than that. It was hard to make out any of their sentences and Hoseok had the same problem as me. Then we heard more gunshots. The thing was, they weren't coming from where Jimin was but with Seokjin. Did he move? "Jin??"

"Can't talk yet," Seokjin quickly said with a clearer voice. I could hear the faint sound of the truck's motor in my ear. Hoseok and I glanced at each other, putting the pieces together. He probably handled the girls and was driving away from them for safety. And to rescue all of us as quickly as possible.

Hoseok and I sighed heavily. A lot was going on for our last deal. I guess that's what I wanted. Sort of. I would have liked a little more control over the issue. Something like this is probably one of the most problematic deals we've ever had. (F/n) will kill me if anything happens to any of the members. That's why we won't mention Jungkook get tranqulized to her or guns getting pointed at Jimin and Seokjin when they were completely helpless. The less she knows, the better. (F/n) was just happy that we got to have our last exciting deal and then we'll be completely safe. Maybe I'm starting to see things her way, but whatever. I'm just waiting for two of our members to come down with a safe Jimin. It made my stomach do flips to think any of my members could be getting hurt right now.

"Ugh, all this for weed!" Hoseok growled with a bag of weed in his hands. Wasn't Taehyung holding the weed backpack? It's not like we're going to keep the weed. They can keep it if they wanted it so badly. We're happy with the sample money. Suddenly, Hoseok tossed the bag of weed at my chest.

"The hell? I don't want this!" I threw it back at him.

"Me neither!" Hoseok gave it back to me.

We kept throwing the bag of weed back and forth. Hoseok never gave up. For some reason he was dead set with the weed ending in my arms. That was not happening. As we kept tossing it, we heard more gunshots coming from the building. Instead of dropping the bag like normal people, Hoseok and I were intensely quickening the pace like an extreme battle of hot potato. We were getting nervous to hear the guns go off. That meant that some still had bullets. One girl had her gun pointed at Jimin's head according to Taehyung. This was not good. Hoseok and I were both screaming at this point. I needed things to go my way, but they weren't. I threw the bag roughly at his chest as someone popped up. Hoseok screamed loudly and threw the bag of weed at their face for defense.

Immediately, Hoseok and I stiffened up to see who had shown up. It wasn't any girl from the gang. They were still out of sight. The bag of weed was stuck on their face for a few seconds. Soon the bag fell down onto his shoes to reveal their expression. Crossing my arms, I sucked in my breath while Hoseok smiled nervously. It wasn't my fault a bag of weed hit his face. Yoongi stood growling, unpleased at the sudden attack from his own members. Whoops. He ran a hand through his faded blue hair to calm himself down, but it wasn't exactly working. He was still gritting his teeth at us.

"What is this?" Yoongi huffed.

"A bag of weed," Hoseok answered.

"No, I meant why were you two idiots messing around instead of—wait. Where's Jk?" Yoongi scowled.

"Why aren't you with V and JM?" My brows knitted together. I gave him one job and now he's down here scolding us. A ton of guns went off up there and he's upset about a bag of weed.

"They're fine." Yoongi sighed. "They have things under control since they're better fighters than me. Most of the girls are knocked out so they'll be down here soon. And JK?"

"Inside the concrete mixer!" Hoseok chirped as my eyes widened.

"That's where you put him!?" I yelled to see him flinch.

"He told me to..." Hoseok frowned.

"Doesn't mean you do it!!" I brought my hands to my head. This was getting ridiculous. Yoongi was surprised to know this new information as well. He kept a 'what the f*ck' face. Out of all places, honestly.

While I judged Hoseok's choices for listening to the maknae, Yoongi pressed his ear piece closer to his ear. He was confused and trying to focus on the sounds he was hearing. I paused during my rant to listen to it. Hoseok said it sounded like a broken radio. This most likely wasn't coming from Jimin and Taehyung's side. Seokjin said he still couldn't talk, but we were sure that he was handling it well by himself some how. Yoongi huffed as he walked away. He muttered that he was going to go look for Jin by himself. Hopefully he doesn't get himself into anything by doing that. We still didn't know how many gang members could be walking about with a gun. Even one bullet is still enough to kill someone.

I bit my lip as I checked the building. Jimin and Taehyung weren't coming down at all. Where were they? Yoongi said that they were handling things nicely up there. Hoseok asked for answers but no reponses came in from them. They were silent and that didn't help me relax one bit. I needed the boys to be safe. The red head next to me saw me stressing out and tried talking to Yoongi as a distraction. In the middle of combing my hair with my fingers, I heard a loud rumble coming from Yoongi's side. It sounded like he was content on the other side. I looked over at Hoseok with big eyes. Does that mean Seokjin's doing okay? We both walk over to the side to see a black truck coming over. Seokjin had a smirk as he drove over with Yoongi smirking too. The eldest parked right in front of us, enjoying how our jaws had dropped.

"What? Didn't think I could handle myself?" Seokjin asked. "That's right. Your getaway driver knows how to handle himself."

"Okay, don't get too cocky." Yoongi rolled his eyes. Seokjin only grinned at us as he came out of the truck. Hoseok and I grew only more perplexed at the situation. What was going on?

"Jin, why did you get out of the tru—what are you holding!?" I furrowed my brows to see a gun in his hands.

"This is how I fought off the ladies. Works wonders." Seokjin winked at us.

"Did you--?" Hoseok was afraid to ask and the eldest shook his head right away.

"I didn't kill anybody. I just pretended to run them over." Seokjin chuckled. "Now where are the rest. I want to get the hell out of here."

"We're working on that." I held up one finger for him to wait.

Running inside the building, I climbed up the stairs as much as I could. Crazy, but I didn't feel like falling through the stairs due to my destructive nature. Hoseok followed me as we waited for the boys. I was about to call out for them until we saw a leg sink through the stairs and heard screaming. That's Taehyung. Hoseok and I climbed higher to go save him. He was struggling and crying out for help. When we arrived, he immediately cheered up and held his hands out. Hoseok and I took one hand each and pulled him out. He gave us a boxy grin, enjoying his freedom and the fact that he didn't die from that. Glad to know I'm not the only one struggling with the stairs though.

"And JM?" Hoseok asked.

"He went down the other exit. I'll go find him," Taehyung said as I was about ready to jump off the stairs. Why do they keep scrambling around? I wanted to make sure they were all safe and in front of me.

"There's another exit?" I groaned.

"Yep. I'll be back!" Taehyung tried walking off, but we didn't let him go by himself. We had a strong feeling that he would only repeat the accident if he wasn't being careful. Hoseok and I brought him down to where Yoongi and Seokjin were. "Jin! You're alive!"

"Impressed?" Seokjin grinned.

"Very!" Taehyung clapped his hands. "Well, I'll go get JM."

"Can you get JK while you're at it? He's inside the concrete mixer." Hoseok shouted as the boy wandered off. I shook my head and Seokjin was weirded out. Probably wondering why we put the baby in there in the first place. I had no proper explanations for anything.

Everything that has been happening so far has been crazy. I'm ready to call it a night and go back to the warehouse already. (F/n)'s probably sleeping peacefully on the couch. Unaware that seven idiots are avoiding getting shot by thousands of girls. Well, it looked like all the girls were dealt with. Seokjin refused to go back into the truck. He was too busy playing with a gun that could possibly still be loaded. Hoseok didn't trust the older member and went inside the vehicle with Yoongi. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I was growing impatient. If Taehyung doesn't show up with Jimin and Jungkook then I'm going to search for them myself. The younger members worried me the most.

Seokjin then nudged my shoulder to point the boys out. Finally! Sighing in relief, I watched Taehyung coming running towards me with a giant smile. He was proudly showing the boys and repeating that he found them. He hugged me tightly, laughing out of joy. Patting his back, I ordered him to get inside the car with the others. Taehyung happily got inside as I spotted Jimin trying to help Jungkook walk. The maknae was stumbling and it looked like each step took a lot of energy. That idiot. It's tiring seeing him trying to be strong in front of us. Even now. Shaking my head, Seokjin was frustrated too to see Jungkook avoiding help.

"Give me your arm." Jimin frowned.

"No! I'm fine...I got this." Jungkook huffed. His words could be understood, but they were still a bit slurred on certain parts.

"JK, take his help!" Seokjin hollered to earn a pout from the maknae. Jimin took Jungkook's arm and wrapped it around his shoulder. They came closer to us so I inspected Jimin. He wasn't hurt by them. Maybe a scratch at most, but he was fine. Thank goodness.

"I'm sorry—" I started as the blonde shook his head.

"Don't worry about me, RM. Let's just go back. I want to see (F/n) already." Jimin smiled as Jungkook grinned.

"Me too!" He chuckled.

Grabbing the brunette's other arm, I helped Jimin get him into the bed of the truck. He was still tired and recovering from what was injected in him. We laid him down now that he wasn't protesting to our help anymore. By the time we reach the warehouse, he'll be back to normal. For the most part. Like Jimin, I couldn't wait to see (F/n) either. I liked seeing her check us for injuries. She's so protective over us. Giving Seokjin a thumbs up, he was about to enter the truck again until a girl came out from the building. Holy sh*t. Seokjin was panicking as he got into the car. Yoongi quickly took the driver's seat to get us out of here. We're going to die if he drives us. Why did I have to be in the back without seatbelts? Biting my lip, I witnessed Seokjin poking his head out the window with a gun.

"Duck!" Seokjin shouted. You got to be kidding me. I brought Jimin down with me before shots were fired. Jungkook rolled his eyes to have us on the floor with him. I could sort of see what Seokjin was doing. Yoongi reversed the car, making the girl think she was going to get crushed. She didn't shoot at us but Seokjin did try to shoot her gun out of her hand. "Aw d*mn...I really suck at aiming."

"Do I have to do everything?" Yoongi growled, taking the gun out from Seokjin's hands. "Take the wheel!"

We all sucked in our breath as the car began moving forward. Seokjin was struggling to drive the car from the passenger's seat but was doing just fine. Hoseok and Taehyung peeked out the window to see how Yoongi was doing. The blue hair aimed and was waiting to shoot. The girl got ready to shoot at us again now that we were driving away. That's when Yoongi took the shot. A loud boom caused our ears to ring. Yoongi smirked as the smoke disappeared to see he had gotten the girl right where he wanted. She yelped at the bullet struck her stomach making her lose focus on where she was going to shoot. Her arms went up as she fell back, shooting at the air instead.

Breathing heavily, I grinned at Yoongi who was switching over to the passenger's seat. Seokjin went back to driving with a smile. He commented about how bad@ss he was holding a gun. His friend didn't quite agree with him though. Taehyung and Hoseok were glad that this troublesome deal had come to an end. Turning back to the maknae, Jungkook stared up at the sky with a smile. That surprised me a lot. I thought he'd still be angry. This was his last deal and he was paralyzed for a majority of it. Jimin helped Jungkook move his legs and arms so he could get used to using them again.

"You're not mad?" I questioned, my forehead wrinkling.

"No. I mean I was, but I had a lot of time to think inside the concrete mixer." Jungkook chuckled. "They knew about me. They thought I was someone to watch out for. How cool is that, hyung!? They were worried about me! Not Yoongi!"

"That's one way to see it." I laughed at his reply. Jimin only smiled at his excitement over that. Jungkook's last deal and it looks like everyone in this town knows Jungkook as a muscle freak. "Thanks for protecting me during our deals."

"I try." Jungkook lifted up his finger to my cheek. He dragged his slender finger down the scar I received the night we met (F/n). "No problem."

"But seriously, how bad@ss was I!?" Seokjin yelled. We all turned our heads towards him while Jungkook listened in.

"How'd you even get a gun?" Yoongi scoffed.

"The girls had me surrounded, but I noticed how they didn't like pointing their guns at me." Seokjin smirked. "They were all young. I did spot the oldest one among them and winked at her."

"So you flirted?" Yoongi sighed.

"They went crazy though!" Seokjin laughed. "She dropped her gun because she was so stunned. Other girls began turning their guns towards her out of jealousy so they weren't as focused on me. They shot at her instead of me! That's when I took the chance to almost drive them over. They all dived out of the way and their guns were scattered. I got out of the car to steal one, made a few bluffs to scare them, and took all the bullets I could from their guns before coming here."

"Wow, that would only happen to you, Seokjin," Hoseok said. "Hey Taehyungie, tell us what happened when getting Jiminie."

"Oooh! That's a fun story!" Taehyung grinned. "Yoongi hyung helped me get to the top, but we were careful not to catch their attention. They all had their guns pointed at Jimin and wanted information on us. That's when I went out to save the day! Bullets flew past me and Yoongi almost got shot! Jimin was like, 'You're my hero!' and I was like 'pow!' and like—"

"Jimin, you tell the story." Yoongi sighed, not enjoying the silver hair's interpretation. Taehyung crossed his arms in disappointment. He was so excited to tell the story so I put my hand through the window to ruffle his hair to make him feel better. Hoseok patted his shoulder and soon he was smiling again.

Jimin took in a deep breath as he began his version of the story. His narration was a lot more trustworthy than Taehyung's. He told us from the straight beginning though. From the moment he jumped out of the truck. Jimin said he was running towards the tallest building as always. One that was already somewhat built and not just beams. If he went to a frame of a building then he would have been caught easily and there's also not much go on. When he made it to the top, he talked to us until he realized he had company. They didn't know he was talking to us but wanted information on our gang. They kept threatening him until Taehyung and Yoongi came to the rescue.

Apparently, Taehyung ran into open fire. I gave the boy a quick glare for not being safe. If he got hurt than I would blame myself and then (F/n) would have a heart attack. We don't need any more members getting shot. Yoongi managed to fight them off while Taehyung got the girl keeping Jimin down to back off. He kicked the girl and she almost fell off the building. Jimin was able to get on his feet and fight the girls off with Taehyung. Yoongi said he was gonna go down to figure out how to get Seokjin back. After he left, Taehyung and Jimin made sure all the girls were out cold. Maybe one was pretending to be though. By the time Jimin finished telling his story, the truck was arriving back at the warehouse. Home sweet home. We all sighed at our last deal. At least we got some money.

Before I could even push down the tailgate, Jimin jumped out of the truck. He was the first to run into the warehouse. I chuckled at how thrilled he was. That deal is certainly one to remember. Jungkook pushed himself up into a sitting position. He was doing a lot better and could move his legs now. He just wanted to sit for a while first. Yoongi, Hoseok, and Taehyung came out to check on Jungkook with me. I held up the sample money that I had taken. Time to split it up between the boys for the last time. Fair share for everyone. Jimin came running out of the warehouse, holding (F/n)'s hand. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"I brought her!" Jimin smiled.

"You fine, baby? Did Jimin wake you?" Seokjin laughed.

"I was just taking a nap." (F/n) smiled at him before looking at the rest of us. "How was the last deal?" She checked all of us as much as she could. We were the same as when we left. Jungkook was feeling better and could talk normally now. It's like everything that happened back there didn't happen.

"Uh, kind of uneventful." Jungkook shrugged, grinning at each member. We all chuckled softly as (F/n) furrowed her brows.

"Yeah, but it's definitely gonna keep my blood pumping for years." I nodded. Forgetting this deal sounded impossible.

"I'm confused. Was it boring or super exciting?" (F/n) questioned.

"Don't worry about it," Yoongi replied. (F/n) pouted at us to have her questions unanswered. Jimin ruffled her hair and Taehyung came over to hug her for looking so cute. And she did. I wish I could easily hug her without it being seen as weird. Hoseok rushed over to hug her too and I laughed. Looking back at Jungkook, I gave him another pat on the back as he smiled at me like a bunny.

"We had fun."

Chapter Text

Ch.59

School ended today for the last regular time. Third years were already doing rehearsals for the ceremony so it could run smoother. Teachers have been stressed to deal with the older students who didn't give sh*ts and dealing with the students who weren't able to graduate. Seokjin didn't care too much for the process. Then Yoongi wouldn't hesitate to start complaining during lunch. Today, he gave his last rant about it since it was the last rehearsal. Tomorrow will be the real thing. The school year was finally coming to an end and so was the gang. Today was the second to last day the boys remained as a gang together. It made the mood a little grey with air, quiet and soft. No one's really jumping in excitement for the gang to end. That would never be the case.

Everyone was kind of silent during the ride to the warehouse. The emotions of it all were weighing hard on the members. On you too. Though you weren't a member, it hurt to see the members down and you'd miss everything too. It sucks how the good things in life have to come to end. Some might see being in a gang as a negative thing, but you honestly think it's the best thing that ever happened for the boys. Even if it messed up with some of their morals amongst other things. You know deep down that you wouldn't have become friends with any of the boys if they weren't in a gang. Not even Jimin. He still kept a wall towards you until you found out the truth. That's when they accepted you and showed you how beautiful the rough things in life are. Most people like to live with the sun out and avoid those who live when the moon's out. The boys taught you the mesmorizing mix of a breath-taking sunset. Warm colors, fuzzy feelings, and honey colored memories.

Time was going too fast. Everyone in the truck could agree to that. Seokjin still wanted to see all his younger members grow up. He'd be missing two years of that. Yoongi didn't want to go into the military yet. He wanted to stay with the gang. Hoseok wanted to enjoy everyone's happiness which was slightly hard. No one was really smiling at their last hurrah in the warehouse. Namjoon wanted to continue leading these boys but had to let go and let them take their own steps. He can't be holding their hands as they walk across the street anymore. Jimin wanted all his members to have no regrets about their choices in life. He wanted them to do everything with a smile and promise to stay a family no matter what. Taehyung wanted to joke with his hyungs more, have them dote on him, and fill a void in his life. But he can't rely on others to make life easier for him. Then Jungkook just wanted his hyungs to be happy. He was tired of having them mope around when they entered the warehouse. Things may change, but the bond they had with eachother was indesctrucible.

"Come on, Hyungs!" Jungkook hollered at the boys. Taehyung and Jimin were sitting on the couch, originally fidgeting with their fingers quietly. Yoongi was organizing his things in a closet to wait for him. Seokjin was sitting at the table, unable to touch his food. Namjoon and Hoseok kept sighing heavily, annoying the heck out of the maknae. "I know it's hard, but I'd really like to have good memories of this place before everyone goes away. This is supposed to be like a farewell party and all we're doing is sighing at what could have been! Why can't we just enjoy what it is for as long as we have it?" His words leaving everyone stunned for a bit.

"Kookie's right." Seokjin shoved his plate away from him. He stood up from his chair abruptly and walked over to the edge of the stage where the second years were. "I want to have a good farewell party. One that'll make me survive two years away from all of you."

"Aw..." Hoseok grinned. He turned to Yoongi with a question. "Do we have any balloons and streamers?"

"We have a bag of weed and my sh*t which you can't touch." Yoongi closed the closet door.

"Who's ready to get high!?" Taehyung jumped onto his feet. You furrowed your brows at that. Jimin couldn't stop laughing when that came out of his mouth.

"Hot potatoe with weed!" Jimin suggested to get Jungkook smirking.

"I won't lose!" Jungkook threw his fist in the air.

"No one's getting high!" You shouted to hear someone else saying the same thing. Your eyes connected with Namjoon who was chuckling lightly. At least he could agree with you that this is and always will be, a bad idea. He got off the stage to come over to the green couch. The rest of his hyungs came over, following behind him with genuine smiles. The first years were grinning too, so you knew things were going to be fun tonight. Unnie won't notice if you stay here until one in the morning to party with the boys.

"Then what are we gonna do?" Yoongi crossed his arms.

"Turn up?" Taehyung looked around at his standing hyungs.

"Hm...we have food in the fridge. Seokjin hyung, can you make us something?" Namjoon asked to get an immediate nod from the eldest. He ran off to work on the meal. "Now Yoongi, do we still have those fireworks?"

"I have them stored in the back." Yoongi gave the leader a thumbs up. He walked away to go get them. Soon the first-year boys began jumping around on the couch. This was turning into a real party alright. Namjoon smirked as he turned to his best friend.

"Do you still have your speaker with you?" Namjoon asked to get a Hoseok bouncing up and down in excitement.

"I left it in Seokjin's truck!" Hoseok grinned. He looked over at the black hair who was rolling up his sleeves. "Is the car open!?"

"Here's my keys, Hoseok. Remember to lock it up again once you get it." Seokjin tossed the keys over in our direction. Hoseok jumped to catch it, but ultimately missed. Instead the keys were caught by the talented maknae who was close to falling off the arm of the couch. Jungkook handed it to Hoseok before smirking at the pink hair.

"So do any of us have jobs too?" Jungkook raised a brow.

"Uh, Jimin, you have a lot of songs on your phone for dancing right?" Namjoon questioned to earn an enthusiastic nod from the cute blonde. Jimin was pulling out his phone, looking at his playlists. Taehyung wanted to do something too but didn't know what.

"Our jobs?" Taehyung wrapped his arm around the maknae, looking hopeful.

"Keep (F/n) company." Namjoon smiled as he walked off to check with Yoongi in the back. The male with faded blue hair had a bunch in his hands and you wondered where they came from. You also shook your head playfull when he assigned the two youngest to keep you company. They both pouted, disappointed with their job.

Taking a seat across from them, you suggest that they come up with party games. Jungkook smirked and gave Taehyung a stinging high five. They immediately started coming up with games that would be fun to play. When Hoseok came back inside with the speaker, Jimin hurried over to him with his phone in hand. Music eventually began playing in the background as everyone worked. Namjoon wanted to help Yoongi bring the fireworks outside, but the male denied his help. He was muttering something about people's safety. Seokjin was humming to the song as he made something with what he had in the fridge. Everyone was working hard so that they'd have a good time tonight. You couldn't help but smile at all of them.

Namjoon checked with the other members after Yoongi told him to not help. He came over to Seokjin, impressed that he was actually making something that looked appetizing. For once the fridge had some food that wasn't just convience store food that you needed to heat up in a microwave. Then the leader went over to check with Hoseok and Jimin. Both boys tried convincing the leader to dance. It started a random dance battle. Jimin pulled his best moves, looking graceful with the right amount of sass. Hoseok seemed to have good control over his body which impressed the blonde member. Namjoon was about to compete and then dropped out of the competition last second. He didn't care if they were whining, he didn't want to pull a muscle he said.

"Pull a muscle?" You asked as he came over to the couch.

"Don't you care about my safety, Kwon (F/n)?" Namjoon acted hurt.

"Right." You giggled as he looked over at Taehyung and Jungkook.

The two boys instantly started spouting out their game ideas. They forced Namjoon onto the couch to get his attention first. That's when they began telling him all their ideas. Namjoon was so confused as he sat in the middle of that. You listened in to the rules of the game and furrowed your brows. It was so complicated for no reason. By the time they finished telling the poor man their confusing game, Yoongi came back into the warehouse to say the job was done. The fireworks were set and ready to be used whenever they chose to do so. Namjoon said the plan was to have them go off at night before everyone goes home. It's going to be the best finishing point of the night. And with that, the party started.

Seokjin was finishing up with the food while you danced with Jimin. Hoseok was dancing with Namjoon who was trying to let loose. He kept feeling embarrassed by his dancing skills. Hoseok didn't mind and cheered him on. While you guys danced to the music, Yoongi sat with Taehyung and Jungkook on the floor. He was forced to play the confusing game they came up with. It was like they kept making up rules on the way. Yoongi only seemed to be getting more frustrated and tried leaving the game multiple times. The two boys wouldn't let him go until he finished since you apparently can't leave until the game is finished.

"This game is bullsh*t!" Yoongi huffed.

"Sorry, we don't make the rules." Jungkook sighed as Taehyung nodded.

"What he said." He crossed his arms in attempts to look intimidating. It was hard for him to do that while he gave Yoongi his box like grin. The third year sighed heavily, attempting his best to spend quality time with the young members. You thought his efforts were so cute and it only made you grow fonder of the faded blue hair. Gosh, you'll miss him when he goes. He's come a long way since you've first met him. You still remember the cold glares he would give you and how he used to enjoy making your life a living hell. Now he's actually your friend and that's something you never thought you could ever achieve in this life time.

Jimin spun you around before pulling you close to his chest. Grinning at him, you enjoyed dancing with him. He was more than ten times better than you, but he didn't make you feel insecure. He kept you smiling while the two of you danced for fun. It was silly or sometimes really sweet. You were happy that the two of you could still be this close and friends despite him confessing his feelings already. Jimin is kind and said he'll wait for you to get your feelings sort out. So far, you just need summer break to help you think. Too many boys flirting with you for fun and awkward moments with the opposite sex keep occurring. It's enough to confuse you, so you were staying friends with everybody. Who knows what will happen when you become a second year though.

"Why don't you audition for Jam Entertainment and become a trainee?" Jimin questioned as you laughed.

"Not my thing. I also doubt they'll have any kind of interest in me." You shook your head.

"Boo." Jimin puffed out his bottom lip before smiling. His eyes turned to lines and it was incredibly infectious every time he did that. This time, you spun him around and he only laughed at your struggle. The slight height difference made you go on your toes for the slowest turn ever. "Thanks for the spin."

"You're welcome!" You took it anyway. Jimin pulled you close as if he was hugging you. His arms were wrapped around your waist so you kept yours around his neck. The two of you were slow dancing to a song that was causing Hoseok to shake his booty. Namjoon joined in on the booty shaking causing Jimin to feel secondhand embarrassment.

"My hyungs are so weird." Jimin smiled down at you.

"I'm starting to see that," You whispered. At this point, your cheeks were hurting way too much. From laughing at the second years dancing and from Jimin's adorable smile that was hard to ignore.

"Gosh, I hope to have another class with you next year." Jimin squeezed you even more. "I can't imagine seeing you only during lunch."

"Oh, Jimin." You pushed back his blonde hair, letting his soft strands sneak inbetween your fingers. "I'm sure we'll have one class together at least. But don't be sad if we don't because that'll break my heart."

"I just want to see you everday. As much as I can." Jimin's cheeks turned pink. He glanced to the side as he licked his bottom lip nervously. You were blushing as well since he probably didn't mean to reveal that. Smiling to yourself, you pull Jimin down and hug him.

"I'll make sure we see each other often then," You said to feel him grip the back of your shirt.

"You're the best," Jimin muttered.

"Thanks for being my first friend in this town. You helped me get comfortable in this town and feel like I had a place here. I'm so glad that I have you in my life. Thank you." You loosened your hold on him. Your hands slid down from his neck to hold his hands instead. "I mean it."

"Thanks for supporting my dance dreams and being my friend too. I wouldn't have known a lot of things if it weren't for you." Jimin stared into your eyes for a long time. Even with the music playing and the loud swears coming from Yoongi, it all sounded muffled.

Emotions stirred inside you from the beginning. Coming to an unknown town that had a reputation for being dangerous. Students were hard to befriend and you felt alone. Like you had possibly made a mistake moving here for independence until you met Jimin. Once you met him, you were set on becoming his friend and that led to quite the experience. Your first and last deal ever. He wasn't mad that you followed but was touched when he learned the reason that you came was just to befriend him. He didn't think anyone would fight that hard to want his attention. Now you were so grateful to Jimin for being your best friend. Enjoying his interests was fun and watching him grow as a person was also lovely to see. Park Jimin, you're an absoulute angel in this town.

"Alright! Food's ready!" Seokjin shouted for everyone to hear.

Hoseok lowered down the music as Yoongi ran over. The blue hair was finally done with the game. He stomped over and plopped into his chair, ready to just eat. Jimin placed his hand on your lower back as the two of you walk over to the table. There were eight chairs for everyone now. Namjoon told Taehyung and Jungkook to come eat since they were being slow. Hoseok arrived at the table, complimenting Seokjin's cooking right away. The eldest smiled as everyone was seated down at the table. He handed everyone what he managed to create and you were surprised. It was known that Seokjin was a good cook, but he did so well with what he had in the fridge.

Thanks were given to the eldest for making food. Everyone started to eat right away, joking and laughing with each other at the same time. Jungkook was bothering Yoongi with the game still. Their interaction was pretty funny to witness. Especially when Yoongi had enough and just shoved a piece of chicken into Jungkook's mouth to shut him up. The maknae then chewed his food without bothering his hyung. Taehyung was having a conversation with Jimin from across the table. They were busy talking about how important they were to Namjoon. While they did that, Namjoon ignored them and talked to Hoseok about the final project a teacher had given them. Turns out Hoseok has been procrastinating all this time and was now earning a lecture from his friend. Hoseok wasn't really paying attention though so you just had to giggle at that.

"What's so funny?" The male next to you nudged your shoulder. Lowering down your fork, you turned to see the handsome black hair raising his brow.

"All of you." You grinned. "Just a bunch of dorks and idiots."

"I'm not an idiot." Seokjin scoffed.

"Well—" You shrugged to get nudged even harder by him.

"How old am I, (F/n)?" Seokjin narrowed his eyes on you playfully.

"Ancient~," You intoned to earn an eye roll.

He continued eat his meal and you did too. The warehouse is going to be a lot different when the gang ends. Though you loved this place, it needed everyone to carry the lovable feeling you held towards it. Jungkook finished eating first and started to bug Namjoon and Hoseok. He wanted them to take a crack at the game, but Hoseok was doing a good job at telling him no way in hell gently. Taehyung and Jimin started playing tag, leaving some food on their plates to go play. Yoongi sighed heavily and got up from his seat. Mumbling something about watching the sun go down. Seokjin tapped your shoulder as you wiped your mouth with a napkin.

"Can you give me the food they didn't finish?" Seokjin asked.

"Oh, sure." You got up to grab the small bits two of the boys left. It didn't take long for Seokjin to finish everything on his plate. He was a bit surprised you stayed at the table instead of going to play with the first years, mess around with the second years, or tease Yoongi. The main reason you didn't leave was because you didn't want to leave Seokjin alone at the table. "Let me help you wash the dishes."

"Really?" Seokjin's eyes widened. "Wah, I wish some of the boys could take notes from you. They always leave it to me. When I go to Australia, force them to do the dishes."

"Sounds like a plan." You picked up the plates with him. Following Seokjin towards the sink, the two of you rolled up your sleeves to get started. The water began running and the two of you chatted. One last chat with Seokjin, one on one before he goes to a whole different country. "I'm going to miss you a lot."

"That's sudden," Seokjin said as he handed you a plate.

"What do you mean? You always knew that I would miss you." You frowned, drying the plate with a towel.

"Obviously, but why not say something a little lighter?" Seokjin chuckled. "I may be excited to go to Australia, but it does hurt to leave my family behind." He quickly glanced at all the boys in the warehouse before taking a good look at you, a smile forming on his face.

"What's lighter then?" You asked.

"I don't know. I was hoping you would know," Seokjin said to get smacked with a towel. He was ridiculous to deal with. Shaking your head, you only laughed at his silliness.

"Gosh, I hope you don't pull this kind of stuff in Australia," You replied to see his grin grow.

"People are going to love me over there. You're just being a sour grape." Seokjin handed you another plate.

"For your information, I think I'm a really sweet one." You huffed before laughing harder. What does that even mean? Seokjin turned off the water and shook his hands dry. He leaned against the counter to look at everyone messing around minus Yoongi who was outside. Setting down the towel, you turn around to see what he was looking at so quietly. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah...It's just finally hitting me on how homesick I'm gonna be." Seokjin sighed. "Promise to text me everyday while I'm gone?"

"How could I not?" You faced your body towards the male.

Opening your arms wide, you'd figure that you should collect your hugs from each member. In the moment and at the warehouse. Before the genuine feeling of joy with the gang here isn't the same. Seokjin stared at you for a second in bewilderment. It didn't take long for him to wrap his arms around your body tightly. His hug was so warm and comforting. Seokjin looked down at you to see how happy your face was. He chuckled at that but kept you in his arms. You were just glad that things between you weren't awkward after the whole date and one day crush thing. Plus, you wanted happy memories before he went off for two years. Texts will never beat the real thing.

"Do you love me?" Seokjin randomly asked, your eyes widening at his bold question. This man!

"W-What kind of—Why are you asking me this!?" You whispered in a panic. You didn't want to alert a certain muscle boy and graceful dancer.

"I just want to know, Baby." Seokjin smiled. "As a friend, do you love me?"

"Platonically, yes. You should have said that first." You glared at him lightly.

"But I really loved that reaction." Seokjin earn a quick smack from you. He only laughed at your little attempts to hurt him. They'd probably be nothing compared to a certain brunette first year who would be willing to beat this guy up for you for a second time. "You know I just love teasing you."

"And how dangerous is that?" You reminded him.

"Hey, my promise for after you graduate still stands." Seokjin smirked. "I'll be ready when you are."

"Gross." You scoffed to get a pout from him. "I'm kidding~!"

"You better be." Seokjin warned. He was just joking around too. The both of you smiled softly at each other.

"...I want to thank you," You started off, "For driving me home after school or after deals. I also really appreciate the advice you gave me about my sister that one time. Thanks for everything and for being a good oppa to me. Even for the date that ended a disaster, but I did feel like a princess at the beginning of it though."

"It's really nothing. I drive everyone everywhere." Seokjin chuckled, a smirk forming on his lips. "You should also call me oppa a lot more. Besides that, I'm glad I could make you feel a like a princess. Wait for me until you're a queen, okay?"

"We'll see." You pulled away from the hug.

"Thanks for being such an understanding friend, (F/n). It's an admirable trait." Seokjin ruffled your hair as he walked off to the second years.

They were still dancing weirdly so the oldest decided to join. Jungkook was playing hide and seek with Jimin so you wondered if Taehyung was doing the same. Looking around for the silver haired boy, you wondered where he could possibly be. Walking towards the back room, you found him shoving all his spray paints into a duffel bag. The mural was finished and he felt like that was the only thing he was going to leave at the warehouse. Mainly because the mural makes you feel unsettled if you stare at it for too long. Taehyung looked away from his cans to notice you enter. A boxy grin showed on his face like it was second nature. A smile really suited the boy so you hoped his life would be full of happiness.

"(F/n)!!" Taehyung cheered. He definitely knew how to make you feel special.

"Taehyung!!" You cheered back. Rushing over to him, the both of you automatically hugged. He's so sweet. The silver hair chuckled and eventually pulled away from the hug.

"I'm just cleaning up for good. I know it's gonna be hard for me to come into the warehouse now knowing it's not going to be the same...y'know?" Taehyung tilted his head, trying his best not to frown.

"Of course, I understand." You petted his head. "But don't be sad today, Tae. Appreciate the time you have with the gang right now. Before it's truly over. The gang may be over, but the bond you have with the other boys will never change."

"...you're always right." Taehyung nodded. "I should just listen to you anytime I need advice!"

"Oh, that's a lot of pressure." You laughed. "Ask Namjoon first then me."

"Okay!" Taehyung grinned before it shrank slightly. "Hey (F/n), how come you never include yourself in our family? You always say the boys and the gang, but you're just as important."

"Thanks, Tae. I just...I don't know. I feel like you guys have a closer bond is all." You shrugged. Taehyung gazed down as he thought about what he was going to say next. Like he wanted it to come out perfectly before he looked up back at you with his charming smile.

"You might not know everything about us, but there will be a time when you do." Taehyung swung your hands side to side. "All the boys love you. We're all a family together and I hope you've come to see what I see whenever I look at the warehouse or at my fellow members. It always takes my breath away everytime."

"I feel like I have come to see what you do." You thought back at all the times you've felt happiness in the warehouse. "Honestly Taehyung, you see the world in a very beautiful way."

"All you need to be is human to love." Taehyung sighed peacefully. "That's what I've learned and I roll with that."

It sounded like an obvious statement, but it did resonate with you. The boys all had tougher lives than you. They've considered most of their lives a rough patch. The worst you've had was getting kidnapped and almost killed which was pretty bad. Chuckling lightly, you couldn't believe half of the crazy stuff that has happened just by knowing these boys. People thought you were a slut, a random girl started a fight with you, Namjoon's Mom is already considering you her daughter-in-law, and then your own sister thinks you have a thing for oppas. That still makes you sigh heavily. Whatever is going on in her mind...it's hard to control. She's very imaginative.

Taehyung continued shoving all his cans inside the duffle bag. Eventually, his bag was getting full and only one sat on the shelf. It was a purple spray paint and he hesitated to grab it. Did he feel like putting away the last one makes the gang ending true? Placing your hand on his shoulder, Taehyung gave you a thankful smile. He grabbed the can and shook it wildly. Without warning, he spray painted a heart in the backroom. Smirking at his art, he shoved the can inside and zipped it proudly. Now he could take his cans home with no regrets. You chuckled at that and he joined the laughter.

"Thanks for always being there for me, (F/n). I can always trust you to make me feel better," Taehyung said. Your laughter died down as your chest felt warm.

"I was supposed to thank you first for being such a great friend, you punk!" You witnessed his pure amusement. He was so pleased with himself to have beaten you.

"Sucks. You're just gonna have to stand there while I thank you for everything!" Taehyung put his hands on his hips. "And I have a lot to thank you for so get ready!"

"What did I do?" You almost felt guilty.

"I'm passing Mr. Pyo's class with your help!" Taehyung clapped. "And that's all that really matters."

"Mr. Pyo's class will always be one to remember." You couldn't believe that class happened. Everytime you entered the class, you were excited to see what would set Mr. Pyo off this time. Whenever you left, it felt surreal. Taehyung was so proud of himself for ruining Mr. Pyo's life. The poor man was probably ready to quit which he surprisingly hasn't done already. The silver hair was in his own mind, remembering all the torture he caused with a smile so you took the chance to thank him for being such a great friend. "Let me thank you now."

"Hm?" Taehyung broke out from his thoughts.

"I'm glad we we're able to talk to each other about our worries and serious issues when we didn't feel comfortable sharing it with others that we we're closer with," You stated. He smiled softly at you. "Thanks for making me laugh and showing me how fun it is to walk to the warehouse instead of driving. I adore your perspective on things. I care about you a lot and I'm going to keep making sure you don't walk into traffic. Got that?"

"You know how to make my heart melt, (F/n)!" Taehyung opened his arms wide once more. The two of you hugged each other tightly. At this point, the both of you couldn't breathe but that's okay. "W-We're gonna be s-second years together!"

"Y-Yeah!" You grunted until the two of you released each other. Air was finally returning into your lungs. Taehyung and you were panting, recovering from that lung crushing hug. Meeting his eyes, you both bursted out laughing. The best hugs leave you breathless.

In the middle of the laughter, Jungkook came running in. He was looking for some place to hide before his eyes became wide. Taehyung and you were alone in a room. Standing very close to each other. Only his imagination would fail him at this moment. He automatically had questions that Taehyung wasn't going to answer honestly. Taehyung ruffled your hair and walked over to pat Jungkook's shoulder. The silver hair said he was going to switch places with him in the game so Jungkook could talk to you. Jungkook's confused eyes changed once he heard that. His cheeks slowly became pink as you stared at him with a smile. The two of you were silent as Taehyung shouted at Jimin in the background.

He no longer had a reason to get upset. Jungkook stopped mumbling out questions to clear his throat. You had a lot to say to Jungkook. In the beginning, he had no interest in befriending you. He only saw Taehyung being extremely friendly and getting along with others. It wasn't until you knew he was in a gang that he lowered his walls slightly like most of the members. Now you can proudly say that he trusts you enough to tell you his dreams. Maybe not his personal home life, but you were okay with that. Hearing Namjoon's home life broke your heart a bit. Hopefully they're all doing okay now that time has passed and that they've had the gang.

"We were just talking. Nothing happened, Kookie." You giggled.

"What? I get that! I don't have a problem with you talking to the other members." Jungkook nervously rubbed the back of his neck. He walked closer to you in the backroom. He immediately noticed the purple heart and chuckled. "Hyung?"

"He had to." You nodded. "So Jungkook, how are you handling the end of the gang? I feel like you're taking it the best."

"Ah, well...it's really sad." Jungkook shrugged. "It makes me wish I was in the gang longer or that we could continue for five more years. But there's nothing much I can do, so I'm planning to have all the fun I can today."

"Memories are what keep things alive. And hey, you'll be a successful video game creator in the future!" You clapped your hands to see him grow flustered. Jungkook took a deep breath and collected himself. You figured he had something important to say. He was becoming so flushed.

"(F/n)...answer me honestly." Jungkook looked you in the eyes. "Do you think I'll have any chance next year? Because I'm going to keep trying."

"...chance? As in dating me?" Your face started to burn. Jungkook nodded his head and swallowed hard. It took a lot of courage for him to ask that, so you wanted to give him a good answer. Some of the boys have already been telling you that they're going to make attempts to make you fall for them. Jimin, Namjoon, and Seokjin. You didn't want to give them false hope. You just wanted to see what happened, but you also needed to sort out your own feelings. "I'm not going to stop you from trying. At the moment I don't really know what I want for myself. I'll figure it out eventually but promise me that you won't get jealous and start fights over me."

"I'll be a gentleman," Jungkook said with a smile. He held out his hands for you, waiting for you to embrace him. "Hopefully I can get you to fall for me. Get ready to be a second year with me."

"Second year is going to be interesting." You chuckled, stepping towards his body. You gave him a good squeeze, smelling that he put on a little bit of cologne. Looks like things are getting interesting now. Jungkook stared down at you like having you in front of him was the most he could ask for. His cheeks were bright pink just like yours. "Thanks for being my friend. For trying to protect me at times, showing me how fun video games can be, and for being someone I could lean on."

"I'm glad that you became my friend...that you tried so hard to earn my trust and get to know me. I know most people don't like to try because I come off as shy." Jungkook squeezed your shoulder. "Some people think it takes too much effort to get me to open up but thank you for talking to me and not giving up. And for...caring when I got into drugs."

"What are friends for?" You grinned to see him sigh. He pulled away from the hug to give you a look.

"We'll see how long I get called that." He smirked, winking at you playfully.

"Flirty all of a sudden?" You questioned to see his face get redder.

"Problem?" Jungkook crossed his arms.

"I'm getting used to it." You shook your head with a smile. These boys will be the death of you.

Walking out of the backroom, you joined everyone at the main room of the warehouse. Jimin and Taehyung weren't playing hide and seek this time. It looked like poor Jimin got himself wrapped up into the made-up game. He was struggling to understand but kept smiling at his friend's instructions. One thing you did notice was how puzzled Taehyung was when he explained the rules. Seokjin walked over to them when he finished dancing. Like a fool, he asked what the boys were doing. He was forced to sit down and made Jimin listen to the rules again. The second time Taehyung ran through it, he was even more confused and Jimin wasn't sure what was going on anymore.

While they dealt with that problem, the second years were still having fun on the dance floor. Hoseok was dancing and Namjoon was tired. He was panting heavily, telling his friend that he would be taking a quick break. How hard was he hitting those dance moves? Coming over to him as he rested against the stage, you quietly stared at the pink haired man. Namjoon was trying hard to open a water bottle. He scrunched his face, frustrated with the fight the cap was giving him. Tapping his arm, Namjoon was surprised to see you next to him. You held your hand out and he got the message. The water bottle was passed onto you. Namjoon managed to rip the label off, but leave the cap stuck on. You gave it a hard twist and the cap soon came off.

"Here you go." You handed it back. He bowed his head at you as he took a hold of the bottle. He drank less than half of the bottle before closing it to talk to you.

"Enjoying the last day at the warehouse?" Namjoon asked.

"It's been going good. It's sad, but I'm still happy," You stated. "You?"

"I'm taking this a lot better thanks to Hoseok's help as well as yours." Namjoon looked at the ground with a soft smile. "I know what I'm gonna do with the warehouse. I've started contacting construction teams to help change this place. I'm going to start studying hard again to get into a great college to be qualified to help youths at risk."

"You're so admirable," You said in awe. "You're going to save lives, Namjoon."

"I'm just doing what's going to help this town." Namjoon chuckled. "I'm putting a lot of money towards this which makes me a little nervous. The debt my father left still isn't completely gone, but I'll make it work."

"You got this!" You cheered to see those dimples of his.

"Thank you." He bowed, but you quickly lifted him up. He stared down at you with a smile.

"Let me thank you," You started as he tilted his head curiously at you, "For being such a good sunbae. Thank you for all the talks you gave me whenever I needed a logical side on things, being such a great leader for the boys, taking me out to eat porridge and refusing to let me pay! You always knew when I needed someone to talk to and I thank you for taking care of me when you already have six boys to look after."

"Aw." Namjoon petted your head. "It's because I care about you. There's nothing to thank me about. I'm willing to do anything to take care of my family. And that strongly includes you."

"So I've heard." You giggled, remembering your recent conversation with Taehyung fondly. You never thought that coming to this dangerous town that you'd find such a good role model and friends.

"But I should thank you too if we're giving thanks." Namjoon pulled away his hand from your head. "Thank you for fighting to be a part of this family. I know I made it hard at times by telling you that you're going home at tough times and telling you to not get into our problems too much. You do it because you care and I know you can take care of yourself. A lot better than these boys."

"I'm flattered." You stretched your arms out. Namjoon let out a chuckle as he wrapped his arms around your body. His grip on you became very tight as he lifted your feet off the ground. Your hold on him became stronger as he spun around, making you giggle like an idiot. "Namjoon~!"

"I've grown a soft spot for you, Kwon (F/n)." Namjoon gently set you down. You were having a lot of fun after that. You felt like a kid again and your chest was warm from Namjoon acting so cutely. "It's good my mom already approves of you."

"How lucky am I?" You went on your tip toes to ruffle his hair the best you could. His hair was still cotton candy pink, but his roots were becoming dark. The same was happening with the other members. Their dyed hair wasn't as bold. Yoongi was the perfect example. His electrifying blue hair was the first to start fading to become the light blue it is now. Namjoon bent down to make your life easier and your grin grew.

Suddenly, a flash of red appeared in front of you. Namjoon stood up and you pulled your hand away from his hair. A smirking Hoseok stood, enjoying the interaction he had just witnessed. Namjoon cleared his throat while you rolled your eyes. Time to thank Hoseok then. Hoseok was about to tease the two of you until you took his hand randomly. He blushed lightly as you brought him back over to the dance floor. He stared at you in confusion. What was he expecting? Definitely not what you did next. The music was still playing so you decided to pull out your best moves. And by best moves, you mean the worst ones. Hoseok immediately laughed at how intense you were going and followed your idiotic movements. You could already hear Namjoon laughing in the distance.

It was easy to mess around with Hoseok despite him being a grade above you. He had such a warm and energizing atmosphere that resembled the sun. You feel that's why he managed to get along with the first year boys the most out of all their hyungs. Hoseok could make anyone comfortable and cheered anyone up. It always felt like Hoseok put everyone he cared about before himself. He's a kind person who's not afraid to be a hyung when he has to be. Like the time when he had to baby sit you and the rest of the first year boys. Somehow, he forgave you guys for locking him outside the school's cafeteria. Gosh, did that actually happen?

"Oh, I'm already tired!" You stopped moving to laugh and catch your breath. Hoseok grinned at you, but he was still full of energy.

"We were just getting started!" Hoseok teased. "C'mon, shake that booty!"

"I'm not shaking anything, but my head." You crossed your arms.

"That's a real shame," Hoseok said as you gave him a playful glare. It didn't last long. You can't even be fake angry at him.

"You shake it a lot better than I ever could so there's no point in me even trying," You reasoned.

"Would you try it if Jimin tried?" Hoseok asked, making you burst out laughing. The red head turned in the direction of the blonde. "HEY JI—"

"What is wrong with you!?" You grabbed onto his arm. Hoseok began laughing hard as you shook his arm, pulling him back from asking something so embarrassing.

Jimin glanced at the both of you with a perplexed expression. He didn't know what to make of the sight in front of him. You were clutching onto Hoseok like your life depened on it while he laughed in amusement. Eventually Taehyung forced him to focus back on the game. It appeared like Seokjin was catching the hang of it and was beating everyone yet didn't know what exactly he was doing. That took talent. Hoseok turned to face you with a giant grin. Your cheeks were hurting all over again. Nonstop smiles because of these boys. You're so grateful for meeting them. Even if they're this ridiculous at times.

"You're not curious to see what he's got?" Hoseok questioned.

"Don't sound so serious asking me that and no!" You let go of him.

Bringing up your hands to your warm face, you couldn't believe this was a conversation you were having. Hoseok only seemed to enjoy this more. Why was he being so sadistic like this? Hoseok commented on how cute you looked with your face all pink. This was too much to listen to. The red head chuckled and brought you into a hug. He didn't say anything and only patted your back which calmed you down. Now your face wasn't as red. Looking up to face the man who was torturing you with laughter. Hoseok smiled down at you and you couldn't help returning one his way. Your cheeks are definitely going to be sore tomorrow. Worth it though.

"I didn't know you were this fun to tease!" Hoseok swayed side to side with you in his arms. "I usually had fun messing with you when you were around Namjoonie, but now I'm going to have a new hobby."

"Don't say that." You shook your head for your own safety. "Dye hair as a hobby because that's fun! Teasing me is pretty boring."

"I have to disagree little (F/n)~!" Hoseok chuckled. "But don't worry, it's going to be a lot of fun."

"Oh boy." You laughed once more. "Oh, thank you for all the laughter and smiles. You're really sweet when you don't tease me."

"Laughter and smiles are a luxury, but—" Hoseok squeezed you tighter in the hug. "They don't cost me a thing!"

"My ribs are going to break by the end of tonight," You commented to have him only hold you tighter. "Or in a few seconds!"

"I can't help it!" Hoseok pulled away. He stared at you, his smile warming your heart. "Thank you for helping me with my 'emergencies,' talking to my parents that one time I begged you too, and for caring about my brothers here."

"We're going to keep getting closer, you hear me?" You looked him right in the eyes. "No need to thank me. Let's keep making memories!"

"Like the time you locked me out of the cafeteria?" Hoseok raised a brow. You sucked in your breath.

"You're not over that? Well...Jungkook was the one who locked you out and I didn't even like the—" You started to ramble on. Hoseok shook his head at your defensive behavior and simply kissed your forehead. At that, you stiffened and reconnected your eyes with his. Your face was on fire again as you stammered, "H-Hoseok!"

"So cute!" Hoseok freed you from the hug to slap his hands on your cheeks. He squeezed your cheeks and cooed at you as if you were a baby. You whined, but he continued teasing you this way. "Also, the rest of the boys and I have a surprise for you tomorrow!"

"Really?" Your eyes widened. Tomorrow was graduation for the third years. What could they being doing for you?

"But it's a secret!" Hoseok squashed your cheeks even more. All your protests were muffled.

It didn't take long for Namjoon to save you, but it wasn't on purpose. He called out everyone to meet at the green old couch. He wanted to give an important message and shouted for everyone to be inside. The pink hair came to the couch where the three boys playing the baffling game sat. Jungkook went out to get Yoongi to come inside. Hoseok brought you over near the leader, happy to hear an announcement. Not even a second passed and Jungkook popped up at the entrance to tell Namjoon that Yoongi was too lazy to come inside. Namjoon rolled his eyes and ordered Jungkook to carry him in if he had to. Jungkook left and came back dragging the third year.

"What is it?" Yoongi huffed.

"Come on, Yoongi-ya! Spend some time with us on our last day!" Hoseok shouted.

"Hoseok's right!" Seokjin threw his fist in the air.

"Yeah!" Jimin and Taehyung yelled in unison. Jungkook nodded as Yoongi sighed to hear all this. He had been spending time alone outside. He was watching the sun set, waiting to set off the fire works when the time was right. Namjoon straightened his posture and everyone looked towards him, listening intently. He was just that type of person.

"I have an important question for two people here." Namjoon gestured his hands out towards Yoongi and Taehyung. "Do you two have any plans for the future?"

"What?" Yoongi scoffed. "No."

"Obviously not, hyung," Taehyung replied with a grin.

"I figured as much. I have an offer for you two, but first, I want to explain my plans with the warehouse," Namjoon said as Taehyung's eyes widened.

"What are you doing to her!?" Taehyung screamed. Seokjin furrowed his brows to hear the silver hair refer to the warehouse as a 'her'. Namjoon was surprised by Taehyung's panic and was careful to tell him this.

"Well, I know what I want to do with my future now thanks to (F/n) and Hoseok." Namjoon looked towards you two with a thankful expression. "I'm going to create a center for at risk youth from entering the lifestyle that most kids seem to enter here in this town. Kids keep getting younger when they join a gang. You saw from the girl group, most of them were just kids. I'm going to help those who need it and I'm going to turn the warehouse into that center to complete my dreams. I hope you don't mind, Taehyung."

"Oh...I guess I don't really mind. That sounds pretty cool then." Taehyung shrugged, giving his leader a small square smile.

"Congrats on figuring that out, but what does that have to do with us?" Yoongi cocked up a brow. Taehyung's eyes sparkled as he stared at Namjoon, waiting for a life changing answer.

"I'd actually really like it if you guys come to work at my center to help," Namjoon said to see the shock on these two boy's faces. "You guys both said yourselves that you don't have plans for the future yet. So Yoongi, you have a job waiting for you right away the moment you come back from the military. The same goes for you, Taehyung. You'll have a real job by the time you graduate."

"Whoa...that's...really thoughtful." Yoongi's eyes fell to the floor. "Thanks, Namjoon. That means a lot..."

"Would you be willing to take it?" Namjoon titlted his head with hope. Yoongi smiled at him. A cute gummy one.

"I'd be a fool not to." Yoongi came over to hug Namjoon himself.

The guy who usually doesn't like getting affection from anyone. You were so happy that Yoongi was learning to express himself normally with the boys. He hated affection and hardly ever let himself get too vulnerable with them. Improvement and growth at its finest. They patted each other's back as others in the room cheered. The only one who wasn't saying a thing was Taehyung. Yoongi and Namjoon stopped hugging to see what Taehyung had to say. The first year was speechless. He stared up at Namjoon, struggling to find the words to explain how he was feeling. He sat their in frustration until his eyes began to get teary, making Namjoon automatically worried for the boy.

"You okay, Tae?" Namjoon crouched down, reaching a hand out towards the silver haired.

"Namjoon hyung!" Taehyung threw his arms around the male. Namjoon was shocked but hugged him back. They smiled and held each other tight. "T-Thank you so much....y-you always care about me. And I can n-never repay you. I want to work with you in the f-future."

"I'm happy to hear that, Tae." Namjoon rubbed the boy's back to calm him down from crying.

"Thank you for taking care of me..." Taehyung continued. He gripped at Namjoon's shirt, balling up the fabric in his hands.

Namjoon lifted his head to look at the others. Everyone knew to give them the space they needed. Hoseok went into the backroom, leading the rest of the boys inside. Yoongi thanked Namjoon one last time and even bowed. He stepped out of the warehouse to view the sunset once more. You decided to follow him at that moment. Slowly coming out of the warehouse, you spotted Yoongi sitting down in the back of Seokjin's truck. He had the tailgate down and was staring up at the sky, a thin blanket on his lap. You smiled to yourself as you came up to the truck. Yoongi's eyes quickly landed on you as you stood in front of the tailgate. He lifted a brow at you, disappearing into his light blue bangs.

"What are you doing here?" Yoongi questioned.

"I wanted to hang out with you." You climbed up.

The third year didn't say a thing which was better than him protesting. He only stared at you as you sat down next to him. His gaze did feel slightly judgemental, but he always had that look. Yoongi doesn't mean to act like a grump. Letting out a satisfied sigh, you saw your breath in the air. It was starting to get colder as the sun lowered down. Over half of the sun was gone, but it still shined bright. It gave the sky a honey color that made the wheat field almost appear green. The clouds in the sky were wispy, inching in the direction of the sun as time went by. You could see why Yoongi was out here watching it. That's when you felt something getting placed on your lap. The wind stopped giving your lower half goosebumps. Looking down, you realized Yoongi was sharing his blanket with you.

"Oh thanks, Yoongi." You turned to him with a smile. He continued to stare at the sunset without a care.

"It's a good thing that this our last time here. I won't have to remind you to bring a d*mn jacket," Yoongi grumbled.

"Aw, don't say that. You know you'll miss this place a ton and so will I. Before it gets renovated into a center for at risk youth." You lifted the blanket higher on your body, getting comfortable.

"I will...miss this place." Yoongi pursed his lips. "And you too...I guess."

"I'll miss you everyday." You swayed your body to the left, bumping his shoulder. He chuckled at your words.

"Sure, you will." He squinted his eyes as one cloud stopped blocking a piece of the sun.

"I'm being honest. I'm so happy that we've gotten to know each other and become friends despite the bumpy start." You faced him. Yoongi stopped watching the sunset to slowly glance at you. He wanted to make sure that it was actually you saying that. "Thanks for being my friend and listening to me when I was grossly sobbing about your best friend. I'm glad you've come to see me in a positive light instead of a negative one."

"...that's stupid." Yoongi chuckled. "I'm your friend because my friends are friends with you. That is all. AND I was forced to listen you cry about Seokjin."

"First of all, bullsh*t. Even when I was friends with your friends, you still hated me and refused to consider me one back then. Second, you told me to spill everything! You even told Seokjin to get lost because you cared about me~!" You leaned towards him, his cheeks getting pink across them.

"You can be so annoying sometimes." Yoongi sighed before wrapping his arm around your shoulder. He tugged you closer to his body. You were surprised at first but knew better to question it. If you did then he would stop and you didn't want that. "You're right. There, I said it."

"I didn't ask you—"

"And...I want to thank you for those late night talks. For taking me in when I thought I had no one after pulling the stupidest sh*t. I still can't believe you actually did that after I treated you like garbage. I thought...for the first time that good people in this world might actually exist. Pure people." Yoongi cut you off. You listened in, touched by his words. "The gang is kind, but we're all tainted. We're fighting to not become the things that hurt us. Then there's you. I just saw a girl...one who the gang only wanted around for sexual reasons."

"Just a pair of walking boobs?" You asked as he laughed.

"Exactly." He nodded. "But I've come to see how wrong I was. Everyday, I see how wrong I used to think. Thank you for believing in me as a person." He pursed his lips at you, sighing.

"We've been through a lot, haven't we?" You smiled to earn another chuckle from him.

"Where to begin?" He shook his head.

"Hug?" You opened your left arm.

He already had his arm wrapped around your shoulder. Yoongi stared at you silently. It was like he was scanning you. The smile on your face didn't change. You were going to wait for the rib crushing hug if it took all night! Yoongi slowly leaned his face towards you instead of wrapping his other arm around you. For a moment, you stopped breathing to feel his forehead press against yours. You've had him extremely close to you before, but it's still shocking to experience. His eyes bore into yours. It made you nervous to have his face this close. Was he going to avoid hugging you this way? You didn't see how it changed anything. Yoongi didn't say a word as he watched you. His eyes remained on yours until they glanced down slightly. It broke you out of your trance as your lips parted. Yoongi blinked at the movement and instantly pulled you into a hug you that you didn't share with the others. He held you tightly but was gentle at the same time. You could feel how he was going to miss you and you felt a pang in your heart. You're going to miss him so much too.

"Please write me letters," Yoongi pleaded. His voice was barely a whisper.

"I'll write you as much as I can. I'll be here for when you come back." You promised. Yoongi pulled away slightly to glance down again. He wasn't looking at the floor or anything like that. He was still staring at your face. "I'll be waiting for another hug."

"Hug...right." Yoongi's eyes came back up to yours.

The two of you were silent as you stared at each other. It wasn't awkward this time. You smiled at him and he gave you one back weakly. The sun had already set by the time you guys were done hugging. Yoongi opened his mouth to say something else but was cut off by the younger members running out in excitement. They were yelling at the top of their lungs. The rest of the members came out with them, grinning from ear to ear. Yoongi scooted away and threw the rest of the blanket onto your body so the others wouldn't see you two sharing. He sniffled as the three boys came up to the truck looking thrilled.

"FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS! FIREWORKS!" Taehyung smacked his hands on the truck.

"WHOOOO!" Jungkook kicked at the tires.

"I'M GONNA MISS THIS!" Jimin dragged his fingers down the windows.

"What are you idiots doing to my truck!?" Seokjin scolded them. Jungkook laughed while Jimin frowned and apologized. Taehyung pretended not to hear and kept going on about fireworks. Namjoon and Hoseok came over to the fireworks aimed up at the sky. Yoongi stood up and tossed his lighter over at Hoseok. The red head caught it, proud of himself for doing so. Namjoon finished checking on the last firework to see his best friend holding the lighter towards him.

"Will you do the honors?" Hoseok smiled softly. Namjoon returned one back and took the lighter.

The flame came up and he began lighting the fireworks one by one. They shot up into the sky with loud booms and cracks. You covered your ears but looked up in awe. All the boys were becoming mesmerized with the sight. Seokjin threw his arm around Jungkook as they watched the fireworks go off. Taehyung and Jimin sat down on the ground to see everything. Yoongi leaned his shoulder against yours, not saying a thing as he now enjoyed the view of the gorgeous colors decorating the sky. Hoseok cheered and Namjoon sighed in satisfaction. The fireworks are kind of scary at first. They're loud and dangerous, but they become beautiful. They spread out in the dark sky and leave everyone astonished. You're breathless at the sight. Sadly, they fade away as soon as they appear and you're left thinking, what's next?

Chapter Text

Ch.60

The air was interesting today. Adults made time out of their schedule to watch their child graduate from high school. Once they shook hands with the headmaster, bowed, and took their diploma then they were free. Little kids were being forced to sit down by tired parents. Some cared to see their children graduate while some didn't care enough to show up. Flowers were decorated along the walls of inside the gym. A giant banner hung above the stage to congragulate all the third years for coming so far. The graduation rate wasn't high at SuChin and SuChin wasn't really a school to brag about. Still, you were proud of all the efforts made by your two friends.

Seokjin and Yoongi were probably sitting next to each other amongst the rest of your sunbaes. You were so proud of them since they originally didn't care about graduating in the beginning. Yoongi was about ready to drop out without warning. The only thing keeping him at SuChin was his friends. Seokjin thought school was pointless and didn't care if he graduated. He just saw it as whatever happens, then it happens. Luckily, they've grown into the wonderful gentleman they are today. But you were a little upset though. The problem was that you couldn't spot them. Where the heck are they!?

Huffing in frustration, you continued to scan the crowd for a blue haired boy at least. That shouldn't be too hard to find. Only a few students had their hair dyed in the crowd of third years. It was mainly boys, but they weren't your boys! Seokjin had black hair which didn't make your job easy. You were sitting in the back so you couldn't really get a good view of their faces. Another sigh escaped your lips as you pouted. You badly wanted to wave at them before they went on stage to get their diplomas. People were still stuffing themselves inside the gym to get ready for the ceremony. Since today was a special occasion, you wore a (f/c) dress with black heels. The rest of the boys said they would meet you here. Pulling out your phone, you were about to angrily text them all.

They better show up to Seokjin and Yoongi's graduation! Then a tap on your shoulder stopped you from typing. You lowered down your phone as you turned around in your chair. At this point, you were certain it was another angry grandma wanting to take your seat. They just kept forcing you to go back and you were tired of this. This grandma is going to have to fight you to get this chair! If you go back any further then you won't be able to get any good pictures of Seokjin and Yoongi's faces when they get their diplomas! You're going to knock the wrinkles off them! As soon as you turned around, your glare disappeared automatically. Staring back at you were five boys. All with black hair.

"W-What?" Your eyes widened.

"Do we look that different?" Namjoon's deep, but friendly voice chuckled. You blinked in disbelief to hear them all snickering. Especially Hoseok.

"Was this the surprise you were telling me about!?" You shouted.

"We look good, huh?" Hoseok smirked.

"My company might make me dye it again though..." Jimin rubbed a few dark strands between his fingers.

"How do you think I look, (F/n)!" Taehyung jumped to show you a side profile. "I'm even growing out my hair a little bit."

"Aw, it looks really good on you." You smiled to see Jungkook staying quiet. He stopped fidgeting to see your eyes land on him. "You look so cute!"

"R-Really?" Jungkook turned red.

"Yeah! All of you are really rocking out the look." You nodded. Jungkook immediately pouted slightly at that while the rest of hyungs cheeks went pink.

"Yoongi hyung joined us in the black hair project too," Hoseok added as your mouth turned into an 'o'.

"No wonder. I was trying so hard to find that blue haired punk." You chuckled as they all took seats around you.

Namjoon and Hoseok sat next to you. They were dressed nicely in suits that complimented them so well. It made you realize how tall and slender Namjoon was. Then Hoseok looked like he was a fashion model. You're glad they put effort into their outfits for today's occasion. The three first year boys behind you were wearing semiformal outfits. You would have complimented them on their outfits too if it weren't for them messing around like idiots. Taehyung started by tickling Jungkook and Jimin. Now they were attacking each other in the three seats behind you. Currently you and the second years were pretending not to be acquainted with them. And that's when something popped up in your head. Technically, you and the three boys behind you were second years now. Hoseok and Namjoon are third years. Wow, that's so weird to think about.

As you finished that thought, the ceremony started. The headmaster stood behind a stand. He looked at the crowd with a small smile. He spoke into the microphone and started his speech about watching the class move onto to bigger and better things. You smiled as he spoke about his dreams for these students. Despite the school they went to or the town they grew up in, he had hopes for all of them. He was an old man who you've heard to be a push over. That's why he never really scolds the deliquient students too much. None of the graduating students cared to pay attention during the speech. All of them wanted this event to be over with.

When it came to giving them their diplomas, you got your phone ready to take pictures. You kept your eyes peeled and ears ready to hear them announce your friend's name. Hoseok laughed at you and said you were acting like a super supportive mom. Namjoon covered his mouth, trying not to laugh at that. It's not your fault you're so excited! But at least you're not embarrassing Seokjin and Yoongi. They'll certainly be embarrassed of Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook messing around like children. Hoseok scolded them and told them to stay still. Namjoon whistled at that since he didn't even crack the whip on them. You held your phone tightly and almost dropped it when you heard one of your friend's names.

"Min Yoongi." The headmaster smiled as the class represenative handed Yoongi his diploma. Their he stood on stage. A small frame in his uniform with black hair now. Whoa.

"Yoongi oppa!!" You screamed. Standing up onto your feet, you bounced and took as many pictures as you could. Yoongi turned his head towards you in shock. His lips parted, but nothing came out. Instead he looked down and tried to get off stage as quickly as he could. "I'm so proud of you, Yoongi oppa! Fighting!!"

"Sit your @ss down!" Hoseok couldn't believe what he was seeing. Namjoon tugged you down into your seat. People turned their heads towards you, clearly judging your actions. You sat their thinking about how it felt like your face was cooking.

"Sorry...I just got excited..." You mumbled.

"And we're embarrassing?" Taehyung leaned towards you with a smug expression.

"Shush!" You hissed back at him.

"I'm so glad we're in the same year so you won't pull that sh*t with me." Jungkook grinned like a bunny. Is he trying to test you!?

"Get ready Hoseok and Namjoon. She'll be cheering loudly when you guys graduate." Jimin gave them two thumbs up. Both boys automatically shuddered at the thought. What punks. You're just being extremely supportive. But you also had no doubt that Yoongi was going to kill you after this.

The boys wouldn't stop teasing you about your little out burst. Even Jungkook was teasing you about it. He mimicked you cheering on for Yoongi. At least he didn't make his voice super high like the other boys, but you also hated how accurate it was. They kept cracking up around you so you decided to ignore them from now on. You're just going to sit in your seat and wait for them to announce Seokjin's name. When they do that then you'll definitely act calmer. The eldest will have nothing to worry about. Soon the headmaster cleared his throat once more to announce the next name.

"Kim Seokjin." He smiled and clapped his hands. You were going to stay silent this time except you heard a few girls already cheering for him. So why not?

"Seokjin oppa!!" You screamed, throwing your fist in the air. Seokjin turned to face the crowd with a smile.

"(F/n)!!" Seokjin waved at you before giving you a flying kiss. You giggled at that until you realized just how many girls were glaring at you. Well. You've certainly had enough attention on you for one day. As you tried to shrink in your seat, you heard a loud scoff. Turning your head in the direction, you saw Ms. Lee standing along the walls of the gym. She still hates you? Great.

Seokjin left the stage and you now had a bunch of enemies. Thanks. Good thing break was going to start right after this. The girls were mainly third years, but you did notice a few girls in your year who were here and some who you assumed would be future third years. The ceremony lasted for half an hour longer. One last speech was given before the newly graduated students could run up to their parents, friends, or whoever. Seokjin and Yoongi had the gang to run to. Hoseok told you not to talk about parents which you figured would be for the best. Namjoon ushered everyone outside so you guys wouldn't be standing in a cramped room. Eventually you guys found a shady spot under a tree while the summer heat was coming in hard. Hoseok was sitting on a bench with the three youngers boys while you stood up with Namjoon. Seokjin and Yoongi should be able to find you soon. Looking around, you tried to find your handsome boy and gummy smile boy.

"KWON (F/N), YOU'RE DEAD." A loud voice made you jump. It didn't take for you long to find who it belonged to. His eyes were burning into you as he stormed over. Behind him was his older friend, chasing him and telling him not to hurt you. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU IN FRONT OF EVERYONE."

"He doesn't mean that!" Seokjin chuckled nervously.

"I MEAN IT." Yoongi's fists were tight. He stood a few feet away from you and you took that chance to ambush him with a hug. You threw your arms over the boy, squeezing him tightly.

"You worked hard, Min Yoongi. Congratulations," You whispered. His fists slowly became loose as he sighed in unwanted defeat. He grumbled 'thanks' and hugged you back. "I want to take pictures with you too."

"Only one." Yoongi growled.

"Three?" You suggested.

"Fine..." He sighed.

"Aw, Yoongi hyung has become soft!" Taehyung clapped his hands to earn a death glare. Immediately, Taehyung shut his mouth but that didn't stop Yoongi from trying to grab his throat. You giggled as Namjoon shook his head. He turned to the male standing in front of the two of you with a diploma in his hands. Seokjin grinned and held the paper high up. He was already posing with his diploma, but no one was taking pictures of him yet.

"Twerk it, hyung!" Hoseok shouted as Seokjin went down low.

"Get up." Namjoon covered his eyes.

"Why?" Seokjin stopped his squat position.

"You'll break your back!" Jungkook answered.

"Aish!" Seokjin quickly glared at him. "You! Give me a hug! Show me how proud you are of your hyung!"

"Mm...I'd rather not." Jungkook instantly shrunk in his seat.

"C'mon." Seokjin held out his hands towards the maknae.

He eventually came over to the boy who repeatedly shook his head. Taehyung and Jimin forced Jungkook off the bench. He was quickly hugged by his eldest hyung. Taking out your phone, you took pictures of the cute interaction. Jungkook gave Seokjin a light pat and congratulated him. Cooing at the sight, Jungkook only blushed in embarrassment while all his hyungs joined in. They commented how cute it was and applauded. Jungkook was finally released and he sat down with no temptations to get up again. This will certainly be Jungkook's favorite memory of Seokjin. As all of you stopped goofing around as much, Taehyung jumped onto his feet and pointed someone out in the crowd in excitement.

"MR. PYO!!" Taehyung shouted. The male teacher froze in his tracks to hear that voice. He didn't even turn to look and kept walking. "NO!!" Taehyung ran after the teacher who was starting to quicken his pace. It didn't take long for Taehyung to catch him and drag the poor man over to your group of friends. "Introduce yourself, Appa."

"Taehyung..." Mr. Pyo sighed heavily.

"Go ahead." Taehyung continued to keep his arm locked with the teacher's. He stared up at the male with his boxy grin and stars in his eyes. Mr. Pyo pursed his lips and adjusted his glasses.

"I'm Mr. Pyo, a first year math teacher," He stated.

"I remember!" Hoseok cheered. Mr. Pyo didn't smile to see his old student.

"Me too. I had fun in your class." Namjoon waved at his old teacher. When Mr. Pyo noticed the tall male, his eyes widened slightly and he smiled.

"Oh Namjoon. I hope you're doing well." Mr. Pyo was actually smiling. What is this? "You did so well in my class."

"Not really. I didn't even try." Namjoon shook his head modestly.

"Well, I'd like to see you try then. Take classes after school if you can and study. I can see you doing important things." Mr. Pyo glanced down to Taehyung who was still clinging to him. "You know him?"

"He's my other adoptive father." Taehyung nodded enthusiastically.

"Learn from him. Well, I should get going Taehyung." Mr. Pyo tried his hardest to get his arm back without hurting the boy. "Enjoy your break."

"Can we get a photo together! You're my favorite teacher!!" Taehyung asked as you held up your phone.

"Please Mr. Pyo?" You grinned.

"Photo!!" Jungkook yelled in support.

And that's how you guys forced poor Mr. Pyo into taking a photo with you guys. Even the third years revealed to have had him in the past. Mr. Pyo was surprised, but also saw the types of influences Taehyung had. Many photos were taken and then he was set free. Taehyung kept calling him Appa as he waved goodbye until Namjoon told him to stop. It was time for more photos! Yoongi acted like he didn't want to take photos with anyone, but each photo appeared genuine. His gummy smile was strong and it felt real. He wanted to remember this day. Especially with all his friends so proud of him for accomplishing this. Seokjin began taking photos with the other members in front of the tree. You already took a photo with Yoongi so all you had left was Seokjin. You opened your mouth to ask him, but other girls seemed to have beat you to it.

Screams of 'Seokjin oppa' were enough to make you not hear for a minute or two. A flash of girls pulled the male away from all his friends. They took him away to talk to him. Yoongi rolled his eyes but appeared used to it. Jimin and Jungkook didn't really seem to care, but the others were really annoyed. Namjoon didn't like them taking Seokjin out of the blue by force and Hoseok commented on how rude it was. Taehyung pouted at the sight, complaining how he thought the title 'Prince of SuChin' had died. Wait, what? Seokjin has been called the Prince of SuChin? Well, you can see why. The girls crowded him but he handled them like a professional. He was like an idol as he spoke to them. He knew exactly what they wanted to hear, flashed a charming smile, and accepted their gifts.

"Can you take a picture with me?" A girl held up her phone.

"No, with me!" Another girl shouted.

"ME!!"

"I deserve a photo with Seokjin oppa!" They began grabbing at him. Seokjin smiled nervously before his eyes landed on you. The moment his eyes connected with yours, a mischievous smile appeared on his lips. Oh lord, what was he planning? Sometimes being the only girl in the group was a pain.

"Sorry, I already promised someone else!" Seokjin bowed apologetically to them. He soon smiled at you. "(F/n)!"

"Uh, hi." You waved awkwardly.

"Sorry once again!" Seokjin ran away from the girls to come over to you.

They all pouted, stomping their feet, and gave you harsh glares. Most of the girls were terrifying at SuChin. You came from a relatively nice town while they grew up rough and knowing how to take care of themselves. They also knew what they wanted and would fight to get it. A perfect example was that girl who started a fight with you in the cafeteria over Jungkook when they barely knew each other. Seokjin handed all the letters over to Yoongi who was disgusted at the sight of them. A box of chocolates was handed over to Hoseok who curiously opened it. Raising a brow at Seokjin, you wondered why he was giving away the gifts he received from the girls. Wasn't that a bit rude? Though they were a bit rude themselves, so you didn't know what to think when he handed you a full-on bouquet.

"For me?" You furrowed your brows.

"Yeah, Baby. Just for you." Seokjin winked as you crossed your arms.

"I literally watched a girl give you these a second ago," You stated.

"Trust me, I've been dealing with this for some years now. They know how I am with gifts." Seokjin sighed as you slowly took the flowers. "I stopped getting as much gifts when I joined the gang though. Some of them got scared because I was possibly in a gang."

"Chickens." You scoffed before smelling the flowers. They were really beautiful. You stared at them with a small smile on your face as the boys came around you. Lifting your head in confusion, you watched Namjoon gather everybody.

"Come on, let's all take a group photo," Namjoon said.

"We have to go to a barbeque after this!" Seokjin shouted.

"I like the sound of that!" Jungkook purposely stood next to you.

"Short people in front!" Taehyung shoved Jimin.

"I'm going to break your legs!" Jimin threatened.

"Stop fighting." Yoongi glared at them. Both boys immediately stopped but were obviously going to continue the fight after the picture. Hoseok walked up to a girl and asked her to take a photo using his phone. She accepted and told everybody to squeeze in. She counted down from three.

"Smile!" Hoseok grinned. Two.

One.

*~*

School's officially over. It'll start back up for you and the five other boys who haven't graduated. Yesterday was the last day the boys were in a gang. A lot of you cried after you guys finished eating. The emotions were real. Yoongi was tempted to steal alcohol from a convenience store and you told him not to do it or else. He was already drunk on his emotions. The boys hugged each other for the longest time. It was heart wrenching. Today felt almost unreal. A world where the gang didn't exist. How could that even be possible? Namjoon told everybody that some minor construction for the warehouse is going to start tomorrow. Everything was happening so soon that it was hard to believe. You cried a lot too and it was an absolute mess. You almost wanted them to be a gang again, but they had their own dreams that they needed to fulfill now.

You're still going to miss it though. That's why you found yourself walking over to the warehouse so early in the morning. Taehyung brought you to the warehouse one day from your home. A part of you was shocked that you still remembered the right direction. For a moment, you thought you were lost until you saw the rail road tracks. That let you know you were on the right path. As long as you had the rail road, you couldn't be lost. You balanced yourself on one rail as you walked over there. More memories kept flooding into your head as you did these old habits. Gosh, you felt like crying again. Your chest felt heavy, but you told yourself to suck it up. Then as you predicted, the rail road led you to the warehouse. Pushing through the wheat field, you walked over there expecting to see no one. Yoongi had his medical check up today at and the others were probably doing something else or still sleeping.

Taking in a deep breath, you walked into the warehouse and prepared yourself to take in more memories. Going over to the backroom first, you took a look around and smiled. Serious sh*t went down in the backroom a lot of the time. Lots of drama. Like the time Jungkook first showed interest in steroids, Yoongi confessing to you that he was stealing power from under Namjoon, and oh! That one time when Myon's gang entered the warehouse to steal you the first time. Running over to the closet, you opened it up and looked at the attic door. That's where you hid for your own safety and you were so close to getting caught. Inside that attic though, Jimin confided in you a ton. You told him about Jam Entertainment in there. Wow.

Exiting the backroom, you walked up the small set of stairs to get onto the stage. On the stage was the table and typical kitchen stuff. A frigde and sink that were installed by the members themselves. They really did their best to change this place up into a home. Gliding your hand on the plastic table, you smiled at the memories that came from it. Here's where the boys would have some of their important conversations or stuff their cheeks with food. Namjoon sat you down here with the rest of the boys minus Yoongi when he wanted to talk about the flower incident that occurred at school. Gosh, that felt like so long ago, but it really wasn't. How could so much drama follow a group of eight people?

You jumped off the stage and twirled over to the green old couch. No members were inside the warehouse. You had this giant place all to yourself which really wasn't anything new. After all, you constantly slept on this couch whenever they left you alone. Here's where you had your best naps. This dusty, old, nasty couch. But you still loved it from the bottom of your heart like Taehyung did as well as Yoongi. There was even a coffee table and a few fold up chairs. Namjoon broke the old rusty chair when he was angry. Boy, this area had a lot of drama going on. Too many to count. All the times Yoongi yelled at you here, the boys yelling at each other or even physically fighting. But then there were also times when you guys would play games here. Not everything was negative.

Your heart was becoming soft at all this. Fights would start here, but they would always end here too. Everyone would forgive each other and end it in a group hug. That one time when Jungkook got mad at you for learning that Yoongi wanted you to know less about the gang for your own safety. He was pretty pissed, but everything was quickly fixed. Oh! How could you forget those two times Yoongi held you down on the couch? He's seriously lucky that you haven't kicked him in between his legs. Especially for that one time where he took it a little too far. You still remember his mouth against your neck. Shaking your head, you shook off those thoughts as you walked over to Taehyung's precious mural. All the members were done in the creepiest way possible. Taehyung offered to paint you, but you said that you didn't want him wasting his energy on painting someone like you. He said it was no problem, but you insisted that he shouldn't. You wanted to sleep peacefully at night. Dragging your finger done the mural, you heard footsteps at the entrance and jumped.

"Who's there!?" Your heart raced before calming down to see Namjoon coming in. "Oh thank God..."

"(F/n). I didn't think I would see you in here." Namjoon smirked as he came over to you. "What are you doing?"

"Reminiscing." You sighed, putting your hands on your hips. You looked back up to the mural. Namjoon turned to face it too and grimaced at the sight of himself in the mural. The tallest figure who was towering over everyone. Not to mention, his smile was dripping and that didn't make him look too innocent.

"Can we look at something else?" Namjoon asked. He really didn't like looking at the mural. Poor Taehyung, but everyone knew how he truly felt about it. He acted like he was proud of it, but then there would be moments where he would slip and reveal how disturbed he was at his own creation.

"Sure." You giggled.

Somehow the mural didn't bother you as much. It was creepy for sure, but you felt like it got to Namjoon more because he was in it. Maybe Namjoon thought it was how Taehyung saw him, but there's no way that was possible. You had a strong feeling that the mural was going to be the first thing to go once Namjoon starts turning the warehouse into the center. The two of you walked over to the green couch and stared up to the ceiling. One thing that you always liked about the warehouse was how the ceiling wasn't finished. Some of it was covered, but then there were empty spots that would show the sky. You'd be able to see clouds passing by to say hi or stars twinkling like little night lights for the warehouse. The feelings you had attached to this place felt the same as if this was your childhood home. Like you grew up here with the rest of the members.

Namjoon sighed as he glanced over to you. "Bitter sweet just doesn't cut it anymore, huh?"

"I'm still in the bitter phase, I guess." You shrugged before connecting your eyes with his.

"Yeah." Namjoon looked down to his lap. "It's heartbreaking that the gang is ending, but also the fact that I'm going to be changing the warehouse. It's like we'll have nothing left of our past. I don't want to stay stuck in the past but..."

"I understand completely. Moving on to better things is important but remembering what you came from is important too." You nodded. "I don't think looking back at memories means you're stuck. It's just one of the many steps of moving on. Even when we're thousands of steps ahead and say we're over it, we're still going to look back on this and think, 'Wow. Did I actually do that sh*t back then'?" You snickered as Namjoon smacked your shoulder lightly.

"Thanks. Good to know all the stupid sh*t I did in here is going to be haunting me even when I'm fifty." Namjoon smiled at you, his dimples appearing.

"Then don't so stupid sh*t!" You teased, poking his dimple but he instantly smoked your hand away.

"Like I can help it!" Namjoon scoffed. The two of you continued to chuckle in the warehouse as a cold breeze came in. The sun was rising higher in the sky, but it wasn't even close to noon yet. Being with Namjoon this early on made you want to go to the porridge restaurant. Well, you haven't eaten anything so maybe he'll be up for it. Turning over to the male, he was already looking at you with that grin of his.

"What?" You raised a brow.

"Get ready to be a second year. It's not fun." Namjoon chuckled. "But hey, you'll have a bunch of boys constantly flirting with you so..."

"Five boys are going to flirt with me nonstop? Lovely." You stretched your body.

"Seven actually. Seokjin and Yoongi are just starting two years late, but I doubt they'll win." Namjoon smirked.

"Don't underestimate them," You replied to see him raise his own brow.

"Oh is that so?" Namjoon leaned in close.

"You've gotten very confident," You stated. He used to shrug off and deny any comments his mom made about the two of you. He shut down Hoseok's assumptions without hesitation, but now he's been getting flirtier than ever. It's an interesting side of Namjoon that you've never seen. Namjoon smiled at you without saying a word. Your cheeks were slowly heating up from how close he was. He was about to lean in closer until someone spoke.

"Back off." They growled. "You don't stand a chance." Namjoon lifted his head to look at the entrance of the warehouse. You turned around in curiosity to see Yoongi standing in his military uniform. It was starting to feel more real. It felt like your heart was getting pinched.

"You're going to be gone for two years and I'm the one who doesn't stand a chance?" Namjoon questioned.

"Yes." Yoongi rolled his eyes. Soon he noticed you staring so much at him. "I got my uniform. It fits so...yeah."

"You'll do good." You stood up and ran over to him. Namjoon was going to stay on the couch until he heard the rumble of an engine. The three of you looked out to see Seokjin arriving. He parked his truck and came out, a bit surprised to see you guys here.

"Having a party without me?" Seokjin put his hands on his hips.

"The kids aren't even here yet," Namjoon commented.

"Ugh, they're growing up. I don't like it," Yoongi grumbled. You guys laughed at that, but you felt your heart grow warm too. He had a soft spot for Jimin, Taehyung, and Jungkook.

Seokjin noticed Yoongi's military uniform right away. He was astonished and couldn't believe that this was actually happening. The eldest revealed that he was already packing to go to Australia and it still didn't feel real to him until now. Namjoon sighed heavily to earn a pat of comfort from you. Seokjin smiled at Namjoon as he told him to take care of everyone and everything here. It was a lot of responiblity, but Namjoon was planning on doing that anyway. Yoongi then made it extra clear to Namjoon that if anyone breaks your heart then he's going to escape the military just to beat 'one of you f*ckers up'. His words. You giggled to hear him being protective over you. Lots of surprises were happening today. But you thanked the male anyway since he cheered you up when that whole Seokjin ordeal happened.

"You won't have a single tooth left, you got that?" Yoongi threatened.

"Okay, chill." Namjoon nodded.

"Jesus, when did you start caring about (F/n) so much?" Seokjin laughed.

"She's family now, isn't she?" Yoongi glared. Before Seokjin could reply, another voice came in shouting at the top of their lungs.

"EEEYYYYY!" All of you turned to see Hoseok running over. "I didn't know I'd see you guys here!"

"We're still lusting over the warehouse." Yoongi crossed his arms.

"We're not over the break up." Seokjin ran a hand through his hair.

"She is though. She's going to get a makeover starting tomorrow." Namjoon chuckled.

"That's because you're her sugar daddy," You stated to get laughter from the other boys.

"She's not wrong!" Hoseok clapped his hands together. "So is this everybody? The kids aren't here?"

"It means I can sleep on the couch." Yoongi was ready to walk inside the warehouse until screams could be heard. Specifically coming from multiple boys.

The five of you walked over in front of the warehouse to see those three idiots running on the rail road track. Taehyung was in the lead with his hands in the air. Jungkook wasn't running to his full potential but was laughing and having a good time. Jimin was chasing after Taehyung and telling him to slow down. They all jumped off the rails to push themselves through the wheat field. The moment Taehyung's eyes landed on you guys instead of the warehouse, he ran even faster with the biggest grin on his face. He shouted in excitement and soon his two friends were copying him. They came over right away to pull everyone into a tight group hug. Even the less affectionate members didn't try to sneak out or stay stiff. They let themselves squeeze the others and smile at this.

"You guys are here! All of you!" Taehyung said as the group hug ended.

"We didn't expect to see you guys here." Jungkook shoved his hands into his pockets.

"We thought the warehouse would be empty." Jimin's eyes had turned to lines from how happy he was.

"Were you planning to do a prank?" Namjoon crossed his arms to see Taehyung bite his lip nervously.

"Little sh*ts, this place is still my house until I go." Yoongi sighed.

"Good thing we caught them in time!" Hoseok smiled.

"So what do we do now?" Seokjin asked, looking between all the boys and you.

"We already partied in the warehouse." You shrugged. "And you guys aren't in a gang anymore." All of them were silent as they thought on what to do. Might as well do one more thing together here before you guys all go your separate ways.

"This sucks." Seokjin pouted, crossing his arms.

Everyone could agree with him on that. No one wanted to be feeling down this early in the morning. There just didn't seem like anything was left to do. The boys already had their last deal and the warehouse was emptied out for the most part for once construction starts. All of you continued wondering what was next. If you guys can't find anything to do at the warehouse, then you were going to suggest eating at that porridge restaurant. That restaurant's food was still on your mind. You were about to shamefully bring it up but stopped once you heard the sudden loud whistles of a train. The tracks were rumbling and you guys could see smoke swirling up into the sky.

"What the?" Yoongi faced his body towards it.

"I thought trains didn't use that track anymore." You furrowed your brows.

"They don't!...I thought so at least." Namjoon shrugged.

"I've never seen a train use the tracks before!" Hoseok was in awe to see the train coming from a slight distance.

"That's cool. Maybe they started using it again?" Seokjin chimed in.

"I never thought I'd see a train actually use this track." Jimin slowly started to smile.

"I want to ride it." Taehyung stared at the train with curiosity. Soon the long train came passing by.

"So why don't we?" Jungkook smirked as he began running towards it. "Come on!"

"Whoa wait. Seriously?" Taehyung grinned, running after the train as hard as he could.

"Let's go!" Hoseok began running too.

"Don't hurt yourselves!" Namjoon chased after it with them.

"Why I am I doing this so early in the morning?" Yoongi groaned as he ran as fast he could.

"Get used to it! You're going into the military!" Seokjin remarked, joining the group as they ran after the train.

"Isn't this kind of dangerous?" Jimin turned to you. The two of you were the last left near the warehouse and you didn't want to be left out. This was exciting to witness and you wanted to be a part of it.

"Maybe!" You grabbed his hand to take him towards the train.

The both of you laughed as you pushed through the wheat field. All of you were no where near the speed of the train. Though since all of you were going fast, it felt like the train was slowly moving forward faster. If you stopped then it would just zoom by. Jungkook was the first one to jump into the train. He came inside an open boxcar and held out his hands for the other members to grab onto. Soon the boys began piling in. Taehyung second, Hoseok third, Namjoon fourth, Seokjin fifth, Yoongi sixth, and then Jimin had gone in front of you as seventh. He was always faster than you in physical education. Luckily, you had gotten faster during the school year but clearly not enough. You were panting heavily and your legs were getting tired, but the boys kept cheering you on. They reached their hands out for you. Jungkook clung onto the boxcar door as he reached far out for you. Stretching your hand out, you locked fingers with the maknae as he pulled you in.

"YAY!!" They all cheered. You were extremely tired from that. It's an experience you'll probably never do again. All the boys began sitting with their legs dangling out the boxcar. Namjoon sat next to the boxcar door and told you to take the seat next to him. Grabbing onto his shoulder for safety, you sat down with him and relaxed. Next to you was Jungkook, Jimin, Taehyung, Yoongi, Seokjin, and then Hoseok. The whole gang was here. Technically, just a family now. You all smiled as the warehouse was slowly growing smaller in the distance.

"I can't believe we actually got on the train," Yoongi admitted.

"Me neither." Seokjin chuckled.

"I can't believe it's over." Taehyung frowned.

"Aw, don't say that." Jimin rubbed his back.

"Yeah. Think of it as a new chapter of our lives," Hoseok replied.

"Things can't be over just because one says it is. We'll still be effected by our old connections with gangs and our memories," Jungkook said. The older members were impressed and agreed with he maknae.

"Jungkook's right. We're still a family and we're not letting each other go." Namjoon grinned as he looked at the warehouse. "Hell, even the warehouse is staying with us. And it's been through a lot with us. Right, (F/n)?" Namjoon turned to you as you watched the warehouse become even smaller. For once, you didn't feel like crying. Instead you felt a little sad but still glad that everything happened. You would do it again, over and over. Smiling softly at the warehouse as Taehyung corrected Namjoon with 'she's been...' and so on, you sighed peacefully.

"She has been through a lot with us," You said to earn a grin from Taehyung. "A Warehouse Full of Memories."

Chapter Text

A/n:

This author's note will be different from the one on wattpad and quotev. I wrote this story back in 2018 so it's old and my friends and followers have told me that I have improved since. I have written two other stories after A Warehouse Full of Memories and I will post those on here too. Soon I'll have another story on here when I finish it.

Anyway, thank you for reading! Something I always do is write seven bonus endings for each of the boys. It will be in age order and you basically choose who you want to end up with. If you don't want to choose, then the last chapter can be the official and neutral end. Or you can read all seven endings. Whatever floats your boat. Either way, thank you for getting this far!

Chapter Text

Seokjin Bonus Ending

Second year was an experience you'll never forget. Through out the whole year, most of the boys were trying to catch your attention. Jungkook was doing his best since he felt like he had no other competitors. Jimin was trying but doing it subtly. Eventually, being a trainee became a huge responsibility so you told him to focus on that. The same thing happened with Namjoon. He needed to study and work hard in his last year of high school. He took that advice and went beyond. Hoseok wasn't surprised by his friend suddenly becoming the one of the top in the nation. Everyone cheered him on. Not only did Namjoon have amazing grades, but he helped change SuChin a bit with how things are ran. You didn't tell him to do that part, but he was certainly becoming more hands on with things.

Hoseok and you have gotten closer. He teases you a lot but knows when to stop. He makes you laugh a lot just like Taehyung. Unfortunately, there was something you realized as the school year went on. You were happy with your platonic relationships with all of them. None of them really made you feel anything unless they tried to get touchy. You didn't feel yourself falling for any of them. You only felt grateful for having them as friends. One by one, you told them all that. Some members took it easier than others. Jungkook didn't want to give up, but he wanted to respect you as well. Namjoon understood and told you that you didn't owe anyone anything. He gave you comforting words. Whoever you fall for, Namjoon said that he wants to meet them.

Maybe he already has though. While the rest of the boys did their own things for their futures, you texted Seokjin all the time. You sent letters to Yoongi once every two weeks. The reason you take that long is because you wait until you have enough content before sending it out. Telling him what happened in one day isn't much and you figured he would get annoyed. Yoongi never replies though which is sad. Luckily, Seokjin always gave you a text to make you feel better. He told you that Yoongi just doesn't know what to say back. That sounded true. Those two were interesting best friends. They were like polar opposites. Seokjin always texted you no matter what and it always put a smile on your face.

The boys talked to Seokjin too. Probably not as much as you did though. They did enough to catch up with him and not lose touch. One thing you never told the boys was how flirtatious Seokjin was in his texts. His flirts were a lot bolder than in person. You knew it would make a certain bunny very jealous. He already didn't like how much the two of you texted. Jimin told you to not fall for other guys easily. That was a lesson you already learnt from Yoongi and yet here you were. Getting texts from Seokjin and swooning. You couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. Well you knew he wasn't, but you still felt your heart flutter at his words. That one day crush seemed easy to get back into. Especially now that you were feeling lonlier.

Third year went by in a flash. Namjoon was starting the center for at risk youth all by himself. It was already taking off and doing well for being new. He was getting a lot of coverage from news outlets. He's going to college at the same time he's running a business and employing people. That man is seriously impressive. Hoseok was styling hair and earning a name for himself in that business. Soon you graduated with the three younger boys. It was hard to believe you guys wouldn't be running around in school uniforms anymore. Jimin never ended up debuting as an idol. Instead, he became a choreographer for Jam Entertainment. The thought of being in the spotlight was too much for him and the company didn't want to let him go. He's living life well and you wish him the best. Then Jungkook was going to college and working towards becoming a game developer. You're proud of him too.

For a while, you had Taehyung to mess around with since everyone was so busy. You felt like you could connect with him on not knowing what to do. Except he actually knew what he wanted to do in life. Taehyung was set in helping Namjoon's dreams and becoming an admirable man like him. Taehyung took online college classes and handled the last bit of construction when Namjoon couldn't. Not to mention, Taehyung hung around the center nonstop. He kept his eyes on it no matter what. This led to you feeling lonely since you surprisingly didn't go to college. You didn't think that would happen, but that's the path you chose in life. Unnie was against it at first but has chosen to accept it and your parents are still a bit upset about it, but you feel lost. It's hard to explain. You thought that by third year you would have it figured out, but you were just as clueless.

You don't know what to do in life. What is your purpose?

And when you were tired of feeling this, you got a text from Seokjin. He was graduating from the modeling college in a few days. He had invited the other members, but they were too busy to attend or didn't have enough money to fly over. They congratulated him and were excited to see him come back. It was different with you. If there was anything you were going to do in your life, this was it. You're going to Australia for Seokjin's graduation! No, you didn't have the most money but you had enough for a ticket. The moment you got a ticket, you knew you would have to work when you came back. So far, you only had the money that you saved from working at the porridge restaurant Namjoon always took you to. You worked there for all of third year to save up for college, but funny to see what the money is being used for instead.

"I'm coming Seokjin!" You squealed as you came to the airport. Weird looks were inevitable, but who cares?

The flight from Korea to Australia was almost an eleven-hour flight. You didn't really think about that when you got the ticket. That was a b*tch to go through but hey, you arrived safe and sound. Tired but alive. Seokjin doesn't know that you're here exactly. The main reason for that is because you wanted to surprise him! Kind of an awful idea now that you consider it. Everything about this trip has been done without much thought to it. For one thing, you're in a foreign country that you've never been to before. All you knew was the address of Seokjin's college and the hotel you're staying at. Hopefully you make it out alive to see him graduate.

As soon as you got out of the airport, you managed to get a taxi and show them the address on your phone. They understood and brought you over there. Okay, doing good so far. Communicating was your main worry but you felt like you could finally breathe when he understood you. When you made it to the college, you paid the fare from what you could understand and then went off inside. Another smart idea of yours was to wander the halls of this college in hopes of bumping into Seokjin by chance. You're going to have to call him. Finding him in your contacts, you called him as you continued to take a look around. This place was rather huge and didn't look like you thought it would. Finally, the call was picked up.

"Hello?" Seokjin's voice was loud and clear. It made you smile without much thought.

"Hey Seokjin! It's (F/n)," You said with excitement.

"Oh hey. What are you so excited for?" Seokjin chuckled. "The call must be important then."

"Yeah, so I hope you're not busy." You bit your lip.

"No worries. I'm not busy at all." Seokjin chuckled. "The reception is really good by the way."

"What do you mean?" You furrowed your brows as he suddenly hung up. So much for the good reception he mentioned.

Huffing in frustration, you slowly heard a foot tapping in the background. Did someone want you to move? Looking to see who exactly the foot belonged to, you almost dropped your phone to see Seokjin standing there with a smirk. Is it even possible for a man to get more handsome in just two years? He is going to be a very famous model with those looks. Seokjin seemed to enjoy your reaction as he walked over to you. He was supposed to be the one left stunned and speechless. Not the other way around. Seokjin looked you over to see how you've changed as well.

"You're no longer a first year in high school." Seokjin smiled softly. "That's crazy."

"Seokjin..." You grinned.

"You've become quite the attractive woman, (F/n)," Seokjin said to earn a quick smack from you. "Ow! What was that for!? I was complimenting you!"

"Seokjin!!" You pulled him into a tight hug. This idiot can flirt with you all he wants, but you needed him to hug you already. And you're glad to see that he still gives the best outraged reactions. That should never change. Laughing, Seokjin rubbed your back as the two of you stood in the hallway.

"What are you doing here?" Seokjin asked.

"I'm here for your graduation!" You jumped to see the smile on his face grow wider.

"I can't believe you actually came." Seokjin was in disbelief. He held your hands and made sure it was actually you standing in front of him right now. "You actually came all this way? You didn't get lost!"

"I'm here and alive!" You cheered. "So what now?"

"Oh, I have to give you a tour!" Seokjin clapped his hands together. "And graduation isn't until a few more hours. Then tomorrow, my agency has me flying back to Korea."

"I'm going back tomorrow too. Eleven hours of pain." You groaned to see him chuckle.

"Yeah, I hate it but I can't wait to get back and see everyone." Seokjin smiled. "Yoongi is going to be out of the military by the time we get back to Korea. Isn't that exciting?"

"We'll all be together again!" You bounced.

"Can't this day go by any faster!?" Seokjin shouted as he started walking you around. "Let's take that tour now!"

And that's how the tour by Kim Seokjin started. He led you around the college, not really stating facts about the buildings or rooms. He only told you about all the memories that he had. Apparently, he accidentally interrupted improv club once but they roped him into it. That's how he became an improv member and had to hold in his urge to go to the bathroom. The stories were funny and you were happy to listen to them. Even the ones he's told you already. Seokjin said that most of his friends came from the improv club. They got him to be outgoing with strangers and Seokjin was really grateful for that since he struggled with the language for a bit. Now he could hold a conversation so you were very proud of him.

Seokjin didn't brag too much. He didn't say he was the most handsome model or anything like that. He told you about all the fun he had. The friends he's made and the people he's met. A lot of foreginers come to this college for modeling. They all came from different places so that was cool to think about. Seokjin walking around the halls was a lot to take in. He looked like he was glowing as he talked about his experiences here. The memories put a smile on his face so you were happy. He definitely had a better time over here. No family problems weighing him down and no deals to be bothered with.

"Oh, hey Jin!" A blonde woman came out of a room with a taller tanned man behind her. The woman was visually stunning. Well, she is a model after all. She was taller than you, but about Seokjin's height. Her blue eyes are what really stood out to you. Then the male she was with had green eyes that popped out too. He had tattoos on his skin and was breath taking to look at. This college is crawling with attractive students. That's insane to think about.

"Lina! Fernando!" Seokjin ran up to them. You stayed behind, playing with your hands as they had a conversation. There wasn't much that you could make out. Seokjin looked comfortable though. He was having such a fun time as he talked to his friends.

The conversation went on for a couple minutes. It didn't end until Seokjin pointed at you. What was he doing? You turned pink as they waved at you so you only returned a weak wave back. They said their goodbyes to Seokjin and then it was back to the tour. The only thing was that you couldn't really focus after that. It was strange to be walking next to him. Now that you've witnessed him interacting with other students here, you sort of realized how true his texts were. He's been having a blast over here. Is there a chance he might want to move back to Australia? You frowned at these unwelcoming thoughts. They're only appearing because he seems to be in his element at the moment.

Seokjin told you to follow him into a classroom. Inside of it was his graduation robe that he needed to switch out into at some point. When he entered the room with you, he was spotted by other classmates. They all shortened his name to Jin and were extremely friendly. It made you wonder if Seokjin was popular here. Everyone seemed to know him. They gave him warm smiles and he was so happy to see them too. You felt awkward just trailing behind him as he went around the college. Sadly, you let your feelings get to you. It wasn't bad that Seokjin has been having a good time here, but you were letting yourself worry if Australia was better for him then Korea.

The elder member soon noticied how you weren't as talkative. He tried to continue the tour, but you just wanted to check into your hotel. Rest and then get ready for the graduation later. Seokjin understood that so he didn't really question it. He was going to take you to the hotel himself though which was purposely nearby the college. On the way over to the hotel, Seokjin bumped into another person that he was friendly with. By this time, you were drained of energy. Eleven hours on a flight and then your insecurities and fears were beating you up too. Seokjin kept glancing at you during the talk and eventually cut the conversation short. He made sure to bring you to the hotel with no more distractions.

You were grateful for that. You checked in without a problem and made it to your room. It was small, but comfortable for one night. Seokjin closed the door behind you as you collapsed onto the bed. The plane ride back is going to be a major b*tch. Groaning, you closed your eyes tightly as you felt a dip in the bed. The older male sat down on the bed with his back facing yours. He already left his graduation robe hanging on the bathroom door. Kicking off your shoes, you curled up on bed and wondered if Seokjin was just going to sit there. Is he going to stay or what? He still has time to do whatever he wants. He can leave you here. It's okay.

"Why are you sad?" Seokjin suddenly asked.

"What?" You hummed.

"You seem so sad when I was talking to my classmates. What's wrong?" Seokjin turned to look at you over his shoulder. Automatically, you felt selfish. It's good that Seokjin is enjoying himself in Australia. Why is that a problem? There isn't one.

"Nothing—"

"Tell me your feelings. I don't care if you don't want to make me feel bad or whatever it is. Just let yourself feel emotions." Seokjin sighed. "Has that seriously not changed in the two years I've been gone, Kwon (F/n)?"

"Seokjin..." You frowned as you sat up on the bed.

"You can tell me anything." He insisted.

"But it's stupid." You sighed to get an intense stare from him. He wasn't going to drop it until you came out with it. Nervously gripping the sheets on the bed, you couldn't look him in the eyes as you spoke. "Are you happy here? Because I don't know...I feel like you really shine here in Australia. You smile like I've never seen you do before. It makes me wonder if you'll come back here. If Australia is your new home."

"Is that all?" Seokjin asked.

"Well...I want you to come back. I know the others want you to come back and stay in Korea too." You brought your knees up to your chest. "It just saddens me to think that we couldn't have made you this happy. Everyone has been doing their own thing and figuring out their lives back home. I don't really have anything, but your texts always cheered me up. Seeing you in person again...it's like a dream, but I don't know...you're happier here."

"That's not true, (F/n). None of that is." Seokjin ran a hand through his black hair. "It wasn't easy for me to adjust here. I could barely talk to anyone and I was so homesick."

"..." You lifted your head to see his gloomy expression.

"I felt like quitting a lot in the beginning. It was such a struggle, but you kept supporting me and I didn't want to let you down. So I tried my best to survive out here," Seokjin stated, "And the only reason you see me happy here right now is because I tried. Everyone I know is from the improv club and they're just really friendly, but even so, I missed you and the rest of the guys so much. You guys are my family and it still hurt. No matter how happy I ever got here, I was dead set on coming back to Korea. That's not going to change, (F/n)."

"...It was all in my head?" You chuckled softly.

"I could see why you got worried, but don't be. I'm going back and staying there." Seokjin took your hand. "And it's okay if you have no idea what you want to do in the future. I was in the same boat but look at me now. Something will call your name. You just have to wait. Okay?"

"You're right, Seokjin." You smiled in relief. He always knew how to make you feel better. He gave the best advice from his older experiences in life. Seokjin squeezed your hand tightly.

"Can't you call me Seokjin oppa?" He whined. "We're not in the gang anymore or that town. C'mon, start speaking to me normally."

"Seokjin-ssi." You grinned to get an annoyed look from him.

"Wrong!"

The two of you messed around for a while longer. Seokjin could be such a child despite his age. After you were officially tired out, he let you sleep. He did whatever he wanted at that point. When you woke up, he was already dressed for graduation and playing on his phone. He had to be at the campus in fifteen minutes while family and friends had to show up forty-five minutes later. Seokjin said he was planning to wake you up soon, but you weren't so sure of that. It's a good thing you woke up right now so you could kick him out of your hotel room. He needed to get back on campus! He kept complaining about doing 'one' more round of his game, but you weren't having it. The second he was out of your hotel room, you started getting ready for his graduation.

Forty-five minutes is something you can work with. Pulling out the dress you had in your small suitcase, you immediately got changed into it. Seokjin and you would be celebrating after his graduation. He's going to take you to a restaurant he likes, but you were going to pay your half. He may be older, but so were you now too. You'll pay if you want to! Putting on your make up, you had to make sure everything looked good. It was simple make up but it was noticeable. Your lips looked pinker, your eyes lashes were darker, and your brows were filled in. Time to go to his graduation!

The graduation went faster than you thought it would. You sat in a crowd, looking up on the stage were students were crossing. Of course, you had your phone out to take pictures of Seokjin once his name was called. Nibbling your bottom lip, you were trying your hardest not to lose focus. That's when his name was called and you lost it. Immediately, you stood up and cheered for Seokjin. It felt like high school all over again. The connection you had with Seokjin hasn't changed despite not seeing him for two years. He'll easily fit right back in with the rest of the boys. It put a warm feeling in your heart. Seokjin was so excited to see you cheering for him. A flying kiss came your way and you were hit with strong nostalgia. Everything is going to be fine.

After the graduation, Seokjin took a few pictures with others and with you. Following that, he got a taxi and told the cab driver where to go. First, the two of you stopped at the hotel. He took off his robe to leave at the hotel and went with the outfit he had underneath. A white dress shirt and black slacks. He looked ready for a formal event, but he was just celebrating with you. He wanted to take you out to dinner to feast before the long flight home has to happen. It sounded like a great plan to you. The taxi dropped you guys off and you could already smell the food. It was mouth watering! Seokjin chuckled at your reaction. He placed his hand on your lower back and brought you in the restaurant. The two of you were seated outside, but it luckily wasn't too cold. You kind of liked the view of the city at night anyway.

"I'm so ready to eat." Seokjin picked up the menu. "You?"

"Definitely!" You grinned to stare blankly at the menu. "Hey Seokjin?"

"Yes?" He chuckled, raising his eyes to meet your nervous ones.

"Can you order something for me?" You asked to see him smile.

The last time he took you out to eat, the same thing happened. You just happen to be clueless at his favorite restaurants. He nodded and made your order for you by the time a waitress came to your table. She wrote everything down and left with a smile. You're curious to see what Seokjin got you. It'll be interesting to eat the food from here. Later, she arrived to set down the plates in front of the two of you. Another waiter came by to refill your cups of water. Eventualy, they finished and left you guys to enjoy your meal alone. Seokjin picked up his fork, but you stared at your food curiously. He was smiling as you took your first bite.

"What do you think?" He asked as the flavor left you craving for more.

"It's really good!" You grinned. "Thanks for everything!"

"It's nothing, Baby." Seokjin began to eat his own food too.

The conversations the both of you had continuously switched. Some of it was about his time at college, the boys back in Korea, and whatever came up. One thing that you did question was why he was coming back to Korea so soon. Literally the day after his graduation. Seokjin stayed quiet when you asked him that. He clinked his fork against his plate as he thought about what he was going to say. His face made you wonder if you touched a soft spot. Sh*t, your curiosity ruined the mood. Seokjin lifted his head to look at you with a forced smile.

"You don't have to answer..." You frowned.

"No, it's not that." Seokjin sighed as he set down his utensil. "I want to tell you. I figured I would eventually."

"What do you mean?" You fidgeted with your fingers. Was he going to tell you a secret? The only thing he seemed to be secretive about was his family.

"I want to check up on my little sister as soon as I can." Seokjin looked out at the city view. "She should be in fifth grade now."

"Oh, you miss your sister?" You smiled softly at that.

To be honest, you knew a little bit about Seokjin's family. Not because he told you. Yoongi revealed it. It was the night you were trying to convince him to forgive Seokjin with the three other younger boys. He admitted that Seokjin's father was a drunk who was starting to become abusive. It still hurt you to think he had to live with that. Yoongi also said that Seokjin's mother didn't care for him. Only did his little sister receive affection. Then some of the stuff you heard about Yoongi's past was a lot to hear. All the boys seemed to have gone through something rough, but they're all doing better for themselves now. The moment Jungkook could live by himself, he moved into an apartment. They're all doing things to better their own lives.

"I need to make sure she's safe and that she's doing well." Seokjin didn't show any emotion as he spoke. "(F/n), I'm sure you could tell that I had something against parents..."

"Yes, I was aware." You nodded as your heart began to pound. He was going to tell you the truth. Seokjin took in a deep breath as he continued with heartbreaking facts about his life with his family.

"I don't like my own parents. I don't feel bad for saying that. I hate the drunk thing called my father and then my mother who frustrates me so badly." Seokjin gritted his teeth. "He's abusive and she doesn't do a d*mn thing to stop him. It's always my fault according to her. I want to care for her, but she hates me. So I was done."

"...I didn't know you had it that bad." You stared down at your lap.

"They don't care that I'm gone in a different country and that's okay." Seokjin smiled at you. "I don't care to get on good terms with them. That's never going to happen, but I will check on my little sister. That's why I need to get back as soon as I can."

"Do you need someone to go with you?" You tilted your head to see his smile twitch.

"Thank you for the offer, but I'd rather you not witness the ugliness in that household. It's a dark place and I know I'll be put in a bad mood once I go inside." Seokjin reached for your hand over the table, rubbing his thumb on the back. "I don't want you seeing me like that. It can get a bit scary."

"I understand." You squeezed his hand. "You're brave for telling me the truth. It's unfortunate what you went through though so I'm sorry about that."

"But I'm doing better now. That's what matters," Seokjin said. The past can't be changed, but Seokjin still had a shot with the future and so far, it's been looking bright. You're proud of him for everything he's over come. "I had the boys to help me through it and eventually...you."

"Oh?" You felt some heat rise up on the back of your neck. "I didn't think I would have any influence."

"You helped everyone." Seokjin grabbed his glass and held it in the air. You got the memo and lifted your glass to hit his. You weren't exactly sure what you guys were doing that for, but you smiled anyway.

This was your first and last night in Australia. The two of you ate everything on your plates. It was so delicious that it made you want another plate, but you were already stuffed. Seokjin looked the happiest while eating. When the bill arrived, you made sure to pay before he had the chance to tell you no. The waitress thanked the two of you for eating at the restaurant and walked off to the counter. Seokjin made sure to give you a soft glare as you exited the place. He trailed behind you while you waited at the side walk. No taxis were passing by at the moment. Frowning, you continued to look for anything that resembled a taxi. When you thought you saw one, you raised your hand to catch its attention only to get it pulled down.

"What are you doing?" Your brows knitted together as Seokjin held your wrist tightly.

"Not letting me pay?" Seokjin scoffed as you rolled your eyes. That's why he stopped you? "I'm trying to be a gentleman."

"It's fine. You don't have to worry about being a gentleman. I was going to pay no matter what," You said. Seokjin smiled at you for some time. A blush spread across your cheeks as he came closer to your body.

"(F/n), by any chance...do you remember our little promise?" Seokjin tilted his head. He was such a flirt. Your heart was pounding loudly against your chest. That little promise. It's weird how that d*mn little thing gave you hope. It was one of the main reasons you refused to date any of the others boys after you sorted out your feelings. You wanted the chance to date Seokjin after graduating from high school. It didn't feed the one day crush in the beginning, but after time you started to day dream again. What it would like to be date Seokjin. Swallowing hard, you nodded your head at his words. This was a lot to take in. You wanted him to be serious instead of messing around. He knows what happened last time. "I'm glad you remember it."

Connecting your eyes with his, you didn't know what was going to happen. All your emotions were running wild inside your body. This was your first time seeing Seokjin in two years. Your lips parted to speak, but you were cut off by Seokjin pressing his plump lips against yours. What's going on? At that moment, your heart skipped a beat. His soft lips moved gently while you stayed stiff. It came as a shock to you that your eyes widened, but you wanted to kiss back. Your eyes fluttered shut as you pulled him close. You kissed him back and could feel his lips smile. Seokjin let go of your wrist to wrap his arms around your waist. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss while your hands slowly ran through his hair. It was hard to believe this was occurring. Seokjin's soft lips moving rhythmically with yours. It tasted so sweet and you didn't want to part, but it couldn't be helped.

"I was afraid you wouldn't kiss back..." Seokjin chuckled, resting his forehead against yours.

"I didn't want you to stop." You smiled up at him.

"Am I just that good?" Seokjin smirked. You chuckled at that. So bold. "Let me take you back to the hotel now. We have to wake up early to go back to Korea."

"Are you going back to your dorm after?" You questioned.

"No. Do you want me to?" Seokjin's eyes traveled back down to your lips.

The answer didn't have to be spoken. Seokjin could have gone back to his dorm for the last time, but he already had everything he owned back in Korea. His agency helped him get his stuff back there and find proper housing. Seokjin complained earlier that moving from to a different country was expensive and a hassle. He was glad to just come back home where all his friends were. Eventually, a taxi arrived to take the two of you back to your hotel room. Seokjin brought you up to your room like a gentleman. Except he didn't leave. He didn't want to be alone for the night and you felt the same. The door was locked and the two of you proceeded to make up for two years of not seeing each other.

The next day wasn't too eventful. An alarm woke the two of you up. It was embarrassing at first, but you got over it. Messy hair and a little drool shouldn't scare him away. All you had to do was run to the bathroom to brush your teeth right away and then you were set. Seokjin and you arrived at the airport early, preparing yourselves to deal with a long flight back home. It sucked. Watching movies could only keep you entertained for so long. Seokjin was in the same boat. Luckily, the pain came to an end when the plain landed at the airport. The person picking you guys up was none other than Hyosung unnie. She didn't expect Seokjin to have come back so soon and with you. The moment she saw Seokjin, she was shocked but also impressed. She congratulated him and whispered to you about how handsome he's gotten since she last saw him. You couldn't help but grin at that. He's going to be a great model.

"Any plans?" Unnie turned on the car.

"Settle in at the place I got, sleep, and then catch up with other friends." Seokjin smiled at the thought of meeting the rest of the boys. You couldn't wait for that either. "What have you been up to, Noona? Married yet?"

"Married? No, still single and sad but that's okay." Unnie laughed. "And it's sunbaenim."

"But I like noona much more." Seokjin teased as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever." She sighed in defeat.

"Actually, Hyosung unnie has been seeing someone!" You revealed which got Seokjin's interests. He looked over to your sister with a raised eyebrow. Why wasn't she spilling the news on that? Unnie made a face when you said that.

"Ew, barely." Hyosung cringed. "I went on a blind date TWO YEARS AGO with some guy named Hyungseong, but he came off as such a snob. Definitely not my type."

"That long?" Seokjin scoffed. "You should've kept dating that guy then."

"I mean, he seemed cute at first. Lavendar hair and really handsome, but he kept getting messages on his phone." Hyosung began to pout. "He's probably some player. He told me it was work and how he's busy and—no. Just no."

"Unnie...you're going to be forever alone at this rate." You sighed to receive a glare from her. Eventually, Hyosung's shoulders sank and she hit the wheel.

"Don't tell me what I know!"

The ride back home was a sad one. Seokjin ended up taking the wheel since Hyosung started crying. It wasn't anything too bad, but she was just angry. She's an angry crier and complained to Seokjin about how her job prevents her from meeting available men. Hyosung ran a clothing store that only sold women's clothing. If a guy entered the store, he was usually looking for something for his girlfriend or he played for the other team. Seokjin was like her therapist which was interesting to watch. At the end of the ride, Hyosung was going to give this lavender haired guy from two years ago a call. Maybe a coffee first and then she'll see what happens after that. You just want your sister to be happy, so you were glad that Seokjin could help her get it together.

When the two of you dropped Seokjin off at the address his agency sent him, Seokjin kissed your hand before leaving. Of course, you were burning and excited. The only thing you didn't like was that he did it in front of unnie. She didn't say anything since you guys didn't live together anymore, and you had the right to date anyone you wanted, but. BUT. The way her eyes stared at the road and the way she puckered her lips. You almost wanted to scream as her brows rose up. She can think all she wants, you don't care! You just wanted to crash at home and that's what you did. You rested and got comfortable really quick. Seokjin settled in after some days. He later texted you saying he was free to meet up with everybody.

That's what today was for. Seokjin picked you up in his classic black truck. He kept going on about he missed this baby. During the whole ride to the center, you tried not to giggle. Seokjin also kept calling the center the 'warehouse' by accident. It was something you had to get used to too. The center was in the same direction and in the same plot of land. Since Seokjin has last seen it, the 'warehouse' has certainly changed a lot. For one thing, it actually has doors now. Not to mention, the roof no longer shows the sky anymore. Well, except for one area in the middle of the center. Namjoon thought it was important for the kids to still see the sky and outside world by looking up. It was supposed to be a metaphor for hope, but in reality, you knew Taehyung convinced Namjoon on how cool it would be to have see-through ceiling.

Seokjin's mouth opened wide as he rolled up to the center. He couldn't park wherever he wanted like he used to. Now there were actual parking spots and you could see the sour face on Seokjin already forming. You've never seen someone hesitate to park their car so much before. The amount of digust was almost hilarious. He came out of the truck and saw how there was less trash scattered around. It was a lot for him to take in. Especially since the warehouse had a complete makeover. It didn't look terrifying to enter for once. Seokjin was at a loss for words and he was only viewing the outside. The elder male let out a huff of annoyance. Then he saw someone leaving the center and he had to say something.

"Hey kid, do you know the owner of this thing?" Seokjin questioned. You immediately felt embarrassed. "Who's responsible for this nonsense!?"

"Nonsense!? Listen old ma—Seokjin??" You bit your lip to see Taehyung turn around angrily. He was ready to knock out Seokjin's teeth until he recognized who it was.

"Taehyung?" Seokjin gasped. The boys hugged each other right away, screaming in absolute joy. They jumped around in circles and held each other tightly. Just seeing this go down put a giant smile on your face. They're reuniting! The door of the center opened to reveal another past member that you've been wishing to see for a long time.

"I've been working here for a less than two days and I'm already hearing screams!" Yoongi shouted. He wore formal clothes and his hair was extremely short.

"Your hair!" You rushed over to him. Yoongi laughed and pulled you into a tight hug.

"It's growing back fast and healthy, so don't worry," Yoongi said as Namjoon came out.

"Seokjin?" Namjoon couldn't stop smiling.

"He's here!" Yoongi was getting excited.

Another giant hug and screams came from the boys. Your heart was melting while your ears were begging for mercy. Either way, you couldn't wait for the other boys to arrive. They said they would be here soon. Jimin and Jungkook were getting a ride from Hoseok who just got off work. And just like that, you saw a yellow car coming down the road with two idiots almost falling out of the windows. Jimin and Jungkook couldn't wait to get out of the car. Seokjin turned around to face them, jumping at the sight. Hoseok poked his head out to say hi and almost crashed the car. It's a good thing Namjoon yelled at him to focus on actually parking the car first. Hoseok listened to his friend and parked the car with no one else inside. Jungkook and Jimin bolted out to hug their eldest friend the moment the car slowed down.

"My little Kookie! Don't get old!" Seokjin squeezed Jungkook.

"You're the one getting old." Jungkook grinned, the sides of his eyes crinkling cutely.

"Aish, don't start with that now." Seokjin held the maknae tightly.

"What about me, hyung?" Jimin whined.

"I can't forget about you, Jiminie!" Seokjin went to hug the boy who was itching for attention. He was so happy to get that hug. "You're so cute!"

"Hyung!!" Hoseok ran over to Seokjin, jumping onto his back.

There was a lot of chaos going on. It didn't help that Jungkook tried to jump onto Seokjin as well. They kept dragging him down as he told them to get off. Taehyung was ready to jump on the male too if it weren't for Yoongi stopping him. All of them came together and held each other tight. You felt like crying seeing them together like this. How it should be. They should never be separated for too long. The boys genuinely loved each other as the family they were. Seokjin poked his head up to see you hanging around in the background.

"Hey! Get into the hug! We're all reuniting right now!" Seokjin shouted. You looked down in embarrassment.

"(F/n)!!" Jimin called out for you.

"Get in here before I make you!" Jungkook yelled.

"What he said!" Hoseok laughed.

"Listen to Jungkook!" Yoongi grinned.

"Tell her to come in, Namjoon!" Taehyung looked at his boss.

"Come into the hug. Leader's orders," Namjoon said as you finally came over. You opened your arms wide and got pulled into the hug. It's been a long time since you've been this happy. Having everyone together again just did something to you. You could already feel tears ready to escape at this moment. And they did leave when you heard some of the boys crying themselves. They hugged each other tightly, not ever wanting to let go of each other ever again. All of you were emotional messes as you held one another. Soon the hug ended and everyone was cleaning themselves up.

"I didn't think I would get this emotional." Seokjin sniffled with a smile.

"I knew I would!" Hoseok wiped his cheeks, laughing at the situation.

"Me too!" Taehyung clapped his hands.

"I told myself not to." Jimin pouted heavily.

"Well, I'm glad we're all here now." Namjoon sighed after clearing his throat.

"Yeah..." Yoongi looked down at his feet, trying not to look his friends in the eyes.

"I love this family." You put your hands on your hips to see them all smile at each other.

"I know we all saw each other often except for Seokjin and Yoongi," Jungkook started, "But let's see each other more now. We have to catch up."

"Jungkookie gets it." Seokjin agreed with the idea right away. Yoongi nodded silently.

Everyone wasn't crying anymore. Tears were wiped and were replaced with beaming smiles instead. The boys caught up as much as they could with the time they had. The connection they had with the two eldest members hadn't disappeared. It was like Seokjin and Yoongi had never left for two years. A strong family like this can't be broken that easily. Most of the boys had questions for them since they were gone, but soon it was the eldests turn. Seokjin wanted to know what the heck happened to everything while he was gone. Yoongi turned over to you, shoving his hands into his pockets nervously.

"(F/n)..." Yoongi pursed his lips.

"Yeah?" You smiled up at him.

"Do...you have a boyfriend?" Yoongi went out with his question and you were taken back by it. The rest of the boys stopped talking to face the two of you. Well, you knew the answer was no but at the same time...Seokjin and you seem to have a thing. What should you say!?

"Uhh..." You went blank until Seokjin raised his hand.

"I'm her boyfriend!" Seokjin's grin was wide. All of the boys were surprised and eventually disappointed. Some of them figured they still had a chance up until a few seconds ago. A blush spread across your cheeks to hear that. Seokjin walked over to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. "We haven't been official for that long, but we really like each other."

"You gotta be kidding me," Yoongi grumbled.

"I'm sorry!" You screamed internally.

"I'm with Yoongi hyung on this!" Jungkook threw his fist in the air.

"I hope you guys are truly happy." Jimin gave the two of you a weak smile.

"Aw, I love how mature you've gotten." Seokjin gave the boy a thumbs up.

"You better treat her right." Namjoon crossed his arms.

"Are we sure they're actually dating though?" Hoseok narrowed his eyes.

"(F/n)?" Taehyung gave you big puppy eyes to tell the truth. You glanced up at Seokjin, a flutter going through your stomach the moment you did.

"W-We are." You heard yourself say. So it's official? You couldn't believe it. You haven't been smiling for that long but you could already feel you cheeks getting cramps. The boys originally threw fits in the beginning, but it didn't take long for them to accept it. They congratulated the both of you. Some of them couldn't believe Seokjin 'won the competition', but they were going to move on with time. You still sigh at these boys with the things they say. They're all ridiculous as when you first got to know them.

*~*

Somehow after having one day of being a thing with Seokjin, the two of you became official. Not only that, but it's gone really well. It still surprises you at times with how you guys are as a couple. There have been a few bumps in the road as expected, but you're going strong. You wouldn't have this ring on your left hand if it wasn't. A year has passed since the day Seokjin arrived back in Korea. He began starting small modeling projects to get his name out there. He already came from a good agency, but now many brands wanted his face with their products. It's fair to say the Seokjin's modeling career has sky rocketed. He wasn't a supermodel, but he was doing super well and you couldn't be more proud.

He had a photo shoot today, so you were waiting for him to get home. A lot of people thought the two of you got married very quick. It was a fair statement that you agreed with yourself. To be honest, you wished you could have enjoyed dating him a little longer than you got to. Things in life don't always work out the way you plan them to though. Turning off the sink, you glance at the clock and smile to know he should be getting home any minute now. Since Seokjin worked and earned enough money to support the both of you, he told you not to get a job. You didn't know what you wanted to do in life anyway until things with Seokjin started working themselves out. Just by being with him, the pieces to the puzzle were added and you felt complete.

The front door then flung open with Seokjin smiling wide. "I'm back!!"

"Sshh." You crossed your arms. He was going to wake up a lot of people doing that. The neighbors in this apartment complex have already complained about his loudness.

"Right!" Seokjin lowered his voice as he closed the door. He came over to you in his suit, wrapping his arms around your waist. The way he stared at you was always so lovingly. You always felt yourself melt. "So how is my baby?"

"Tired," You stated. "We're both tired actually."

You were a stay at home mom. Yes, Mom. A few months after Seokjin arrived back in Korea, you discovered the result of your 'catching up with each other' in the Australian hotel. You didn't mean to get physical so quickly with him. It just sort of happened. Then Seokjin didn't really put on protection. The two of you were too caught up in the moment to catch that. First, you started out feeling sick. Morning sickness was a major b*tch and you thought you were going to die. When you found out you were pregnant, it was one of the best and scariest days of your life. Would Seokjin stay with you? His career was only just starting at the time. There was a lot of drama back in your lives, but it was sorted out. Seokjin and you got married and then the baby was born a few months later.

At first, your parents were upset you got pregnant before marriage. Hyosung unnie was in shock, but she had your back. Your parents calmed down eventually. Especially after meeting Seokjin and seeing what a kind guy he is. He works hard, loves you, and is everything you've ever dreamed of in a husband and more. He's the absolute best to you. When the rest of the boys heard the news of your pregnancy, they were in such shock. It was mainly Taehyung who was the happiest out of all of them. Jungkook and Jimin were cheering you on loudly. Hoseok and Namjoon were in awe, but of course they gave you the lecture to plan the baby next time. Then Yoongi told you that he'd hurt Seokjin if he didn't stay with you. It's a good thing that never came true. Seokjin and you were happy as can be.

"Can I see her?" Seokjin tilted his head.

"I'm not hiding her from you." You giggled at his cute behavior. "We just have to be quiet. It took me a long time to get her to sleep."

"Got it." Seokjin tip toed for dramatic effect. You simply walked over the baby's room, opening the door to her sleeping in her crib.

Emotions still hit you hard when you see your baby girl, Minseo. Sometimes you would just watch her sleep, her little chest rising up and down. It wasn't supposed to be creepy or possessive. You only wanted her safe and sound. Happy too. You would always wonder what she was going to do in the future. She would be a strong woman. Successful at whatever she put her mind to. Seokjin and you wanted the best for her. No matter how tired you were, you still smiled happily to see Minseo sleeping quietly. You remember panicking a lot in the beginning, but you were slowing getting the hang of this. So was Seokjin. Feeling his arms wrap around your waist again, Seokjin rested his head on your shoulder to stare at his little baby girl.

"I still can't believe it..." Seokjin mumbled.

"That we're parents?" You asked, rubbing your thumb on his hand.

"Yeah...and that I got to marry you." Seokjin kissed your cheek as you hummed.

"Don't make me cry." You smiled.

"I'm not trying to, Baby. I just love you so much." Seokjin held you tighter as Minseo made a sound in her sleep.

"I love you too," You said. You were so happy that this was your life now. You never thought meeting the gang would ever lead to this. It made you want to cry tears of joy. You weren't joking about that.

"I hope we do a good job raising Minseo." Seokjin sighed.

"We will." You nodded. "And we're going to love her with everything we've got."

"I want to be a good father," Seokjin whispered.

"You are." You squeezed his hand. It was Seokjin's biggest worry. He would never turn into his own father though. He had too many good people in his life that would keep him standing tall. Seokjin kissed your head this time. "Jiwoo is proof to me that you have what it takes."

"Thank you." Seokjin nuzzled into your neck. "I'm glad Jiwoo doesn't have to live with the thing anymore."

"She'll be coming back from school soon," You stated. Once Seokjin visited Jiwoo, he got the courage to report the poor conditions Jiwoo was living in. He didn't care what his mother had to say or anything like that. He wasn't ruining the family at all. He was doing what was best for it. Mainly in Jiwoo's favor. Now Jiwoo was under your guy's custody and she was truly a delight to have around. Currently, she is now in sixth grade. "She'll need help with math homework, but I'm tired so can you?"

"But I suck at...fine." Seokjin gave in. He turned you around and kissed your lips. "Anything for you, Baby."

"I love you."

"I love you more."

Chapter Text

Yoongi Bonus Ending

It's been months since you've graduated. All the boys were getting their lives together and moving on nicely. Jungkook was in college and Jimin is working hard as a trainee for Jam Entertainment. Hoseok is working at Ms. Moon's salon at the edge of town. They've all been working hard including Namjoon who had the center running smoothly. Namjoon was teaching Taehyung everything he needed to know about working at the center and they were patiently waiting for Yoongi to come back from the military. Seokjin was going to graduate from college soon. Then he'll be coming back to Korea to start his modeling career.

The eldest was excited to come back, but it was unfortunate that no one could go to his graduation. You certainly didn't have the time or money for it. Currently, you were doing your best to run your own business as a florist. That's the path you've chosen in life. It's very hard to believe that the two years have already passed. It feels like just yesterday you were sitting next to Yoongi in the back of the truck watching the fireworks go off. That memory still put a smile on your face. Plus the one where Yoongi yelled that he was going to kill you for embarrassing him at his graduation ceremony. You couldn't help but laugh looking back on those memories.

Yoongi should be leaving the military soon, but you didn't know his discharge date. That's what saddened you. None of the members have heard from him since the day he left to enter the military. The truth is you've probably written over hundreds of letters to Yoongi, but you've never received a single one in return. Yoongi has never sent you anything back. It hurt a lot, but you still felt comfort in writing to him. You sent him letters talking about the things that you felt like you couldn't talk with anyone else about. He was like your escape because you were actually writing to someone, but he possibly didn't care. That's why it didn't matter if you spilled all your feelings onto paper. It was like the time you told him you had a fight with your sister. You get it off your chest, but you don't have to worry about the other person making a big fuss over it.

Wrapping a ribbon around the ten flower stems you held in your hand, you made sure to leave it in a nice bow to hold it still. Now where were the scissors? This wasn't what you thought you would be doing in the future if you were being honest. If you told first year you that she'd become a florist, you would get questioned heavily. Out of all jobs, why this? For one thing, it was relaxing. Sort of. Whenever you got large orders for a wedding for example, then it was nothing but pain. Brides can be such b*tches. Still, they were willing to spend a lot of money. But you became a florist because of your interest in flowers during third year. A small hobby of making beautiful flower arrangements turned into you opening up your own shop. The boys were proud of you though for creating a business. Namjoon was especially proud and gave you a lot of useful tips in the beginning.

Picking up the scissors at the edge of the counter, you came back to the ribbon and curled the edges. Now the little bow is starting to look pretty. This bouquet was a small one, but it was just going to be for display in the end. You grabbed a vase and started to prepare everything. The rest of the supplies you needed were already on the counter. The shape you were going for with this bouquet was a typical round one. Everyone love's a classic bouquet. Setting the flowers inside, you began adding the other various plants to make it look fuller and pleasant to the eye. The roses would catch people's eyes first for having the strongest color, but then the lilacs would be a subtle contrast. Then the fox gloves always made things livelier. A few guelder roses for the full effect and for the light color.

Done! The bouquet looked lovely and so romantic. Picking up the vase gently, you brought it over to the shop window. You've already watered most of the plants here but you had to get rid of your old lily bouquet. This fresher bouquet would look nicer up at the window. Sighing peacefully, you always enjoyed how nice your shop smelled like. There were so many types of bouquets that it made things so exciting. Some people found it weird how excited you got about flowers and arranging them in certain ways. Was it so wrong to have unique interests? This was just how you liked spending your days. Inside your little shop even though some days could be slow. Whenever they were slow, you went behind the counter like you were doing now. Pulling out a piece of paper and pencil to write a letter to Yoongi.

Nothing has really happened today so you didn't know exactly what to write to him. He basically knew everything going on in your life as it is. Writing his name on the letter, you tried to think of something to entertain him. You figured he already had fun reading your second-year experience in high school. None of the boys were lucky to say the least. They could've been, but you wanted the attention of another boy. The one who never wrote you a letter back. How crazy can you get? At the start of the gang, you never once tried to insult Yoongi despite him hating you. Then you were hiding him and defending him when he still had bitter feelings towards you. Now you were left with a large crush on him towards the end of first year. You sorted out your feelings by the time it was too late. Can you even call what you're feeling for him a crush?

It felt tiring to be into him. It was so one sided and you've cried a good number of times over this boy. You've worried for his safety, if he was eating well, and just taking care of himself in general. All these questions were asked in the letters but again. Yoongi never bothered to write you one back. That was the most heart-breaking part. He asked you to write them and he doesn't even respond? The other members said it was just Yoongi being himself. That sounded true, but it hurt you anyway. Tapping your pencil on the paper, you heard the soft bell ring inside your shop. A customer entered your shop, so it was time to focus on work again. Sliding the paper and pencil to the side, you looked up with your friendliest smile.

"Hello, welco—!" You stopped in the middle of your words. He was standing there. Was he actually here? What was he doing here? You brought your hands up to your mouth, struggling to wrap your mind around this. He gently closed the door behind him and stood awkwardly in your shop. Having him stand in your shop made everything appear smaller. What was going on?

"(F/n)..." Yoongi removed his cap as he stared at you. He was still wearing his uniform and you couldn't tell if he just left the military. He hadn't told anyone that he was getting discharged today. Yoongi nervously pulled out a box, holding it out towards you.

"Yoongi?" You stopped letting the counter be the thing blocking you from hugging him.

Immediately, you rushed over to the male. Tears were already rolling down your cheeks by the time you jumped onto Yoongi. He stood still before wrapping his arms around your body too. He's actually back. The two of you stayed hugging each other for the longest time. You didn't want to let go of him just yet and Yoongi kept a firm grip around you. Eventually, he pulled away to put his cap back on. His eyes were red making you realize that he was silently crying. Yoongi didn't let you mention it though and only shoved the box into your hands. Wiping your cheeks, you slowly opened the box to see what was inside. What was all of this? You raised your head to look at Yoongi, your lip quivering from all the emotions.

"I'm sorry, (F/n)." Yoongi bowed his head before taking in a deep breath. He blinked his eyes, coughing and making sure he didn't let anymore sad emotions get the best of him.

"Are these...letters?" You picked a paper up that had a date. It was Yoongi's hand writing. Reading the letter, you began to cry again to see him responding to your letters. He just never sent them.

"I'm a coward." Yoongi looked down to his feet. Turning around to set the box down on the counter, you knew that your entire day today has been thrown off balance. Yoongi eyed you curiously when you walked passed him to open the door. His eyes widened, thinking that you were going to leave him. That's something you would never do. Instead, you turned over the open sign to closed. The two of you had a lot to talk about. You wanted to spend the entire day with him now that he's back. "You're closing?"

"I want to talk and spend time with you." Pursing your lips, you went back to grab the box Yoongi had given you. "Have you seen the others yet?"

"I haven't...I was planning on seeing them all tomorrow." Yoongi couldn't make eye contact with you. Only you know he's back? A lot was happening inside your heart at the moment. It felt like at any point that your heart would just give out and other times, you felt light as air in a good way. This was a lot to take in.

"Do you want to eat?" You asked. Yoongi smiled softly at that, nodding his head to your question. He looked around your shop as you pulled out your car keys from your pocket.

"Flower shop?" Yoongi sighed. "I know this is our first time seeing each other in two years but..."

"Do you think it's stupid?" You tilted your head. If he did find it stupid, you were only going to laugh it off. Yoongi gave you a serious expression that was puzzling to see.

"No, I don't think it's stupid." Yoongi frowned. "Flowers have a special importance to me...I don't know. I just really like them."

"Oh, I see. I really like flowers too." You smiled as he kept looking around.

"They're beautiful no matter what." Yoongi sighed. "For happy events or for sad ones. I like that about them. They're not just f*cking plants to me."

"That's true." You went behind his shoulder as he walked up to a certain bouquet. "Do you like that one?"

"...remind me to get these later." Yoongi turned his head to you.

When he asked you that favor, you didn't really think much of it. He said he liked flowers and you weren't going to question that. The two of you exited the shop, excited to eat food. Emotions were running wild inside of you. He's back. It wasn't settling in, but you were so happy. This was better than the letters. It also left you touched that you're the first person he goes to. Yoongi got in your car and you drove him to get kimbap. He didn't want to eat at a restaurant or anywhere inside with other people. Yoongi felt more comfortable going back to your place to eat the food. He was surprised to see you still living in the cramped apartment. It's not too cramped anymore ever since unnie moved out to get a bigger apartment.

The male had fun looking around to see if anything had changed. Of course, the first thing he goes to check is if the mold above the sink is gone. Which it is! You made sure to take care of that. Unnie said she felt like crying everytime she saw it. The mold reminded her of your innocence being taken away which wasn't true at all. She just had a wild imagination and Yoongi wanted to be a punk. It made you wonder if Yoongi would return to his sarcastic self soon. The current mood was emotional, so you had a feeling he wouldn't start joking around just yet. Hopefully soon though. You wanted him to tease you and give you a gummy smile based on your reaction. Stuff like that. You missed it and remembered it as one of your fondest memories. At the time, they annoyed you, but it was funny to see how you craved it now.

After he finished looking around, Yoongi sat down on the couch. He sighed peacefully the moment he let his body sink into the cushions. Bringing over the kimbap, you handed him one while you got the other one. He thanked you quietly as you sat next to him. The apartment hasn't really changed since he's last been here. Maybe you got new furniture, but other than that everything was the same. Unnie's old room was just a guest room now. That made you realize something. Does Yoongi even have a place to stay at? He can't sleep at the warehouse anymore. It's officially a center for at risk youth. Then he really doesn't have any family to lean on. He only has the boys and you.

"Do you know where you're staying tonight?" You brought it up. Yoongi swallowed the food in his mouth, thinking on how to answer.

"Not really..." Yoongi stared at his the kimbap in his hands.

"Do you want to stay here?" You smiled gently at him. "You won't have to sleep on the floor anymore. Unnie's old room is now a guest room."

"You're going to let me stay here again?" Yoongi chuckled.

"Without question. You can stay here for as long as you like." You took a bite of your food. "I'm sure Namjoon will help you look for a cheap place."

"My old place is now a center." Yoongi sighed. "But I told Namjoon to keep my blankets safe...Holly is hidden in them."

"You're excited to see Holly?" You felt yourself melt. Yoongi didn't look you in the eyes when you said that. That's when a question popped inside your head. One of the many you probably asked in a letter multiple times. The box of letters sat on your kitchen table, but you would read those laters. You have the real thing in front of you. "Hey Yoongi, how did you sleep over there?"

"Sleep? Uh, not the greatest." Yoongi sighed, seeing your worried expression. "Not because of the nightmares though. They barely happened. It's getting better, but I need Holly back."

"We can get Holly back today if you want." You suggested, but he only shook his head.

"No, that's fine. I want to see the guys tomorrow." Yoongi finished his food. He ate that surprisingly quick. "Seokjin is coming tomorrow. That's why."

"You know?"

"I got my phone back and saw the messages." Yoongi shrugged. He didn't see it as a big deal. You thought it was really sweet though. He was willing to wait for Holly so he could see the whole group together. It's going to be so much fun when everyone reunites again. It's been far too long, so you can't wait for that moment.

You grabbed the trash for him and threw it all away. He stayed on your couch, looking up at the ceiling and put a hand on his head. He closed his eyes and let himself relax. The cap that used to sit on his head was on the sofa. Leaning against the counter, you stared at him quietly. It was interesting how you didn't feel embarrassed to see him in person after the letters. You revealed some very embarrassing stuff to him. He wasn't judging you though. That comforted you from feeling self conscious around him. The relationship you have with him has been through a lot. There's even a two-year gap, but you're talking to him like a long-time friend. Yoongi seemed tired already. You weren't going to bother him anymore.

Walking over to the box he had given you, it had its lid off with all the cramped letters inside. He organized them by date the best he could. Seeing all the letters made you realize just how much you wrote to him for him to have these many responses. The large smile on your face couldn't be wiped off. Reaching in for the oldest letter, you began reading them. One thing you noticed were that his letters weren't as long as yours. He was trying his best to reply, but you could see why he felt hesitant to send them. Still, you would have treasured these letters in the moment. Even now you love them so much. Just seeing what he had to say made you smile and sometimes yell at yourself for telling him such things. At the moment, you were reading a letter where Yoongi was trying to comfort you about your painful period cramps.

"What are you reading?" Yoongi's voice was close. Hearing it automatically made a shiver run down your spine. You looked over your shoulder to see him standing right behind you. His hot breath was tickling your ear, your skin now feeling like it was on fire. What's wrong with you?

"Just the letters you sent me." You held one up. He stared at it, reading what exactly he wrote to you. Yoongi nodded as his eyes went down to the floor.

"Sorry for not sending them..." Yoongi muttered.

"Yoongi, it's okay. You clearly read my letters and did your best to respond," You said, facing your whole body towards him. "Even if you didn't send them. So don't worry about it."

"I just want to make sure you don't hate me for it." He frowned and you couldn't take seeing him like that. Has he been beating himself up for two years thinking you hate him for not responding?

"I'll never hate you, Min Yoongi," You said with complete sincerity. He sighed as you made eye contact with him. He still seemed unsatisfied with himself. It wasn't the letters that were on his mind. Yoongi's eyes followed you as you walked back over to the couch. You weren't going to force it out of him. If Yoongi wanted to tell you then he would. For now, you guys are catching up on the two years lost. Yoongi went back over to the couch to sit down next to you.

"You're not going to read any more letters?" He raised a brow.

"I will, but I'm going to spend my time with you right now." You grinned. "Are you tired at all? Need something?"

"I'm fine." Yoongi didn't say much.

"Okay, if there's anything you want then I can go get it for you. I'm going to close my shop tomorrow if we're going to visit the rest of the boys," You said. After some time, it felt like you were talking to yourself. Yoongi wasn't saying a thing and he didn't seem too focused on the conversation. Would he notice if you stopped? Everything coming out of your mouth was boring anyway. "I don't know if you'll get your license yet, but I have mine. I can drive you anywhere you need to go so you can depend on me for that."

"..." He stared silently at your face. You almost felt your throat get dry as you thought of what to say next. All you were doing was rambling on nonsense.

"Namjoon will have the job ready for you when you're ready. I think it'll be fun working with your friends, especially if you have Taehyung around too." You wanted to stop talking. "I'm sure you'll get the kids respect fast—"

"I should have kissed you," Yoongi blurted out. Time froze as you stared at him. You weren't sure if you heard him say that right. It came out so randomly. Blinking at him, your lips parted to speak but you didn't know what to say.

"W-What do you mean?" You stuttered. You didn't want Yoongi to be playing a joke on you, but how could he be though? His tone of voice was so serious. Not to mention the look in his eyes that he was giving you. He was letting himself be vulnerable with you. He let himself be bare with you and it was by his own choice.

"I mean the day before graduation." Yoongi tightened up his fist, sighing in frustration. "Before the fireworks. When we were sitting in the back of the truck all alone...I wanted to kiss you, but I...didn't."

"You wanted to kiss me?" Repeating his words in confusion, you didn't know how to take this.

This was him telling you that he liked you back. Technically he doesn't know you like him in the first place, but you wanted him to know. You didn't feel crazy for loving the guy who made your life initially harder. The guy who insulted you and did everything in his power to get you to leave his friend group alone. But you didn't fall in love with Yoongi when he behaved like that. It was when he changed his character and slowly realized that you weren't someone to be afraid of. That's the Yoongi you fell for because he changed. He allowed himself to lower down his walls and grow as a person for the better. And he actually reciprocates your feelings. It was almost unbelievable.

"I was...too scared to," Yoongi admitted. He hit his fist on his thigh. "And it still pisses me off so f*cking much today."

"Yoongi." You caught his attention. His eyes connected with yours to see what you had to say. His fist loosened and you could tell that he was worried. He had no reason to be.

You leaned forward to press your lips against his. Yoongi didn't react the way you expected. The moment your lips came in contact with his, Yoongi started kissing back. He showed you through his actions that he wanted this. The two of you have been waiting to finally see each other. He placed his hand on your thigh, squeezing it gently as the kiss became more heated. His tongue moved with yours, the atmosphere growing warmer as this continued. You began wrapping your arms around Yoongi's neck as he pulled your body closer to his. Before you knew it, you were straddling him in an intense make out session. The two of you kept moving your lips, perfectly molding together. Yoongi's hands slid down your waist to rest lower down meanwhile you felt your hands trying to undress him. Yoongi pulled away from the kiss to catch his breath. You rested your forehead against his and stared needily into his eyes.

"Hold onto me," Yoongi whispered huskily as you wrapped your legs around his waist. He stood up, holding onto you tightly as he walked you over to your bedroom.

Things proceeded from there. You didn't think that would happen with Yoongi so soon. There was no regrets after it happened. The two of you were tired, falling asleep in each other's arms. He didn't have a nightmare throughout the whole night. It made you happy that he could sleep peacefully. In the morning when you woke up, you stared at Yoongi breathing lightly. He was still sleeping and didn't move when you dragged your fingers along his short hair. Everything at this moment couldn't be more perfect. Yoongi woke up minutes later. He didn't mind you playing with his hair but smirked to see you next to him. That's when you decided it was time to get dressed.

But the both of you were happy. The air had no more tension in it. You made breakfast and he mentioned how much he missed you cooking for him. That put a smile on your face. He really liked it that much? He was excited to see the rest of the guys today. Yoongi was acting almost like a child when he started telling you to eat faster. The complaints kept going until you basically shoved everything on your plate inside your mouth. Yoongi grabbed your car keys and was ready to drive your car himself. Last you checked, he never got his liscense. You were going to steal them back, but Yoongi insisted on driving to the new center himself.

During the ride, you feared for your life. Things might not end too well. While Yoongi was driving, he noticied how less people were crossing the street randomly. People weren't running red lights or doing anything rude. The streets seemed cleaner which made him groan. Yoongi muttered how he didn't like the change in the town. Things haven't changed that much. Of course, the crime rate has gone down slightly and things are a little better, but this place is still considered dangerous. You feel safer now then you did when you were a first year. A large portion of your thanks went towards Namjoon. Thanks to his center, less of the younger population are entering a criminal lifestyle.

Yoongi continued to be disturbed as he drove over to the center. That's when he saw it. He turned onto the narrow street where the warehouse used to be at. A haunting abandoned building no longer sat there. It has been completely transformed into a neat looking facility. Yoongi was weeping at this point. He hated the sight in front of him. The complaints came spilling out again. What is this crap? Why did this happen? How could Namjoon do this? I'm going to kill Namjoon. Those were all his words as he barely even tried to park. Yoongi was so frustrated that he got out of the car with the keys still in the ignition. Chuckling lightly, you took out the keys and brought them with you.

The male was still judging the center from the outside. He read the sign and grumbled more things under his breath. He might not like it now, but he'll get used to it. Especially if he's going to start working here. You couldn't wait to see what he does here. What will Namjoon make him do? Opening the door, you told Yoongi to come follow you inside. The two of you stepped in to take a look at the center. Currently, there were a couple of kids eating where you assumed the cafeteria area was. They looked up from their bowls to stare at the both of you. The place looked professional, but also a bit comfortable for the teens and kids.

"Mr. Kim! There's strangers..." A young boy called out, frowning.

"Which Mr. Kim? I told you to just call me Tae—" Taehyung stepped out from the kitchen, cleaning his hands with a towel. He came to look at the strangers. He didn't think much when he saw you until his eyes landed on the male next to you. Yoongi chuckled at the younger boy's shock.

"Getting called Mr. Kim now? Jesus, I remember when you were just a kid yourself." Yoongi stepped closer.

"H-Hyung!!!" Taehyung dropped the towel to run towards the soldier. Taehyung jumped, wrapping his arms tightly around his hyung. "I missed you so much! You're actually here! I'm gonna cry!"

"Nevermind. I should have known better...you'll always be a kid to me." Yoongi smiled softly, rubbing the boy's back. Taehyung gripped him tightly and was overjoyed. "So what's going on?"

"We're currently feeding the kids that don't go to school. Some are too young, but others are the right age for it. Namjoon hyung is working on signing them up for the next school year!" Taehyung grinned. "Some are excited and some are putting up a fight. We're working on it though."

"A fight?" Yoongi crossed his arms.

"Are you still having trouble with the teens?" You questioned to get a large sigh from Tae.

"The kids like me and I can work with them better. They've been through a lot, but I've gotten their trust." Taehyung smiled before sucking in his breath. "But the older ones. Specifically, the teens are harder to get their trust. They come here because we feed them, but there are still a bunch of teens who refuse to come in here."

"If this place was around when I was younger, I'd avoid it too." Yoongi scoffed at this place. Taehyung pouted at that as you shook your head.

Yoongi took a look around before his eyes landed back on the table filled with kids. There were mainly elementary students or younger. There was only one teen sitting alone at another table. Namjoon and Taehyung have told you about the kids here before. Most of the younger children were neglected at home. As they got older, the problems increased. The teens were homeless, abused, involved in criminal activity, into drugs or alcohol. They had tougher issues and were struggling. Namjoon wanted to help make it easier for them to transition into adulthood. Still, some of the teens didn't want help or it was just really hard to give it to them.

Taehyung raised his hand up hesitantly to hold Yoongi back, but he didn't do anything. Yoongi was already walking over to the teen sitting alone at a table. It was currently summer break. It hasn't been that long since Taehyung and you have graduated. You would have expected more kids here, but apparently not. Taehyung told you that children were more likely to come here and stay compared to the teens. Namjoon was in his office making calls so he had no idea Yoongi was in here attempting to talk to a kid. The children eyed Yoongi curiously as he sat down at the teen's table. Taehyung and you walked closer, but not enough to interrupt anything. The teen raised his eye's at Yoongi's presence.

"Loner?" Yoongi asked. The boy didn't say a thing. He decided to just ignore the guy in front of him altogether. "Got a name, kid? Something? I'll just call you mouse then."

"Can you get f*cking lost? I'm just trying to eat." The teen easily blew up. Taehyung nervously fidgeted next to you. He whispered that he never really spoke to the teen named Wonjae. The kids in the room tensed up to hear the swearing. Yoongi noticed the kids becoming nervous at the teen's anger.

"Name?" Yoongi looked over to Taehyung. He didn't want to be pulled into this but respected his hyung enough to give him an answer.

"Wonjae." Taehyung got a glare from the teen. You had no idea why Yoongi was doing this. It didn't seem like him, but you knew that he would have to start working with the kids once he works here. Maybe Yoongi was checking if he was really cut out for it. Taehyung pulled out his phone, texting the rest of the boys that Yoongi had come back. He was in the center right now.

"You should really watch your language and tone around the kids." Yoongi sighed. Wonjae didn't care to listen. He simply stood up, but Yoongi wasn't giving up that easily. Wonjae ended up just ramming his shoulder harshly against Yoongi to walk past him. The expression Yoongi had wasn't annoyed. Instead, he was amused as Wonjae walked towards the exit with his hands in his pockets.

"Remember to come back for dinner!" Taehyung worriedly yelled.

"Whatever." Wonjae rolled his eyes.

"Mind giving me my phone back?" Yoongi requested, turning around to face the teen. Your eyes widened to hear that. When was his phone stolen!? You glanced over at Taehyung who only sighed. Wonjae froze in his spot before trying to act natural.

"I don't have your d*mn phone." Wonjae growled as Yoongi came closer.

"Swear all you want and hide behind that, but I'd like my phone back." Yoongi pulled two expensive watches out from his pocket. What the hell was going on? Yoongi was smirking at this point to see Wonjae's face becoming pale. "Were you going to sell it? Like these two I found in your pocket?

"How—?" Wonjae looked like he was caught by the police.

"If you thought you were so cool for getting my phone out, you thought wrong. You made it so obvious." Yoongi laughed as he tossed the two watches over in Taehyung's direction. You jumped as Taehyung managed to catch them. "Give those to the police so they can be returned."

"Okay...you trust the police now?" Taehyung tilted his head.

"No way, but I'm going to set a good example or whatever." Yoongi scoffed, returning his attention back to Wonjae. The teen had no idea who he was messing with. "It's been a while since I've pitpocketed someone. I mainly did that when I was just a preteen. Glad to know I haven't gotten rusty."

"So, who are you? Some old guy who has nothing better to do?" Wonjae took out Yoongi's phone from his pocket.

"I just came back from the military and I've come to work here." Yoongi smiled. "Just wondering. Does the name Gloss or Suga sound familiar? Simple curiosity."

"Yoongi!" Taehyung chuckled nervously. The kids weren't listening in to the conversation. They were busy playing at the front of the center now. You couldn't believe Yoongi had asked that question. It's been two years since the gang was active. Life in this town has changed so you doubted anyone would still remember his little codename. Wonjae raised a brow. He looked more willing to listen to Yoongi now.

"I'm not a drug dealer like Gloss, but yeah I've heard the name..." Wonjae was suspicious.

"I wasn't a drug dealer. I just passed the stuff along, get it right." Yoongi frowned. "Drug dealers are shady f*ckers."

"What?" Wonjae was shocked. He turned to look at Taehyung who was tapping his foot. You stood awkwardly there to hear this.

"V, tell him who I am. Maybe then this little sh*t will start to respect me since he clearly doesn't care about age." Yoongi huffed. Taehyung began to laugh to have Yoongi call him that.

"Suga! Everyone feared you before you went into the military." Taehyung clapped his hands together. Wonjae was confused, but slowly putting the puzzle pieces together. Soon you saw Namjoon coming out of his office in a suit in a rush. He had a worried expression.

"Why am I hearing those codenames!?" Namjoon panicked.

"RM! Suga came back." Taehyung cheered. Namjoon was about to scold Taehyung for calling him that until he heard that last part. Yoongi turned around to face the male with his arms opened.

"Yoongi?" Namjoon started to grin.

"I'm back, Joonie." Yoongi stumbled back to get a giant embrace.

At this point, Wonjae was more confused than ever. He was making sense of the codenames he's heard. Taehyung was so happy to see Yoongi slowly reuniting with the others again. The rest of the boys were on their way. Namjoon's dimples showed as he squeezed his hyung tightly. They had a cute friendship. You looked over at Wonjae who was no longer leaving the center. He was waiting to get Yoongi's attention again. Since Yoongi's had a rough past and has been like Wonjae before, you knew he would become a good worker here. The teens would come to respect him easily once they find out what he's capable of. He's surprisingly still a legend in this town.

"You're Gloss? Er, Suga? And both Mr. Kim's..." Wonjae spoke out loud. Namjoon and Yoongi released each other from the hug to look at the younger boy. Taehyung came over with a large smile, bringing you with him. Namjoon sighed heavily, shaking his head at his hyung.

"Why'd you tell him?" Namjoon asked.

"Because I thought it would be funny. Look how scared he looks." Yoongi chuckled. "So what? It's not like we're in a gang anymore."

"He has a point there," Taehyung said. Namjoon still wasn't satisfied with this. That's when loud shouts came entering the center. The children were confused as Hoseok, Jungkook, and Jimin entered in a rush. The moment they spotted Yoongi, they came running. All three of them brought Yoongi into a lung crushing hug. Wonjae looked towards Taehyung for more answers. You smiled to see how happy Taehyung got. The teen wasn't being rude anymore and accepting conversations with them. "That happy one is J-Hope, that muscular one is JK, and then the short one is JM."

"Short!?" Jimin huffed.

"Wait, why are you calling us by that?" Jungkook furrowed his brows as he stopped crushing Yoongi.

"What are you doing!?" Hoseok smacked Taehyung's arm.

"Aah! Yoongi told Wonjae about us already though. It's not my fault." Taehyung pouted. Hoseok turned to Namjoon who was nodding his head. It was already too late to forget this ever happened. Wonjae began counting the boys and furrowed his brows.

"If you guys are the Bullet Boys then where's the seventh member?" Wonjae asked. Taehyung threw his fist in the air as the rest cringed.

"That was never our name." Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Why are we known as that?" Jimin frowned.

"It makes me want to become a gang again, so we can stop people from calling us that." Hoseok crossed his arms.

"Who told you that was our name?" Jungkook questioned, ready to beat someone up.

"So you guys are them?" Wonjae turned to Namjoon. "You're so uptight that I didn't think you would have ever been in a gang."

"Hold up, uptight?" Namjoon scoffed in disbelief.

"He may be mean and not let us have fun at times, but he was never uptight," Taehyung said to get a glare from his tallest hyung. The boy only muttered that he was trying to defend him.

Wonjae was still suspicious, but he definitely looked at Yoongi in a different light. Both Namjoon and Taehyung weren't getting ignored by him anymore. He was slowly letting himself trust the adults more after finding out they had a similar past. It was improvement and you could see the giant smirk on Yoongi's face. The door to the center opened once more to reveal Seokjin standing there. The model has come back looking more handsome than ever. You squealed in excitement and ran towards him, hugging him tightly. He laughed as the other members jumped to see him.

"You've gotten so handsome!" You cooed.

"Aw thanks, Baby." Seokjin chuckled before cocking up a brow. "What's with that look?"

"Don't call her baby." Yoongi's tone was dark.

"Hyung sounds like he's gonna kill you." Jimin pointed out.

"No, he's just like that. We're best friends!" Seokjin went to hug the stiff male. Yoongi rolled his eyes first. Then he hugged him back and commented some playful insults as a welcome present.

Taehyung told Wonjae that this handsome guy was Jin. Seokjin was perplexed to be called that again, but Yoongi told him not to worry about it. Everyone was back! They're all together again. You took a few steps back to take it in. The warehouse had been completely changed, but their bond was still the same. You wanted to see them all hugging each other tightly. Everybody held the two eldest boys tightly since they've been gone for two years. They were flooded with questions and they did their best to answer. You felt like crying seeing them so happy with each other. You'd be lying if you said you hadn't been waiting for this moment for a long time. Some of the members grew teary eyed but calmed themselves down before anything could slip.

"So you've been telling people about us?" Seokjin turned to his friend.

"Problem?" Yoongi didn't care if it was.

"Yes!" Seokjin shouted as he looked over to Wonjae. "Forget who we are!"

"At least don't tell the other teens who come here." Namjoon shrugged. He didn't see it as too much of a problem if Wonjae kept it to himself.

"It'll be like our little secret!" Taehyung gave an exaggerated wink.

"Okay..." Wonjae nervously started walking towards the exit.

"Wait, Wonaje. One more thing," Yoongi started, "If they continue hurting you then you don't have to go back."

"..." Wonjae didn't say another word. He self consciously lifted up his collar, making you catch something. How did Yoongi spot that?

Wonjae left the center, but Taehyung was certain that he would come back. He often did by the time food was being served at the center. The thing Yoongi spotted was a dark bruise at the back of Wonjae's neck. Goosebumps covered your skin to know he had caught that. It made you sad to see that but the rest of the boys took it differently. Even the ones who didn't work at the center. All of them were worried but determined. If they ever saw Wonjae in danger or in need of help, they would do so at the drop of a hat. They were just those types of guys. They've been through it themselves.

"So are we going to hang out?" Jungkook asked.

"I'm kind of watching the center." Namjoon sighed. "I seriously need to hire more staff. Especially people who will be willing to stay here overnight for emergency cases."

"We can tell the chefs to watch the place for us for an hour." Taehyung suggested.

"I hired them to cook for the kids. Not babysit them." Namjoon chuckled.

"Do you ever get a day off?" Jimin questioned.

"Don't over work yourself, Namjoon. You're still young," Seokjin stated.

"He's going to look fifty by the time we're both thirty." Hoseok laughed. He found his joke funny while Namjoon rolled his eyes.

"We can't hang out. (F/n) and I have somewhere to go right now." Yoongi took a hold of your hand. Knitting your brows together, you looked at him in confusion. You don't remember making those plans with him. The rest of the boys stared at the two of you curiously. They mainly focused on the fact that Yoongi was holding your hand. Jungkook clearly wanted answers. Jimin glanced at Taehyung, but he was just as clueless. None of them knew. You didn't expect Yoongi and you to actually ever become this close. Thinking of last night still turns your face red. That was so bold of you to just do that with him. Holy heck, you can't believe the two of you actually—

"What happened here?" Seokjin put his hands on his hips. He broke the ice for everyone wondering. "Last I checked, Yoongi and I were both gone for two years."

"How did he get ahead?" Hoseok looked at Namjoon.

"Like I would know!" Namjoon frowned.

"We want the truth." Jungkook demanded.

"I don't think they're dating..." Jimin mumbled.

"So what is it, Yoongi hyung?" Taehyung eyed him curiously before glancing at the hand holding. "Did something happen?"

"If I say we're together will you idiots back off?" Yoongi huffed to see them all tense up. "Yes, we're a thing. So I better not see any of you motherf*ckers flirting with her ever again. Got that?"

"So blunt." You stifled your laughter. Yoongi grinned as he looked down at you. His gummy smile soon went down as he became serious. All the boys nodded their heads in disappointment. The point was made though. They had to accept that you gave Yoongi your heart. Turning over to Yoongi, you wanted to know what these sudden plans were. "Where are we going?"

"I want you to meet someone. Also, can we get those flowers from the shop now?"

Yoongi's face when he told you this was somber. A change in plans were made. The two of you would be meeting someone instead of hanging out with the boys. It looked really important for Yoongi to give these flowers and introduce you to this unspoken person. The rest of the boys understood and left you guys to do this. Yoongi and you parted with the rest of the boys to get the flowers. He didn't speak a word when he drove you. A part of you was terrified since you saved a lot of money for this used car and Yoongi still didn't have his liscense. Now that you've lived in this town for about three years, you were more familiar with the area he was taking you to.

Yoongi parked the car at the location. He loosened his grip on the wheel, taking the bouquet on his lap and exiting the car. You stared out the window to feel your heart sink. He had brought you over to the cemetery. Slowly exiting the car, you figured it was best not to question why he brought you here. Yoongi wanted you to follow him inside. He clutched the bouquet tightly, looking for a specific grave. Nervously balling up your hands into fists, you watched Yoongi adjust his cap. He found the grave he wanted. The look in his eyes had changed as well as his posture. It was hard to believe he had come back from the military just yesterday, but here he was. Dressed in his uniform with slight pride in his expression. He bent down to set down the flowers quietly. You inched closer to the grave, reading the name of the person who it belonged to. Min Jaehyuk. Min?

Was this Yoongi's brother? If he was Yoongi's brother then he had to be younger. He was born after 1993 but the thing that stung you was the year he died. He must have been extremely young. Frowning, you felt sympathy towards the male next to you. That's when a small memory came into your head from years ago. The only things you really knew about Yoongi were that he hated his father. His mom apparently didn't want him and Yoongi mentioned that Seokjin was lucky for still having his younger sibling alive. Things were making sense now. He let that little bit of information slip when he had gotten vulnerable in the warehouse. You never questioned it or brought it up again. Yoongi sighed as he put his arm around you.

"Jaehyuk, I finished my military service. I'm back." Yoongi's grip on you tightened. "I also want you to meet (F/n). She's my girlfriend now."

"Hello..." You said. Was that the right thing to say? He was looking at you to respond so you greeted his brother. "I'm Kwon (F/n)."

"He's my little brother, Min Jaehyuk." Yoongi swallowed hard. He tried not to let himself get emotional. He wanted to be stronger. "I want to tell you the truth, (F/n). About my past and everything about me if we're going to start dating. Because I'm a lot. There's a lot of disgusting and dirty secrets from my past that I can't keep hidden from you if we continue."

"I understand." You grabbed his hand and gently squeezed it for comfort.

"I wanted to bring you here to meet Jaehyuk because it's not just my story that I'm going to tell. The people I'm going to mention are not just names." Yoongi bit his bottom lip. He took in a deep breath so he could tell you everything. "I don't...know who my mother is. Jaehyuk and I don't share the same mom, but we share the same father. The father who was supposed to protect us didn't do that..."

Hearing all of this hurt you. It was hard to even imagine how Yoongi felt, but you could see why he acted the way he did during high school. Why he was always paranoid, had trust issues, lied, and cold to everyone outside of the gang. Yoongi confessed to you that his father who he considered a monster would constantly abuse him and his brother. The words were harsh and the physical violence would leave them on the floor for days. Yoongi said there were times when he thought his father had finally beaten him to death. He thought that any second he was just going to drift off and finally die. But he didn't. Yoongi would wake up in pain, unable to move and lying in his own blood. He's had his shoulder dislocated and bones broken.

The similar thing happened to Jaehyuk. The only difference was that Yoongi would do his best to make sure Jaehyuk never got hurt or got it the easiest. He wanted to be the one bleeding on the ground if it meant his brother were living a happy life. You heard this all as the words like brother and trailer started to make more sense. A home was supposed to be a place where you could feel safe and comfortable. The trailer was hell for Yoongi. He was tortured but stayed for his younger brother. He wanted to make sure he was safe. You frowned as you stared at the grave. It was sad to hear that someone so young went through this. You started to think that Yoongi's father managed to kill Jaehyuk, but that wasn't the case. Yoongi hesitated to tell you this part.

"I was being strong for my brother, but he c-couldn't take it anymore..." Yoongi looked up into the sky. "So he decided to...end it all by...killing himself."

"Oh..." You gasped lightly.

Yoongi was still hurting. It's been years, but this still haunts him. The torture and questions he gets from this will never leave him alone. One lone tear slid down Yoongi's cheek as he went back to staring at his brother's grave. He sniffled as he continued with his past. His father had left him close to death after finding Jaehyuk's body. That was it for Yoongi. He didn't have light in his life anymore. With his brother gone, he became cold and officially hated the world. He wanted nothing but revenge. He was hurting, in pain, and wanted others to have it worse. Yoongi didn't want to feel bad for himself so he did everything he could to forget and survive. There was nothing he could feel. Yoongi felt like he was driving a car with no gas. How long could he keep going? If he fed himself, he still felt empty.

Squeezing his hand one more time, Yoongi took his hand away from you. He didn't want you to look at him. All of a sudden, he felt like you hated him which wasn't the case. Yoonig begged you not to hate him as he told you how he cheated people, hurt them, and made others suffer. There wasn't much you could do about that. You pulled him into a tight hug despite him struggling slightly. After he finished admitting all the awful thing's he's done, he clutched onto you tightly. He wanted you to know he changed the moment he met a young boy going by the name Runch Randa. A kid needed help so he helped him out of random sympathy. Then that kid kept coming back and then he suddenly had the gang. He had a family.

"I want you to know that I've changed after all this time..." Yoongi sighed heavily. "The gang made me feel loved again. The warehouse became my home. And then you made me aware of my locked feelings. I have so many apologies and thanks to make."

"I'm glad that you know you've changed." You lifted his head, grabbing the sides of his face. "It's hard to change. Especially after coming from all of that, Yoongi."

"And...you don't hate me?" Yoongi asked.

"I told you that I could never," You stated to see him frown.

"But I...I'm not perfect." Yoongi gritted his teeth. "(F/n), I killed two people...I'm a murderer."

"...I..." You didn't know what to say to that.

"I shot Myon. I killed him and I hit one of his people with Seokjin's truck." Yoongi's lip quivered. "How can you love someone like me?"

"Min Yoongi...I was there for that. I've seen you at one of your worst moments, but I still want you," You said sternly. "I don't think I'm crazy for that. You've changed into a better person and I'm going to stay by your side. You're not going to get rid of me because I'm too stubborn."

"Promise?" Yoongi stared at you with big eyes.

"Promise." You pecked his lips, making him feel more confident. Yoongi knew that his problems weren't all gone. He still had issues, but he was working on improving them. He was going to start leading a better life now that he's back from the military. And he wants you in it.

*~*

Time fixes most problems. With effort though. Yoongi works to improve the life of others. It makes him feel like he does have a good purpose in the world. He no longer feels like a stain on a perfect white canvas. He's worked hard to get to this point in his life. Even through his tough moments, you've stayed by his side. The two of you have been together for four years now but been married for a year and a half. Yoongi didn't expect himself to end up with you, but he's happy. Every morning you get to wake up to his cute gummy smile. It leaves you ready to take on the world. He just leaves you feeling energized despite him being the opposite. All the boys are still like the closest family. It's so cute to witness when they're all together.

When news of the proposal broke out, all the boys had the funniest reactions. Hoseok was stunned for days. Namjoon and Seokjin were happy for you both. Then Jimin and Taehyung wanted to see the ring right away. As soon as they saw it, they complained to Namjoon that he should pay Yoongi more to get a better ring. Not only did they insult Namjoon, but Yoongi as well. It was funny to you. Maybe not so much to the other boys. Jungkook told you that if Yoongi got cold feet that he would gladly take his place. This boy. Yoongi heard that and made sure to give Jungkook an earful about hitting on taken women. Those were all fun memories.

He's now your husband which still leaves you giggling like an idiot. How lucky are you? Having him makes you feel special. Yoongi calls you crazy since he considers it the other way around. Despite being married and in love, Yoongi teases you like no tomorrow. It's all in good fun though. Unnie thought you got yourself into a toxic relationship which was far from the truth. She learned that that's just the way your relationship with him works. Currently, Yoongi is working over at the center. The younger children find him a bit scary, but the teens highly respect him. He's doing well in his job and you're going over to bring him lunch right now.

"Can't he make his own lunch? Or buy something from a convience store?" Hyosung unnie asked. She was standing inside your new apartment with Yoongi. You finished eating your own lunch, so you were going to give Yoongi his meal before continuing the day.

"I told him to never eat convenience store food for as long as I live." You grinned as you grabbed his lunch. Unnie rolled her eyes at you.

"Why would you do that?" She huffed.

"Because he loves my cooking and I can't deny that gummy smile food." You cooed as she started to laugh.

"Gosh, you're like still in the honeymoon phase with him." Hyosung smiled for you. "I can't believe you married that guy. The one who disrespected me in front of you!"

"He's just like that." You walked around the counter. Little paws ran around the floor. Unnie made sure not to step on the dog Yoongi insisted on getting. He was a poodle with short, curly brown hair. You felt like the dog helped Yoongi emotionally. The best part was that his name is Holly. The little dog trailed behind your movement around the house. He was such a little cutie. When you guys first got Holly, Yoongi cried and held the puppy for the longest time. Holly is special dog who you guys treat as your own child.

"Well, I'm just shocked that you guys had sex in my own apartment during highschool." Hyosung dramatically sighed. "You had all these oppas around you and then I found out one of them entered my own home!"

"You're so dramatic and Yoongi and I didn't have sex during high school." You corrected. "We had sex the first day he came back from the military."

"You wha—honestly, get that d*ck sis." Hyosung clapped.

"Thank you." You grinned.

"I'm surprised that despite f*cking like bunnies, you're just now pregnant," Hyosung commented as you furrowed your brows. This girl, again with her slightly true wild imagination.

"Maybe because we were careful and responsible? Yoongi and I finally have a place of our own, we're doing good financially, so we figured why not now? It couldn't be more perfect timing." You opened the door as she walked out with you. Holly barked to say goodbye as the door got closed. She walked you to your car as you slowly got into the driver's seat. You were five months pregnant and the bump was starting to get bigger which made some things harder. Hyosung closed the car door for you but leaned in through the window that you had rolled down.

"You're pregnant and he's making you drive in this crazy town?" Hyosung unnie pouted.

"It's not that crazy anymore! And now you're just looking for reasons to insult him." You laughed.

"Because that's my relationship with him." She smiled. "Tell him I said that he sucks."

"You know what response he's going to give me." You put the car in reverse.

"I can't even find d*ck to swallow, I know." Hyosung unnie stood away from the car. Backing out of your parking spot, you poke your head out to look at your sister.

"I have to go now, but good luck finding d*ck." You waved as you went forward towards the center.

"Thanks, I need it!"

Driving in the direction of the center, you hummed to yourself. The song playing on the radio was from Jimin's group. He's not in the rookie idol group but choreographs the dances for it. Jimin was going to debut with them but decided not to. If he did, he'd be the maknae. He's doing well for himself. Speaking of maknae's, Jungkook was doing well too. He's working at a game company and loving it there. Ms. Moon's salon was getting more recognition thanks to Hoseok. His passion clearly shows in his work. Stopping at a red light, you look out the window to see a face cream ad. Funny to see the guy you had your first date with on all kinds of ads. Seokjin is becoming quite the successful model. Everyone is doing so good. Namjoon is working with schools now to help students directly. You're so proud of them.

The red light turned green. From there, you made it to the center without many stops. It didn't take you long to arrive. Parking the car, you came out with Yoongi's lunch in hand. Entering the center, you looked around to see your husband wasn't anywhere to be in sight. Could be he in a room instead of the main lobby area? There were a lot of kids playing on the carpet and that's when you noticied a big child playing with them. He had a tiny ponytail given to him, probably from one of the kids. Giggling at the sight, he gave you his boxy grin to see you standing there. The two of you have become quite close over the years since he didn't have a crazy schedule like Jimin. That's not to say Jimin and you aren't still best friends though.

"(F/n)! Are you here to give Yoongi hyung his lunch?" Taehyung stood up.

"Yeah, is he in Namjoon's office?" You asked.

"No, he's out back with the teens. They're planting flowers," Taehyung said, putting a smile on your face. The adoration for flowers was mutual between you and your husband.

Thanking Taehyung, you went out the back to go look for him. Outside of the center, Yoongi was holding a shovel and telling the teens how to put them in. He wore a large hat that blocked the sun from hitting his face. Some teens were watering flowers that were already planted, and others were slowly putting them in the ground. All of the teens were listening to Yoongi without question. In the beginning, Yoongi would tell you how tough work was. Certain teens gave him more trouble than other ones. It's like they wanted to see if he was still the tough Suga. They learned the hard way, but they've grown an appreciation for him. Especially since he gives them the cold hard truth. He doesn't hide behind fancy words just because he's an adult. Yoongi cares about the teens and does what he can to make sure they feel happiness in their lives.

"Next lesson will be planting the flowers as seed. Soon we'll make the center look all pretty," Yoongi stated. "Maybe we can plant flowers at other parts in town. A field trip."

"Yeah!!" The teens cheered. One kid forgot they were holding a flower and tossed it in the air out of excitement. It hit the ground, earning laughter from a lot of the kids.

"I'll pretend I didn't see that. Anyway, I have to ask Namjoon first." Yoongi shrugged.

"Gummy! I brought your lunch!" You held it up in the air. Yoongi turned to face you, his cheeks getting pink to be called by his nickname. The teens snicker softly to hear that and he tried to ignore them as he walked over to you.

"(F/n), thanks for the lunch." Yoongi kissed your cheek before whispering, "And don't call me that in front of them."

"What? It'll ruin your street cred?" You raised a brow as he opened the bag and began eating his lunch. "You're my little Gummy though."

"(F/n)." Yoongi glared at you, his cheeks full.

"I'm being affectionate!" You reasoned. "You're a lot cuter when we're alone. That's why I call you Gummy."

"I thought you called me that because of my smile." Yoongi mentioned.

"That too." You nodded. His smiles were always so infectious. He didn't smile a lot since he would express his happiness in other ways, but you loved his smile. It was so sweet and it warmed your heart. Yoongi never understood why you liked it so much. He finished eating his sandwich and tossed his trash away. "I'll see you at home, Gummy."

"See you at home, Babe." Yoongi pecked your lips as he grabbed his shovel again.

"I love you~!" You said, loudly enough to embarrass him again in front of the teens. Yoongi nodded at that as the kids planted. He didn't say anything, making them stop planting eventually. A lot of the girls looked up towards Yoongi with pouts. Yuna was mainly giving him harsh looks.

"Aren't you going to say it back, Mr. Min?" Yuna asked.

"Say it back!" One girl shouted.

"I'll punch one of the kids if you don't!" Another girl huffed to get an instant scolding from your husband.

"What'd I say about threats?" Yoongi narrowed his eyes on her.

Most of the teen boys uttered how scary the girls could be. Looks like that hasn't changed over the years. The girls kept complaining to Yoongi, wanting him to show his affection to you publicly. You didn't spend to much time with the teens or kids, but they liked you. If Yoongi loved you then they accepted you with open arms. According to Wonjae who is an adult now, told you this before you married Yoongi: that you saved his life. That's when you learned that Yoongi talked about you at work. Now he's planting flowers with them and you're a florist. He's so sweet and adorable. Like a little gummy. You smiled at Yoongi, waiting for him to say it back. Yoongi sighed in defeat as he realized a majority of them weren't going back to gardening if he didn't say it.

"I love you, (F/n)." Yoongi gave you a gummy smile. "I love you so much."

"You're so cute, Gummy!" You cooed as he chuckled. The teens cheered as Yoongi walked over to you, lowering himself to face your belly.

"Mommy's crazy." He smirked.

"Mommy's sane." You shook your head. "Don't tell our baby nonsense."

"I only speak facts." Yoongi practically lied through his teeth. You've been with him long enough to know that he tends to have a lot of baseless confidence whenever it comes to stuff like this. "And you should be calling this little guy Gummy instead of me."

"We're the Gummy family!" You squealed to see the distaste in his face. He shook his head as Yuna called out something.

"We can't wait until the baby is born, Mrs. Min!" She put her hand on her stomach. "Maybe our kids can be friends."

"I'd like that." You smiled at her. Yuna was a second year in high school, but she got pregnant pretty early in life. She came to center in a panic after her parents disowned her but has calmed down since then. Yoongi seems to be good with teens and you give her as much advice as you can. She's only three months pregnant and you wished her the best.

"You want to rest, Yuna?" Yoongi asked.

"I'm not that pregnant." Yuna continued watering the flowers. Yoongi chuckled as he turned to you with another gummy smile.

"I'm happy our baby gummy is going to be a boy." Yoongi sighed. He adjusted his large hat and you just had to ask about it.

"Why are you wearing such a large hat?" You went to take it off, but he jumped back. That reaction is very suspicious. "Min Yoongi."

"I don't want to get burned." Yoongi pursed his lips.

"He's going be caught." Yuna giggled with the other kids. They all smirked as you waddled as quickly as you could to take off his hat. He can't fight you when you're pregnant with his child! The moment you took it off, you gasped.

"You dyed your hair again!?" Your jaw dropped.

"It's not what you think." Yoongi frowned. You waited for an actual explanation. "Hoseok made me an offer I couldn't refuse."

"So I have to yell at Hoseok for giving me flashbacks?" You teased.

"It's temporary. That's why the color isn't as good." Yoongi ran a hand through his mint green hair. At this point, you didn't care if he dyed his hair rainbow colored. He was going to do whatever he wanted. Pecking his lips one more time, you were done for the day.

"I'm going back home then, Gummy." You ruffled his hair.

"I'll miss you and 'lil Gummy." Yoongi chuckled, placing his hand on your belly. "And Holly too, obviously."

"We'll miss you too."

Chapter Text

Hoseok Bonus Ending

Without Seokjin and Yoongi around, they were constantly missed. Little things would remind the boys of them. Seeing trucks would make the second year boys sigh and then the third years would see flowers, making them grow gloomy. They're making sure to take care of themselves though. All of them know that they can't keep moping. Especially since they still text with Seokjin and you write the letters that Yoongi requested. Now that Namjoon and Hoseok are third years, they've been busier than ever. Namjoon is making sure to study hard at school while also starting the center. Construction at the warehouse has been taking place. It's weird thinking that the warehouse was going to change. It'll be like coming to your childhood home after years of moving out.

Taehyung follows Namjoon around more than ever. He acts like Namjoon's personal assistant which is funny to witness. It's also cute to see how well Namjoon treats the boy. Then there's Hoseok who goes to Ms. Moon's salon almost everyday after school to learn. He's working hard towards his dreams and you're so proud of him. Jimin is a Jam Entertainment trainee and he's excitedly working alongside a friend named, Hyungseong. Though he does get busy at times, he still goes to school and keeps up with his classes. Then Jungkook has been making his game idea more solid and improving his art skills. Such talented boys around you.

Still, they were boys. Most of them kept their promise about trying to get you during second year and the year hasn't ended yet. Jungkook's flirting has gotten bolder to the point where he calls you his girlfriend to others. That's a bit frustrating, but it's not like you're trying to attract other guys. Jimin's flirting is gentle, but you feel like he's okay with staying your friend at this point. Namjoon on the otherhand leaves you speechless at times. He can be such a dork one second and then the next he's some kind of experienced player. It didn't make sense. Luckily, Taehyung is just your friend who doesn't flirt on you or pull any kinds of stunts. Hoseok is the same. He's your friend, but he teases you playfully nonstop.

Unlike the rest of the boys, Hoseok has been catching your attention. During this year the two of you have gotten closer. He's fun to be around, but his teasing goes to all kinds of levels. Acting like he's going to cut your hair or dye it when you sleep. Sometimes he jokes about you being into Namjoon, Jimin, or Jungkook. He purposely embarrasses you in front of them. Sometimes he even uses Taehyung! He couldn't be more wrong. The thing is, he told you something a while back. Hoseok said he thought the others had a better chance of getting you. He didn't want to try something he couldn't achieve. That got stuck in your mind. Was Hoseok confessing that he liked you, but was giving up? Why was he giving up? Why didn't he think he had a chance?

It's been a month and those words are still in your head. Especially since Hoseok was so wrong. Sometimes you're purposely walking around the third year building in hopes of bumping into him. You kind of like it when he teases you and it turns into playful banter. The only thing that bothers you is when he pairs you up with Namjoon. He'll make sure you guys sit next together during lunch or he'll tell you that Namjoon is going to propose to you. Last year, you would have tolerated it and rolled your eyes. Now it hurt. Hoseok knew that Namjoon had gotten feelings for you and was trying his best to get it to become true. Except you don't like Kim Namjoon in that way.

You like Jung Hoseok.

It's one sided though. He doesn't see you in that way from what he let's on. Maybe he thought about entering the 'competition' at one point but decided he'd rather not. Hoseok settled for being your friend. Everything he does has become utterly charming to you for some reason. You find it sweet how hard he tries to make his friends happy and keep hope around. It's admirable. It's something you want in your life. Whenever you make a small flirt towards Hoseok, it flies over his head. Hoseok is completely oblivious to them. Does he actually not pick up on them? You take a risk by flirting and then he doesn't even notice. Instead, he starts teasing you about how Namjoon couldn't stop talking about you.

"Why is this my life?" You groaned. You were speaking to no one in particular.

None of the boys were around you at the moment. Currently, you were sitting on the window sill in the hallway. Classes would be starting soon so you were sitting here and contemplating life with the time you had. Should you be more forward with Hoseok? You haven't even told the others that you're into someone else. Does that make you a bad person? You don't know anymore. It's scary taking flirting risks, but it's not like Hoseok even realizes you see him in that way. He just thinks you're being extremely friendly. He's so wrong about that though. It makes you want to scream into a pillow. Hoseok, why won't you flirt back!?

"Everything okay?" A voice made you jump. Opening your eyes, you spotted Namjoon standing there in the middle of the hallway. He had his hands in his pockets as he gave you a worried gaze. If Hoseok spots the two of you then he's definitely going to tease you about it. He'll say stuff about how you guys secretly meet for privacy. And it's going to hurt, but you'll just smile at him and shake your head at his nonsense.

"What are you doing in the second year building?" You furrowed your brows.

"Oh, I was looking for Taehyung, but I saw you and overheard your little cry for help." Namjoon came closer. "You didn't answer my question."

"I'm fine. You don't have to worry about it. Just stressed about a math test," You lied through your teeth. Namjoon pursed his lips. It was hard to tell if he knew or not, but he went with what you gave him.

"Well, if it's math that you're struggling with then I can help you." Namjoon offered. "I think I'm a pretty good tutor."

"Thanks." You sighed, standing up onto your two feet. Class should be starting soon and Namjoon needs to get back to the third year building. Waving goodbye to the male, you were about to leave until you felt him grab your wrist. Turning to face him in confusion, Namjoon swallowed hard. That's when it occurred to you that he most likely didn't come here looking for Taehyung. He should know Taehyung's schedule by heart. "Need something, Namjoon?"

"...I love you, (F/n)." Namjoon let go of your hand. "I-I know I've never said it directly but...I had to tell you. No flirting games. Just the truth."

"...Oh I...I-I'm sorry..." You looked down to your shoes. This hurt a lot. Namjoon's so kind and amazing, but he wasn't for you. It made you feel bad for not returning his feelings. Someone else had your heart, but they didn't even know it. "I've come to like someone else..."

"You have?" His eyes widened. He was shocked to say the least. The other boys have never witnessed you make attempts to catch Hoseok's attention. Namjoon's lips parted to speak, but he ended up pressing them together tightly as he thought. He wanted to know who this guy was. Jungkook and Jimin didn't seem to be getting any progress with you. Everyone was clueless that you liked Hoseok. How could you make it more obvious? Just scream it in the halls? "Do I know who it is?"

He tilted his head curiously. All the boys agreed that they'd rather you date one of them then someone who wasn't in the group. They're so invested in your love like that you've gotten used to it. You don't even have to be present for them to talk about it. Namjoon straightened his posture as the bell rang. You were going to be late to class anyway. Namjoon wasn't leaving until he got an answer. His eyes looked at you gently for some closure. Sighing in defeat, you figured who else to reveal it to then the guy's best friend. That sounded like a great idea.

"Who's your best friend?" You questioned to see his face change. He furrowed his brows at first. He got a question returned instead of an answer. That's when he answered it himself and realized who it was.

"Y-You like Jung Hoseok?" Namjoon's mouth gaped. Hearing it out loud made your cheeks burn.

"But he doesn't like me back!" You whined. "He wants me to end up with you and it makes me feel sh*tty."

"That is...kind of sh*tty." Namjoon chuckled as you looked at him on what to do. He ran a hand through his black hair, smiling softly at you. "I have to say...it sucks that I'm not the one for you, but I can say with confidence that Hoseok is a great guy and I'm sure he'll make you happy. We just need to make him realize he likes you."

"Wait, you'll help me?" You grinned. Namjoon knew Hoseok better than anyone!

"I'll try, but I'll mainly give you tips. Does that work for you?" Namjoon raised a brow. Tightening your hands into fists, you felt determined more than ever to make Hoseok fall in love with you.

"Deal!"

This only led to more failed attempts. Namjoon was kind enough to give you tips in how to steal Hoseok's heart and you kept messing up. Either you weren't bold enough or they flew over Hoseok's head. Before you knew it, Hoseok and Namjoon graduated from SuChin. It was like your last chance to get him was over. The rest of third year was trying to get over him but it didn't really work. You're still doing your best to accept being friends with Hoseok. The boys in your grade later found out you were into Hoseok and wanted to help you get him, but you insisted it was okay. Maybe you should just move on from him. It didn't look like you were going to get any success and you were willing to accept that.

It just makes you scream how he always calls in the right moments. Anytime you have a bad day, Hoseok would calls you when you need it the most. It's like he knows when you needed sunshine in your life. It's a magical power of his to know and simply hearing his voice gives you erngy to keep going. He would send you a funny text and you'd be laughing on the floor. This became extremely helpful when you entered college. One of your professors seems to enjoy stressing out the entire class for no real reason. Deadlines are insanely impossible and the abundant projects are hectic. They made you want to scream into a void. Something to get all your frustrations out! Then you're trying to get over Hoseok for the millionth time on top of all that and he sends you the best texts ever. Even if it is just a funny picture of a fat pug wearing a tiny hat. It helps you.

How did this happen? You didn't know anymore. Classes were becoming harder as it came near finals. After that, you would finally have time to relax and breathe. But right now, you needed to act out. Bottling up the stress and emotions was killing you at this point. So you made up your mind to go to Hoseok's salon to deal with your problems head on. You're going to let Hoseok do whatever he wants with your hair and then you're going to leave. Once you do that then you're going to be done with Hoseok. He might leave you with a cute bob or end up dying your hair hot pink. At this point, you didn't care too much. You just needed to do something stupid so why not this? You took the bus to get over to the salon and you stepped in to see Ms. Moon's salon was surpringly empty. It was usually filled with patrons.

"Hello?" You called out. Not even workers were up in the front. Did Ms. Moon close the salon, but leave it unlocked? Are you even allowed to be in here in the first place? As you started to panic, out came Hoseok with a smile that widened once he saw it was you. D*mn it, that smile makes your heart almost jump out of your chest.

"(F/n)!" Hoseok cheered. "What are you doing here?" He came over in his apron with all his tools attached to his waist.

"I came here to get my hair done." You smiled at him. Hoseok grew excited to hear that. Immediately, he rushed over to play with your hair. It always felt nice when he would play with the strands. By now, he should know exactly what type of hair you have. Hoseok still liked running his hands through your hair anyway. You won't complain about it. Hoseok brought you over to a chair and sat you down.

"Thanks for coming to this salon!" Hoseok poked your cheeks with his fingers. Though you were in college, he still teased you like this. "No one was coming in and I was getting bored playing games on my phone in the back. And then I see that not only do I have a customer, but that it's (F/n)! How great is that?"

"I'm glad I came then." You giggled as his hands when back to your hair.

"So what is the look Kwon (F/n) wants to achieve?" Hoseok wiggled his eyebrows. "Something to catch Namjoon's eye?"

"Hoseok." You narrowed your eyes on him through the mirror. He chuckled and apologized. When you were a third year, you told him that it wasn't going to happen between you and his friend. Those little jokes still hurt. Then they make you snap like this and you don't want to get angry at him. It's not his fault that he doesn't like you back.

"Sorry, old habit." Hoseok wrapped your shoulders with a cape. "But any thoughts on your hair?"

"Do whatever you want with it." You sighed to see his eyes widen. He stared down at you, wondering if you were okay. He could see you clearly in the mirror but wanted to check up on the one right in front of him. Hopefully you didn't look too tired and stressed. College is a b*tch that you can't wait to finish.

"Are you sure?" Hoseok's brows knitted together.

"Positive," You stated. Hoseok was getting the hint that something was wrong, but you didn't want to get into it. "I don't care."

"That's a lot of power in my hands," Hoseok said to get a light chuckle out of you.

The atmosphere got brighter just from that. How does he do it? Now your chest didn't feel as heavy. Hoseok turned your seat around to face you away from the mirror. Maybe he wanted to keep the final look a surprise. Hoseok started by brushing your hair and getting it wet with a spray bottle. It felt really nice whenever you got a hair cut from him. Closing your eyes, it was always easy to drift off. Relaxing in your seat, you pushed away any negative thoughts. Nothing is going to bring you down right now. Especially with the reunion coming up. Seokjin was going to be coming back from Australia soon and Yoongi was going to get discharged any day now.

Those were happy thoughts that would soon become a reality. There's nothing better than that. Minutes passed and you soon felt Hoseok tap your shoulder. Opening your eyes, you were nervous to see what you looked like. Hoseok may be eccentric, but you could trust him enough to not shave your whole head. He slowly turned the chair around for you to make eye contact with yourself. Inspecting your hair, you bit your lip and tried not to have a bad reaction. It's not what you thought he was going to do, but you'll take it. You need to get working on that paper anyway. Focus on everything else from now on.

"I just did a trim. I hope that's okay." Hoseok smiled as you nodded weakly. Getting out of the chair, you followed him over to the counter. He told you the amount of money you owed and you took the won out of your wallet. The money was handed over to him, Hoseok put it in the register, and that was it. This didn't feel satisfying at all. The hair cut was disappointing. You wanted to feel some kind of relief from acting wild, but you didn't. It made you feel frustrated and let down. It was tempting to start crying in the salon. "I'll see you when we all reunite at the center!"

"Definitely." You gave him a tight smile.

Turning around, you began walking out the door. Is this really how you're going to let things end? This was pathetic. Stepping towards the door, you grip the handle tightly. Once you leave then Hoseok will never know how you feel. You promised yourself that you would drop it. That's what you told yourself. Taking in a deep breath, you pushed open the door as a start. You walked out of the salon feeling absolutely awful. It wasn't even about the safe haircut or the stress from college anymore. Hoseok was still making your heart ache like tomorrow. All you wanted was rest, but everything continued to hurt. It felt like you had no other choice, but you didn't want to live regretting your actions involving Hoseok. Life was going to continue being unsatisfying if you let it.

Pausing in your steps, you made sure to take in another deep breath so you didn't break down into tears. You can't keep flirting and hoping that Hoseok gets it. You need to be brave like Namjoon. He confessed the truth to you and got his point across and now you need to do the same with the guy you like. The one who won't leave your mind alone. Biting your lip, you turned around and went back to the door of the salon. A bell went off when you entered again. He left the counter, staring at you in confusion. He thought you had left for good, but you were standing in the salon once more. His brows knitted together as you stood there silently. Time to actually be brave and take real risks. Somehow, you could hear your heart pounding and you feared it would be heard as Hoseok walked closer. Your heart was singing a song to him in a frequencey he couldn't hear, but it was shrieking to you. It was piercing so why couldn't he hear it?

"Did you forget something?" Hoseok glanced over at the chair you had previously sat in.

"Jung Hoseok." You tightened your hands. He turned to face you again, cocking up a brow to hear his full name leaving your lips like that.

"You sound serious." He chuckled nervously.

"I need you to listen to me," You said. "I didn't expect us to get closer when I was a second year. You became someone extremely important in my life."

"Awe, thanks." Hoseok grinned.

"Don't say anything." You shook your head. "But when you left, I tried to ignore my feelings and forget all my attempts to get your attention."

"But you do have my attention..." Hoseok muttered.

"A different kind of attention, Hoseok." You swallowed hard. "I want to tell you—"

"I don't understand, (F/n). What do you mean?" Hoseok questioned as you lost it.

"I love you!" You shouted.

There. It was out in the open now. All that pressure was lifted off your chest. It felt like your shoulders could rise up again. This made a lot of emotions run through your body. You weren't sure whether to cry or not. Hoseok stood still as those words left your lips. Should you have said like instead of love? Maybe he thinks you came on too strong. This came like a surprise to him, but it's been with you since you were a second year at SuChin. Thousands of attempts and even help from his own best friend. Nervously nibbling on your bottom lip, you waited to receive some kind of answer from him. Even if it was him telling you that he didn't feel the same. It's possible that will help you move on even if it completely shatters you like a rock crashing through a window.

"...you love me?" Hoseok blinked, taking those words in. "S-So what you were telling me earlier...is that you've liked me for years now?"

"Everyone knew except you." You playfully teased. Hoseok brought a hand to his head and was still in total shock. "Hoseok?"

"Huh?" His eyes connected with yours.

"Want to go on a date sometime?" You asked with a hopeful tone. Hoseok became a stuttering mess as you came closer to him. There was a sudden boost in confidence inside of you. His entire face became pink and he looked so cute. It was hard not to be charmed by Hoseok. Now you were coming clean with him. You've never felt this good before. Sometimes when you were a second year and staring at his face, you just wanted to kiss him. He makes you so happy that you want to kiss him. That feeling still hasn't gone away. You wanted to kiss him.

"(F/n)...yeah. Sure! I'd like that a lot!" Hoseok began to grin in disbelief. "Holy sh*t."

"What?" You asked.

"I don't know...I just thought compared to the other good looking guys, you'd never look at me. I felt like you saw me as more of a big brother and nothing else." Hoseok brought his hand down to his neck.

"Really? You're the one who completely sister zoned me! What's up with that?" You pouted, smacking his arm. Hoseok laughed and looked relieved. "And Hoseok, you are so incredibly handsome."

"Y-You think so?" Hoseok slowly started to smirk. You leaned in close, nodding your head happily at him.

Going on your toes, you pecked his lips. A tingle ran through your body the moment your lips pressed against his soft ones. You've been wanting to do that for a long time. Hoseok didn't expect that from you either. He was standing there absolutely stunned when you parted your lips from his. He blinked repeatedly as you told him you had to finish writing a paper. Exiting the salon, you started making your way towards the bus stop with a pep to your step. This truly has to be the best day ever! When you looked down at your phone for the time, you heard your name get shouted at the top of someone's lungs. This whole town will know your name now. You turned around to see Hoseok with the salon door wide open. He was staring at you with a flushed face. The realization of your actions was finally hitting you, your cheeks burning to see him.

"KWON (F/N)!!!" Hoseok panted.

"Yes, Jung Hoseok?" You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear.

"Will I get another kiss at the date?" Hoseok smirked.

"You know the answer!" You felt embarrassed. Hoseok laughed, enjoying your little reactions. The teasing is going to be a lot more fun now.

By the time the reunion was happening, everyone already knew Hoseok and you were dating. It was hard to keep to yourselves. A letter was sent to Yoongi and he actually read it. For the longest time, Yoongi didn't write you any replies until that letter. He sent you a long one, apologizing for not sending responses and then wishing you the best with Hoseok. It meant the world to you. When Yoongi was finally discharged, you told him how much the letter made you smile. He didn't understand why but didn't question it. Namjoon was happy for you. The struggle to get Jung Hoseok to notice you was over! Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin told their hyung how close they were to beating him up. They really wanted to see you happy with him already. They're the sweetest despite the threats.

A text was sent to Seokjin and he replied with a bunch of happy emojis. Today was the day the reunion was happening. Everyone was going to meet at the center as planned. Hoseok was currently driving you to the location with two excited idiots in the back seat. Jungkook forgot to put on his seat belt since he really wanted to see Seokjin already. They've already caught up with Yoongi and the only hyung left is Seokjin. Then Jimin was hanging his head out the window, shouting Seokjin's name as if he would randomly appear. These boys are a lot to handle but you wouldn't have it any other way. They left you with never ending smiles. That's how someone should truly spend life. With the ones they love, laughing and smiling to the fullest.

Hoseok finally drove onto the narrow street of the center. All the boys in the car lost their minds to see Seokjin standing in a suit in front of the center. He was talking to Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung already. They all turned to see what was disrupting their conversation. Soon they were all laughing to see everyone wanting to get out of the car. The moment Hoseok slowed down to park the car, Jungkook ran out to jump onto Seokjin. Jimin was telling you to hurry up, taking your hand and bringing you over to the eldest boy. Hoseok slammed the car door, barking at Jimin to not touch you. The choreographer didn't care too much. He worked with idols in Jam Entertainment and had a lot of confidence in himself now.

"Yah! Park Jimin!" Hoseok punched Jimin's shoulder in order to make him release you. Luckily, the punch wasn't that serious.

"Hyung! (F/n) and I are friends." Jimin frowned.

"Does this make you feel better, Hoseokie?" You lifted up your hands, no longer holding hands with anyone.

"Here." Hoseok took your hand, his fingers intertwining with yours. "Now I feel better." You giggled at that as the two of you walked over to Seokjin. Jimin laughed, knowing Hoseok meant well. Jungkook finished crushing his eldest hyung and was satisfied now. Seokjin the turned to face Hoseok and you.

"You guys are a couple now!" Seokjin hugged the two of you. "Only recently though, right?"

"Yep. We've just been dating for a week now," You stated, squeezing the male tightly.

"Missed you, Hyung!" Hoseok grinned.

"I missed you too, Hoseokie!" Seokjin laughed before spotting Jimin who was patiently waiting for his hug. "Jiminie!"

"Oh, it feels so good to have everyone back," Hoseok said to you.

"It feels natural." You nodded in agreement. The three boys who worked at the center came up to you guys. Taehyung was happy to see everybody together again. It was hard for him to contain all of his excitement. He kept bouncing up and down, making Namjoon chuckle. Yoongi wrapped his arm around Taehyung as they stood in front of the two of you.

"The gang's back together!" Taehyung clapped his hands.

"I wish." Yoongi sighed as Namjoon rolled his eyes.

"What did I say?" Namjoon sighed.

"The family is back, but the gang isn't," Taehyung and Yoongi mumbled. Have they been rehearsing that? Jimin finished welcoming Seokjin back privately. Jungkook came over to you guys and told those two hyungs to come over.

"Jimin and Seokjin hyung! Get over here already!" Jungkook threw his hands in the air. Time to truly catch up with everyone.

*~*

It's been a year of dating Hoseok. The two of you have been incredibly happy together. He's like your sunshine and you love him with all your heart. Then Hoseok treasures you too. He's so sweet. Even when he's not the happiest, you're there for him. Hoseok's human and you always have to remind him that he needs to think about his own emotions too. If he can't make himself happy then it'll be hard to make the people around him happy. Hoseok makes sure to listen to you since no one likes having a stressed out or sad Hoseok. You love seeing him being appreciated and enjoying life. That's the kind of stuff you live for.

A special event was going to happen today. Hoseok is eating dinner with your entire family tonight. So far your parents have only seen photos of Hoseok and heard about him. Hyosung unnie is the only one who's met Hoseok. When she found out he was one of the second year oppa's, she kept giving you this look. She thinks you have a thing for older men and it's weird. You love you sister anyway. Now that she's dating this guy named Hyungseong, she doesn't tease you as much. Especially since she's Hyungseong's noona so you've made fun of her for being into younger men. It's all in good fun though.

Hoseok has been nervous for this day. No matter how many times you told him that it was going to be fine, he kept looking at himself in the mirror. Adjusting his outfit and fixing up his hair. Anything to make him look presentable which he already was. Hoseok looked attractive all the time so you had no idea what he was going on about when he complained about having a swollen face. If his face looks like that swollen then what's up with your face? There's no logic in that. When you told him that, he quickly told you how beautiful you are. He didn't like it when you talked about yourself like that even if you were joking. This little cutie has nothing to worry about.

The both of you were currently in the car on your way to your parent's house. Mom and Dad invited you guys over for dinner. You were so excited to introduce them to Hoseok to see what a sweetheart he is. They lived forty minutes away from the town you befriended all the boys in. Though the ride was kind of long, you enjoyed every minute of it. Hoseok was smiling but you could see him being nervous. He gripped the wheel tightly and almost didn't notice when the light turned green at one intersection. Is he really that nervous about meeting your parents? They're seriously not that bad. Compared to his parents who you learned more about, yours were saints.

As time went on, you finally learned more about the boys. They were more honest with their pasts. You didn't know everything, but you know more than first year you did. Hoseok told you the truth about his home life after three months of dating him. Since he still lived with his parents, he tried his best to prevent you from ever meeting them again. His parents are @ssholes if you're being honest. They don't like their own son for the stupidest reasons and care too much about what people think about them. Turns out, Hoseok's parents wanted to kick him out since he was getting older. They were worried if neighbors would think that Hoseok is living off his parent's money which couldn't be farther from the truth. Hoseok saves money like no tomorrow. Now, Hoseok moved out and lives with you in unnie's old apartment.

Hoseok makes sure to still visit his little sister, Haeun. She's a sweetheart who you've had the pleasure of meeting. She's currently a second year in high school. When you met her, you discovered how smart she was. It made you ask if she would rather go to another high school instead of SuChin for a better shot. Ever since you mentioned that to Haeun, she convinced her parents to let her live with her aunt. Haeun being the smart girl she is, told them how the neighbors would believe how much of a harder worker she is for getting out of this town. Not to mention, brave. Hoseok is happy that she lives with their aunt now since he much prefers her over his own parents.

The car slowly came to a stop in front of your parent's house. Hoseok took in a deep breath as you got out with a smile. It's been years since you've returned. Keeping in contact with your parents was always done through calls and text. Sighing at the sight of the house, little memories came to your head. Chasing around Hyosung unnie for no reason and causing trouble for your parents. Those were the days. Hoseok came by your side with a stiff smile. Taking his hand in yours, you quickly pecked his cheek for him to loosen up. He's such a charismatic guy so you had no doubt that your parents would like him. It's hard to dislike Hoseok.

"Everything's going to be fine." You petted his hair.

"You think so?" Hoseok asked.

"They're going to love you!" You grinned as he leaned down to kiss your lips gently.

"Do you love me, Cutie?" Hoseok kept his face close to yours.

"I love you with all my heart." You giggled to see him blush lightly. "We've been together for a year!"

"I know! But I love you too!" Hoseok pinched your cheeks.

Bringing your hands to his face, you gave him a nod. It's time to go inside. He stopped pinching your cheeks to hold your hand again. The two of you walked up to the front door, knocking loudly. A few seconds passed before it was opened wide by Hyosung unnie. She smirked to see you here with your man. Unfortunately, she couldn't bring her man over since he was busy with work. She quickly hugged the both of you tightly as a strong welcome. Hoseok laughed and was becoming more comfortable now. There we go! Once he meets your parents, he's going to wonder why he was nervous in the first place.

"Unnie! How are Eomma and Appa?" You questioned as you came inside.

"Ask them yourself." She walked back over to the dining room table. Hoseok took off his shoes and looked around the house. You instantly went into the kitchen to find your mother finishing up dinner. It smelled delicious and you couldn't wait to eat. Nothing beats Eomma's cooking.

"Eomma, I'm here," You said to catch her attention. She turned away from the food and smiled to see you there. Immediately, the both of you hugged each other. It's been a long time since you've seen them. The last time you saw them in person was when you were in the last year of middle school. Time seriously flies by.

"Sweetie, how are you? Have you eaten well? Did you bring Hoseok?" The questions came flying in and one by one, you answer all of them with ease.

The moment she mentioned Hoseok, you couldn't stop yourself from smiling. Hoseok came into the kitchen and bowed to your mom. He spoke formally to her, winning your mom over with his manners. Seeing them interact made you want to squeal. It's crazy but you felt like it made things more real. You wanted them to see Hoseok as someone you can spend the rest of your life with. He's a hard worker, he makes you happy, and most importantly is the fact the two of you love each other. It leaves you with butterflies in your stomach.

Eventually, the food was ready and mom ordered everyone to sit down at the table. Hoseok followed you in confusion. At the table sitting already was your sister in her preferred seat. Then at the head of the table was your father who was doing his best to be intimidating towards Hoseok. Your boyfriend tried not to show weakness as he sat down directly across from him. Mom came by, setting the giant plate down in the middle. It was still steaming and you couldn't wait to dig in. While the women in the room ate comfortably, Hoseok felt hesitant and your father hadn't touched his plate. It made you want to shake your head at his act.

"You're a hair dresser, Hoseok?" Appa questioned.

"Yes, Sir." Hoseok nodded. Appa raised a brow at that, slowly smiling and no longer being intimidating.

"Aw come on, Son! We're not in the military." Appa laughed. "I was just testing ya, but I can see how hard you're trying already."

"Oh! Thank you!" Hoseok grinned. "I love (F/n) so I'm grateful to be welcomed into the family."

"You seem like a good man and you have my permission. Not like the crazy oppa stories Hyosung was telling us about earlier." Appa chuckled as you set down your utensils to glare at your sister.

"Unnie!" You whined.

"I was just telling Eomma how much of a stud you were in high school." Hyosung shrugged.

"Oh yeah, she had seven boys chasing after her in total." Hoseok joined in as your face went on fire.

"Just like me back in the day." Eomma happily hummed as your jaw dropped. Hyosung unnie didn't know what to say and looked at dad for confirmation of this.

"Quite the fox." Appa winked as you lost your mind.

"Oh my God!" You covered your face with your hands. What is this dinner? What has it come to?

"I love this!" Hoseok cheered.

That's not the dinner you imagined. It was supposed to be sweet or the complete opposite of what just happened! Mom was usually modest and never really talked much. Especially about the old days! All of a sudden you hear this new information about her being the hottest girl in town. It was a lot to take in. You didn't know whether to be proud or questiong everything. Then Dad was acting like he could hurt Hoseok if he pulled the wrong move. Dad has a hernia, so you don't see that occurring. Luckily, Hoseok let himself shine tonight. Your whole family was won over by his charms and personality. They were cracking up in laughter and couldn't stop grinning. Hoseok is certainly perfect.

Swinging your legs back and forth, you sat outside on the porch. Dinner finished and unnie was helping Mom with the dishes. Dad was showing Hoseok where the two of you would be staying over the night. He was probably showing Hoseok embarrassing old photos of you as well. Shaking your head, you smiled as you looked down to your lap. It was night time with the moon high in the sky. It was shining brightly, the stars accompanying it. The night always looked like a gorgeous painting. Taking in a deep breath, you listened in to the crickets and the wind lightly passing by the bushes and leaves. Hearing the sound of a door slide open, you look over your shoulder to see Hoseok coming out with a smile. He closed the door behind him before coming down to sit with you.

"Enjoying the night?" Hoseok played with his hands.

"Yeah, it's beautiful out. Plus the fresh air feels nice." You leaned back. "What'd Appa talk about with you?"

"Nothing much." Hoseok shrugged, grinning to himself. Dad definitely showed him embarrassing photos. "Hey (F/n)?"

"Hm?" You looked over to him.

"I love you and you know that right?" Hoseok asked as you nodded. "I'm going to treat you right for the rest of my life. I want to be there for you so I'm glad I got your father's approval. That's why..." Hoseok pulled out a black velvet box from his pocket. Immediately, your heart started racing. Is this actually happening right now?

"Hoseokie!" You gasped, covering your mouth with your hands. You felt yourself getting teary eyed already.

"(F/n), will you marry me?" Hoseok opened the box to reveal the ring. You squealed at the fact that he wants to be with you for life as huband and wife. The ring could be a cheerio for all you care. As long as you have him. Throwing your arms around Hoseok, you hugged him tightly and cried.

"Of course! I love you so much." You sniffled as he looked down at you. Hoseok brought his hand up to your face, using his thumb to wipe away your tears. He chuckled to himself before kissing you. It was warm despite the cold night. Happiness had a new meaning to you for taking this next step with Hoseok. The two of you parted, smiling at each other.

"Now stop crying or I'm gonna cry." Hoseok slid the ring on your finger.

"Okay." You giggled, wiping your cheeks. "I'm just so happy and I feel so lucky."

Hoseok shook his head at that, pecking your lips one more time. "No, I'm the lucky one."

Chapter Text

Namjoon Bonus Ending

Second year has been filled with excitement. A part of you believed that the years without two of the boys would be dull, but that didn't seem to be the case. Though Seokjin and Yoongi were missed, everyone made the school year fun. Jungkook, Taehyung, and Jimin constantly made you laugh. The four of you would hang out as much as possible. Sometimes Jimin would get busy with being a trainee, but he did his best to hang out with everyone and give Jam Entertainment his best. Then Namjoon and Hoseok were the sunbae's you guys could rely on. Hoseok cheered you up whenever you needed a boost and always teased you nonstop. It's fair to say the two of you have gotten a lot closer this year.

Then Namjoon was something else. It feels like everyday, your respect for him increases. He's working hard to achieve his dream of making the center happen. With all the money he earned from the deals, he's doing his best to make it the best facility. Ms. Kim was astonished by his goal in life and wondered where all the money came from. Apparently, she believed Namjoon had been doing part time jobs to help decrease the debt that was almost nonexistent now. He had to do some explaining, but it's all good now. Ms. Kim's just happy that Namjoon has moved on from that criminal life. She's also glad that the rest of the boys moved on with him. Now he's dedicating his life to prevent others from joining that kind of lifestyle. How admirable is that?

By the time he came clean to his mother, Namjoon became clean with you too. He already told you about the debt and the fact that his father left, but he told you everything. He told you how he searched for part time jobs without end. They always fired him because of his clumsiness and that's eventually what led Namjoon to being desperate for money. Being at the wrong place at the right time got him into the criminal world. Namjoon said that his introduction to that world wasn't the best. It started out cool, but then he was betrayed. Luckily, the betrayal got him to meet Yoongi and that's how things with the gang started to form. Then a warehouse for the gang was found and everyone became a family.

Not only is the construction of the center almost done, Namjoon and Hoseok are about to graduate. The ceremony is actually happening today. The second years were going to miss the third years with you. Namjoon and Hoseok have helped a lot of them grow up. Taehyung sat next to you as names were being called out to go on the stage. He was trying his hardest not to cry, but you were going to be strong for him. The two of you hung out last night at his place. Taehyung wanted to distract himself with his Gucci, scented candles, and you as his friend. In the end he ended up crying to you about how he won't get to see Namjoon and Hoseok that much anymore. You listened to him and did your best to cheer him up. He's luckily getting a job out of high school to work at the center with Namjoon. That made him feel better.

While he thanked you for listening to him as a friend, you only smiled and said it was no problem. The moment you went back home and entered your room, you began to cry too. It's not like you won't see them anymore. Namjoon and Hoseok are still going to be here, but it hurt. You wished you could still look for them around school if you were having a tough time. Hoseok to cheer you up and then Namjoon for his wonderful advice. He always knew how to sort out your issues. He'd take you to the porridge restaurant anytime the two of you were ever feeling down. Those memories are treasured and you never want to forget the smiles he gave you. When he gave you his coat that one afternoon when it started raining. He told you to hold onto him tightly as he peddled through the rain. Namjoon brought you back home dry while he was soaked to the bone.

"Jung Hoseok," The headmaster called out his name. Hoseok came onto the stage with a giant grin. He did it. All the boys surrounding you began to cheer for him.

"Hyung!" Jungkook shouted.

"You did it, Hyung!" Jimin clapped his hands.

"I love you, Hoseok hyung!" Taehyung stood up from his chair and you joined him.

"Hoseok oppa!" You took as many pictures as you could.

Hoseok was excited to see his biggest fans in the crowd. He did a couple poses for the camera before he finally got off the stage laughing. Taehyung sat down with you again, struggling to believe that Hoseok has now graduated. He had a diploma in his hands and everything. That's it. He's done. Lowering down your phone into your lap, you purse your lips at the picture. This is another bitter sweet moment. Taehyung looked at the photos you took and gave them a weak smile. That's when Jungkook nudged you to point towards the stage. Namjoon was going to be next to come up on the stage. Jimin was getting ready to cheer on his hyung. They all got ready as the principal smiled wide to introduce the male onto the stage.

"I'd like to say a few words about the next student I'm going to call up." The headmaster looked into the crowd. Namjoon paused in his steps, confused on what was going on. He hadn't done that to any of the other students. "Kim Namjoon is a student that SuChin takes great pride in. All his teacher's have seen his hard work and dedication. Not many students try to achieve much at our school, but Kim Namjoon has managed to become one of the top students in the nation."

"That's my Dad!" Taehyung bounced in his seat as everyone in the gym clapped their hands. The headmaster waited for the noise to die down before he continued. Namjoon's cheeks were pink as he modestly stared down at his feet.

"Not only has he outdone himself as a student, but he's worked with the school to be a voice for the students. Thanks to him, SuChin will improve for the future." The headmaster grinned, gesturing the tall male over. "Kim Namjoon."

Namjoon came onto the stage, bowing down deeply to the headmaster. His dimples were showing as he stared out into the crowd. Jimin and Jungkook were losing their minds. They screamed out for their hyung. As they chanted, Taehyung held up a sign with the third year's name and face. When did he make that thing? You shook your head at Taehyung's antics. He always pulled stuff like this so why should you be surprised anymore? He was Namjoon's biggest fanboy and you found the absolutely adorable. Namjoon was probably as embarrassed as Yoongi had once been. You shouted 'Namjoon oppa' and took as much pictures as you could. He shook his head with a giant smile as he came off the stage. He held his diploma tightly as Hoseok patted him in the back. Now two of your boys were done with high school. It was sad to know you wouldn't see them in the halls anymore, but you were glad that they graduated. The ceremony didn't last for much longer. Soon the two boys came outside to meet you in the same area with the tree.

"Seokjin hyung says congratulations!" Taehyung handed bouquets to both Hoseok and Namjoon.

"Thanks, Tae." Namjoon ruffled the boy's hair.

"They're so pretty!" Hoseok smiled before getting pulled into a tight hug from Jungkook. While that hyung was struggling to breathe, Jimin and Taehyung were jumping around Namjoon. They were congratulating him for all his efforts. Plus, the headmaster was right about Namjoon changing the school. Maybe third yeard for you is going to be a little stricter. It kind of sucks but it'll be for the better.

"We're so proud of you, Hyung." Jimin grinned, his eyes turning to lines. Namjoon laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"You're so cool! I hope I graduate too," Taehyung said to receive an unhappy look from Namjoon.

"You better graduate. If you're struggling then you come to me for help, okay?" Namjoon eyed the boy to get an obedient nod. He smiled and brought the boy over into a hug. "I want to see you graduate so I can embarrass you too. What the hell was up with that sign?"

"Jimin helped me make it!" Taehyung chuckled as Jimin felt ratted out.

Namjoon then pulled that boy into the hug, squeezing them tightly. Jungkook was laughing loudly with Hoseok. They couldn't stop taking silly selca's with each other. A smile appeared on your face to see them all enjoying themselves. Taking out your phone, you put it on camera mode and started taking pictures without them noticing. Photos in the moment meant a lot more to you then planned ones. Namjoon hugging Taehyung and Jimin tightly, grinning from ear to ear. Then Jungkook bending over in laughter, unable to hold his phone up with Hoseok smacking him to get it together.

Giggling to yourself, you stared at them feeling almost complete. The small emptiness was from the fact that Namjoon and Hoseok were going to leave SuChin for good. Jimin and Taehyung soon ran over to join Hoseok. Taking the selca didn't become easier. It only got harder with all the boys acting like idiots. Gripping your phone tightly, you stared down at the floor. You're going to miss this a lot. Second year has been fun even with the boys being a little more forward with their flirts. Hoseok mainly teases you as a friend and Taehyung doesn't really ever attempt anything unless it's a joke. Jungkook is very forward, but sweet. Then Jimin's are gentle and caring. Namjoon is kind, but his flirting game is really strong. Lately he hasn't done it since he's gotten busy with the center and college plans.

"We should take a picture." Namjoon's voice broke you out of your thoughts. Lifting your head up to look at him with big eyes. Blinking at him, you felt yourself getting sad. How come? Just looking at him, you can't help thinking how much you'll miss seeing his cute smiles. Having his comforting advice any time of the day. Having Namjoon around in general.

"I'm going to miss you..." You felt a lump in your throat starting to form.

"I'm going to miss you too, (F/n)." Namjoon smiled. "I'll think about you as much as I can."

"Y-You will?" Your bottom lip quivered as a tear slipped down your cheek. Namjoon was shocked to see you reacting like this. Not even for Seokjin and Yoongi's graduation did you let yourself cry. Namjoon brought you away from everyone to a quieter area. He stared down at you with a frown.

"Why are you crying? (F/n)?" Namjoon worriedly asked.

"I don't want you to g-go just yet..." You sniffled. You used your sleeve to wipe your face, trying to calm yourself down from the sudden wave of emotions that hit you. "It's going t-to hurt being away from you."

"...that's what you feel?" Namjoon took a step closer to you. He wrapped his arms around you, hugging you. Burying your head into his chest, you liked how warm his embraces were. They could always comfort you. He rubbed your back and stopped by the time you weren't crying anymore. He stared down at you as you took in a deep breath. "Feeling better now, (F/n)?"

"A little." You shrugged. You didn't know that was how you were feeling.

It was a bold statement to make about missing him that much. Though your face was pink, your heart was aching and bleeding the truth right now. Namjoon and you are constantly there for each other. He helps you at tough times and you do the same for him. The two of you work well with one another. Plus, with two people already pairing you two together then it makes it harder not to wonder 'what if'? Namjoon caressed the side of your face. There weren't many people around. Most of them had already left the campus, but the rest of your friends were at a different spot.

"It really hurt me to see you cry," Namjoon mumbled, "But it's going to be fine, (F/n). If you ever need me then you can call me. I'll drop everything to help you."

"I...appreciate that. Thank you, Oppa." You smiled. Namjoon let out an amused chuckle before kissing your forehead. You always liked it when he kissed you.

"You know that I care for you," Namjoon stated.

"I care for you too. A lot, actually," You heard yourself say. At the moment, you felt yourself making a small realization. Namjoon tilted his at you. His eyes were sparkingly though as you spoke. "Namjoon. Do you really like me or do you only flirt for fun?"

"...Of course, I like you." Namjoon's face began to turn red. He never said those words out loud. It's always been a flirting game with him. Hearing it made you feel light and so happy. Things made so much sense now.

"I like you too." You couldn't stop yourself from smiling. There's no need to feel scared if he already told you himself that he liked you first. Namjoon's eyes widened slightly. He swallowed hard and took this information in.

"Oh...really? I mean, I'm happy!" Namjoon's dimples appeared. "More than happy!"

"Me too!" You grabbed his hands, squeezing them out of excitement.

"Wait so...are you my girlfriend now?" Namjoon raised a brow. That sounded wonderful. Hoseok and Ms. Kim predicted right then.

A flutter occurred in your stomach as you nodded enthusiastically. Namjoon was so thrilled that he immediately pressed his lips against yours. Closing your eyes, your heart was pounding heavily to have this happening. The both of you wrapped your arms around each other tightly, bringing the other as close as possible. Namjoon's lips moved gently with yours. The kiss became sweeter as you brought your fingers up to his hair. His hands slowly started to move down your back. A shiver ran down your spine as your skin became hotter. Namjoon nibbled your bottom lip first, earning a soft gasp. His lips smirked against yours, his tongue entering your mouth. This was escalating very fast and you were becoming short of breath.

"What the hell is this!? We leave Namjoon for one minute—!" Jungkook's voice shouted. The two of you parted in a panic, stepping away from each other in shock. Your body was still feeling the rush of hormones from the kiss. Bringing your hand up to touch your lips, you knew you wanted to kiss him again.

"Hyung being naughty!" Taehyung pouted.

"Were you trying to suck her face off?" Jimin frowned.

"Shush, you children!" Hoseok smacked Jimin. He soon gave his best friend two thumbs up. "Yes, Namjoonie! I knew you two were perfect for each other!"

"You guys are embarrassing." You giggled.

"Thanks, Hoseok." Namjoon sighed as he wrapped his arm around your waist.

"So what is this? How long has this been a thing?" Jungkook crossed his arms.

"For three years." Namjoon shrugged. That answer didn't sit well with the maknae. Shaking your head at the nonsense, you let them all react to the news. Namjoon and you were officially dating each other. It makes your heart skip a beat just thinking about it.

That was the start of Namjoon and you dating. Though it was hard with him being in business college and you being in your final year of high school, the two of you continued to stay strong. If Namjoon was stressing out over a project then you would come over to his house with take out from the porridge restaurant. Anytime you didn't understand new material, Namjoon would teach you until you did. He didn't care if he was tired. He's the best boyfriend ever but he always gets embarrassed when you say things like that. It's mainly his mom who tells you to say that kind of stuff. She's not wrong though. Namjoon is honestly perfect boyfriend material. He's there for you emotionally and well, for everything.

Plans for the center have been going well. Namjoon tells you everything he wants to do with it. He's always so excited when he talks about it. Sometimes he apologizes for gushing about the center, but it's completely okay. You like seeing him be passionate about something and having goals. It's really hot. Not to mention, he's made you grow an interest in helping with the center. By the time you graduated, Namjoon didn't know what college you were going to since you had kept it a secret. Surprise! Just like him, you're going to the same business college. He was shocked, but so happy in the end to see you at the same campus again. It made the two of you grow closer if that was even possible.

Next thing you know, Namjoon graduated from the business college and was running the center full-time. It became the talk of the town when it first started. There was a lot of youth who felt like they needed help. You were in awe, but Namjoon told you that this wasn't even half of them. Most of the at-risk youth couldn't get help, were afraid of getting it, or weren't interested. Taehyung works alongside Namjoon in hopes of making the place trustworthy for anyone who needs it. You still had one more year to finish at college and then you'd start working at the center with the boys. Yoongi was already back from the military too which was nice. He received a warm welcome and so did Seokjin. When everyone reunited again, there was a lot of crying and questions about your relationship with Namjoon. Yoongi gave you a long lecture about being with Namjoon which was warning you about his dirty behavior that were becoming quite familiar with.

Namjoon kept his arms wrapped around your waist, refusing to let you go. Yoongi groaned in annoyance. He wanted to hug you but didn't want your boyfriend on you. Seokjin was also waiting for a hug. They all came back and the reunion was sweet. Then Seokjin mentioned the fact that Namjoon and you were dating so now he hasn't let you go. Jungkook was hitting Namjoon's back to release you, but he didn't care. Taehyung and Jimin were both protesting in front of the center. Apparently, save (F/n) was now a thing. Hoseok only stood by in absolute amusement at his best friend's actions.

"I want to hug (F/n) so get your d*mn hands off her." Yoongi growled.

"She's my girlfriend." Namjoon shrugged.

"For now." Yoongi scowled to get a strong glare.

"Are you sure you wanna be like that, Hyung?" Namjoon squeezed you tighter.

"Yoongi hyung and Namjoon are equally terrifying right now. Wow," Hoseok said in awe.

"Alright, enough fighting. Can I please hug Yoongi now?" You reached your hands out towards the slender male. He came back from the military so you wanted to hug him. Namjoon sighed in defeat and let you go. You jumped into Yoongi's arms, hugging him tightly.

"Hyung is going to try and steal (F/n) away!" Jimin warned.

"I don't like the face Yoongi is making." Jungkook huffed.

"Keep an eye on him, Namjoon hyung." Chuckled Taehyung.

"I am." Namjoon crossed his arms.

"My turn!" Seokjin pulled Yoongi away to hug you. Why were they acting like this? You couldn't stop laughing at their behavior. They were all acting silly in your opinion. Seokjin sighed peacefully to have you in his arms. Then he whispered not so quietly, "Come to me if Namjoon doesn't treat you right."

"Seokjin hyung, please!" Namjoon frowned. All of them enjoyed teasing him this way. Making jokes to go to them if Namjoon couldn't satisfy you. The boys didn't hold back.

There was really no complaints though. Namjoon and you would occasionally buttheads, but it was always solved by long conversations. Everything was talked out and handled maturely. It was something you really liked about your relationship with him. Namjoon was currently working at the center and you would be visiting him soon. At the moment, you were helping his mom out by unpacking the last few boxes. The awful debt that had been haunting his family was finally cleared. Ms. Kim cried tears of joy when it was over. She could relax and not overwork herself. Then she only cried more when Namjoon revealed the fact that he got her a bigger home just for herself. You loved how much Namjoon cared for his mother and how much she adored him. It's the cutest thing ever.

"Where do you want this small box?" You asked. Ms. Kim turned around for the cupboards to see you holding a black flat box. It looked life a gift for someone, so you figured it was better not to open it and ask her about it. Ms. Kim saw it in your hands, slowly smiling.

"Oh you found it. I was going to give you that as a surprise." She came over, setting it down on the table. You sat with her and stared at the box with curiosity.

"I didn't mean to ruin the surprise." You frowned as she shook her head.

"Don't you worry about it!" Ms. Kim insisted. "Let me just say a few things before you open it, okay?"

"Okay, Ms. Kim." You nodded to see her pout.

"No, call me Eomma. You're family!" She said as you nodded your head again. You loved spending time with Namjoon's mother. She's the best mother-in-law even though you weren't married to Namjoon. "I'm so happy that Joonie and you actually got together. I was begging everything in existence that you guys would end up falling in love. It worked!"

"That badly?" You chuckled. "Well thank you. I'm so glad that I'm with your son too."

"It makes me feel relieved. I know that you're a sweet girl, but I truly believe you're one of the main reasons that Namjoon is the man he is today." Eomma sighed. "He had to grow up early because of the debt and got himself involved in some bad stuff. Even though he grew up early, he was still lost but I see how's changed. You're like his world and I love it. Thank you for loving my son, taking care of him, and seeing what I see in him."

"You don't have to thank me, Eomma." You blushed as she squealed to be called that. She clasped her hands together before shoving the black box closer to you.

"Okay, now you can open it. I hope you like it." She smiled sweetly.

Grabbing the lid of the box, you couldn't wait to see what was inside. You didn't know what to expect as a gift from her. This was so random. It was no where near your birthday nor any holiday. She's so thoughtful though. Namjoon and you have been dating for three years now, but you've known him for five in total. His mother felt like family to you which made you feel less lonely about living in this town. You have your sister, but your parents lived in a whole different town and you don't really get to see them often. Lifting up the lid, you quickly shut it the moment to you realized what exactly the gift was. Eomma was smirking while you were flushed.

"Eomma!! What is this!?" You shook the box.

"You'll thank me later." Eomma winked. "I know what Joonie likes. He wasn't really good at hiding his magazines."

"Oh my God..." You pinched the bridge of your nose. What were you supposed to do? What even is that gift? Eomma gave it to you so you should be grateful. Grabbing the box again, you took off the lid to look at the racy lingerie. The smirk on his mother's face wouldn't leave. Picking up the top, you examined it and tried not to think about how lacy, stringy, and see through it was. "I mean...it's cute."

"It's going to get you laid!" Eomma clapped her hands as you almost choked on air. "Hoseok has been teaching me slang so I'm trying to use them in my daily life."

"I'm going to need to have a talk with Hoseok then." You noted.

"You can do it, (F/n)! I'm rooting for you! I want grandchildren!" Eomma gave you a thumbs up. This was a lot to hear. This woman never ceases to surprise you with her bluntness.

"You want us to have c-children? We're not even married yet!" You said as she leaned over the table.

"The key is to poke holes into the condom. I raised Joonie right so he's going to have to stay by your side if you get pregnant." Eomma seemed pleased with herself. "It's perfect."

"Eomma...this, this is a lot." You stood up and brought the bra up to your chest. "How did you even know my size?"

"I'm good at guessing. Don't worry about trivial things." She waved off your concerned thoughts. "Now go attack Namjoon!"

"Attack!?"

There was a lot to take away from this moment. It was common knowledge that Eomma already accepted you as wife material for her son. Everyone knew how out spoken she can be too. But this was something you never imagined happening. The lingerie looked nice and you had no doubt in your mind that Namjoon would love it. More than love it actually. He'd get pretty excited now that you think about it. The gift was a surprise, but you slowly started to like the idea of it. Maybe not the having children part just yet. You'd prefer to be married already before anything like that happens. So, you took the gift Eomma gave you and made sure to put it to good use.

Namjoon had no idea for the night that was going to happen. He was simply happy to see you visiting him in the center. The children greeted you around the center. Taehyung waved at you excitedly and Yoongi gave you a smile. Soon Namjoon and you went back to his place. He finally owned a car now and could drive. The two of you still sometimes ride the bicycle around town though. Namjoon entered his home, rubbing his own shoulders. He had a slightly stressful phone call today, so he was glad to be back home. You immediately began walking towards his bedroom with the plan in mind. It was surprisingly more comfortable than you thought it would be.

"So what should we eat? Babe?" Namjoon took off his coat. He lifted his head to see you were no where in sight. "(F/n)?"

As you stood in his room, you slowly began to shed most of your clothing. This was supposed to be sexy and racy, but you wanted to laugh. He had no clue and was roaming around his house looking for you. You sat on his bed with not much on at this point. It was kind of cold. Was he ever going to come in here to look for you? Chuckling, you heard him calling out your name. That's when he heard your laughter. His footsteps stopped as he laughed too. The door to his bedroom wasn't shut, but it wasn't completely opened wide. Namjoon came to the door, pushing it open slowly.

"I heard you hiding in here, (F/n)." Namjoon pushed the door open all the way. He was smirking until he saw you there. Dressed in the gift you received earlier today, sitting there just waiting for him. "O-Oh...this is nice surprise."

"Do you like it~?" You purred.

"What do you think?" Namjoon removed his shirt, tossing it to the side. "Forget dinner, I'll just eat you out."

"Remind me to thank your mother again." You giggled as he pushed you down on the bed.

"Why?" He furrowed his brows. Namjoon didn't understand why you were bringing up his mom at a time like this. Was is ruining the mood? Possibly. But you were trying your hardest not to burst out laughing again.

"She gave me these as a gift," You answered honestly to see him sigh heavily.

"Why are you telling me this?" Namjoon asked.

"She also told me to put holes in our condoms." You giggled to see his reaction not be what you expected. He wasn't shocked or outraged by his mother's advice.

"She tells me to do the same thing." Namjoon rolled his eyes before pressing his body lower down on yours. "Whatever let's just have fun now."

"Yes, please~" You wrapped your arms around his neck.

*~*

All your friends considered Namjoon and you a power couple. They weren't wrong. The moment you graduated from business college, you went right to work with him. Together, the two of you have worked hard to make life easier for the youth in this town. Namjoon handles talking to other business folk, the kids, and the people he employs. He did everything people saw. You didn't want to deal with that, so you took care of the things in the background. In other words, the financial stuff. Anything involving money was your problem. That sounds fun, right?

If Yoongi wanted to buy more shovels for the kids to use then he had to talk to you. When he wanted to open up the gardening program he went to talk to Namjoon. You're happy he's finding his place here at the center. The teens really admire him. If they don't then they learn to because it's hard to disrespect Yoongi without regretting that choice majorly. Then Taehyung has learned to be a little independent from Namjoon. Of course, he still follows him around and is like a child to him, but he works hard. Taehyung has been maturing and makes sure to teach the little kids and even the teens at times. Everyone's a hard worker here. They're giving their all to make the kids trust them and rely on them.

Since you didn't have anything to do, you were walking around the center. Sometimes you would just check if everything was okay. Though you mainly did stuff in the background, the kids here knew who you were. Kim (F/n), the boss's wife. Namjoon and you have been together as a couple for seven years now. They've been the happiest years of your life. Smiling to yourself, you stood at the door way watching Taehyung take a block out of a child's mouth. He's doing well. You remember when this was the warehouse. They were currently in what used to be the backroom where they would open crates. That was still weird to think about.

"We only put food in our mouth's!" Taehyung set the block aside. "Food tastes better anyway."

"Tata!" The child, Chinhae put his hand on your friend's face.

"That's me!" Taehyung grinned. He then heard your giggle. It was too cute not to react. "(F/n)!"

"Hey Taehyung. I'm just looking around," You stated to get a nod from him. Though you had a higher position than him, you guys were equals.

"Tell the kids that lunch is going to be served in fifteen minutes." Taehyung smiled before looking down at little Chinhae again. "Did you hear that? Lunch!"

"Thank you, Mrs. Kim!" A different child named Juseok called out.

Children were playing around in the room. They were becoming social with others and making friends. Most importantly, they were in a safe environment. Other children began to smile and wave at you, so you returned one back. They're all so cute. To some of them even, you fill a missing mother role. Walking out of the play area, you saw Yoongi and the teens coming back inside after gardening. Yoongi was telling them to clean up in the bathroom and then they were free to rest. Walking up to them, Yoongi smiled softly at you as you stopped in front of everyone. The teens paused in their trip to the washroom to talk to you.

"Hello, I just wanted to say that lunch will be starting in fifteen minutes so make sure to clean those hands." You smiled.

"I'm starving." Yoongi stretched.

"It's child labor, Mrs. Kim." Hyunjin complained to get a glare from Yoongi. He only laughed and looked at you with a grin. "Save us!"

"I'm not forcing you to do sh*t." Yoongi huffed.

"Eomma, he makes us work in the hot sun without pay. He's crazy!" ChungCha threw her hands up in the air. She wasn't actually your daughter.

Some of the kids around hear called you their mother though and called Namjoon their father. Sometimes they would even call Taehyung and Yoongi uncle. The ones who liked to be funny called Yoongi grandpa. There were a few people who connected more with those two boys though. Some teens considered Yoongi like a father figure and then some kids would consider Taehyung their father. It just depended how much an adult role model was missing in their lives. Yoongi scolded the teens from acting like this, but they knew he wasn't serious. They were all having fun teasing him this way.

"We'll let you get back to work, Eomma," Hyunseok said. You knew everyone's name here. Even just memorizing their names meant a lot to them. Some were more affected by it than others. Hyunseok for example used to never talk but was brought here from child protective services. He was selectively mute but was getting the help he needed. The center is here to help everyone as well as paying for psychotherapy which you convinced Namjoon to let happen.

All the teens bowed down to you, some by choice and others by Yoongi's threats. They all laughed and went towards the bathrooms to finally clean up. Raising your hand up to give him a high five, he smacked your hand and then squeezed it for good measure. He gave you a gummy smile that was so adorable. It's fair to say that the two of you have become close friends over the years. He no longer treats you poorly. Then he gets really mad if teens don't show you respect. He makes a big deal out of it, but you insist it's fine. Honorifics and formal speaking weren't a common thing in here, but Namjoon was working on getting this town to get it together. You waved bye to Yoongi as you went over to Namjoon's office.

Knocking on the door, you heard his deep voice allowing you to come in. He sat behind his desk reviewing papers. He wasn't particularly busy today. All Namjoon had to do was check up on certain papers. His eyes lifted up from his desk to see you shutting the door behind you. A smirk quickly grew on his face. You know that look too well. Namjoon got up from his chair to go in front of his desk, leaning against it and waiting for you to come over. He looked incredibly handsome in his suit. Walking over to him, Namjoon immediately wrapped his arms around your waist to bring you up against his body. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you pecked his lips but he wasn't satisfied with that tiny kiss. He never was.

"That's not a real kiss." Namjoon leaned in close.

"In my book, it is." You chuckled.

"Your book needs to be revised." Namjoon had his eyes locked with yours.

It didn't take long for Namjoon to press his lips on yours. The two of you held each other tightly as the passion controlled your actions. Namjoon had trouble keeping his hands to himself. He let them roam all around your body, squeezing anything he pleased. He loved it whenever he felt your body shiver or hearing little gasps from you. Namjoon's tongue licked your bottom lip as things were escalating. Soon he detached his lips from yours to aim for your neck instead. While it felt nice having his luscious lips graze against your skin, the two of you were at work. This was getting extremely inappropriate very fast. Namjoon had a habit of doing this whenever and wherever without a care.

"Namjoon, we should stop. We're at work." You lowered your hands down to his chest.

"But we're in my office." Namjoon gave gentle kisses from your neck down to your collarbone. You pushed him back slightly, shaking your head at his words.

"Yoongi was right." You sighed.

"Yoongi hyung is mean." Namjoon pouted as he tried to kiss you again, but you held up a finger to his lips.

"When we get home then." You giggled.

"But I can't wait..." Namjoon frowned, making you cross your arms.

"You do realize that you not being able to wait is the reason—?" You raised a brow at him as the door swung open. Two little kids came running in, jumping at your feet. Eunkyung was three years old and tugging on your pencil skirt to come play with her. Then the little boy who was two years old was Hakkun. He wanted Namjoon to pick him up. "Oh! Hello there!"

"How did you guys get here?" Namjoon crouched down, picking up Hakkun.

"I brought them..." You bit your lip as he stared at you with wide eyes. "What? Your mother deserves a day of rest. She's not day care! Besides, the kids love playing with the other children here and Taehyung likes watching them too!"

"Well okay." Namjoon chuckled. "I don't have that much of a problem with them being here."

"Appa...pa." Hakkun smiled at Namjoon. It warmed your heart to see this. It was impossible for Namjoon not to smile back. That's when Hakkun poked his finger into the dimple of his father's.

"Look at that. Like mother, like son." Namjoon looked at you with a smirk.

"It's fun to poke his dimple, isn't it Hakkunie?" You cooed.

"Eomma, Appa, are we going to Halmeoni's house?" Eunkyung stared up at the two of you.

"No, we'll stay here for a while and then we'll just go home," Namjoon told them.

Eunkyung nodded as she went to look around the office. She's your first child with Namjoon. You remember the day clearly when you told him you were pregnant with her. Everyone was so happy for you. Taehyung cried, Yoongi declared himself the second father, Jimin couldn't stop bouncing around, Jungkook was stunned but happy, Hoseok almost gave a girl crooked bangs in surprise, and then Seokjin was so proud of see the two of you growing up. Namjoon and you were happy. Then almost immediately after, you got pregnant again with Hakkun because Namjoon gets too excited at times. That actually reminds you of something really important that you needed to bring up to him.

"I almost forgot to tell you something." You played with Hakkun's little hand. Namjoon stared down at his baby, smiling softly. "Hakkun, you and Eunkyung around going to have another sibling." Namjoon hummed to that before he realized the words coming out of your mouth.

"Wait, (F/n), are you telling the truth?" Namjoon stared at you. Though the two of you had two kids already, it was always exciting to know another would be added to the family. You bit your lip and nodded. Namjoon brought you into a hug and made sure Hakkun was comfortable in the hug. He couldn't stop smiling at you. This was your third pregnancy and you were thrilled, but you were positive this would be your last child. That's the plan at least. Namjoon kissed your lips and looked like he was on top of the world. "I love you so much, (F/n)."

"I love you even more, Joonie." You felt Eunkyung grab your hand. Smiling down at her, she was quite sure of what was going on.

"Can I tell the others?" Namjoon asked for permission. Why not? Nodding, you watched him run out of his office with Hakkun waving at everyone. You walked out with Eunkyung to see what your excited husband would do. "(F/N)'S PREGNANT!!!" Namjoon shouted at the top of his lungs. Everyone in the center heard it as they were eating their food. Lots of them stopped at the news.

"God d*mn it, Namjoon. I told you, (F/n)." Yoongi crossed his arms. "He can't keep it to himself."

"Hell yeah, Mr. Kim! Get it!" Hyunjin threw his fist in the air. The boys were cheering on your husband, so you rolled your eyes. All they thought about was sex instead of the fact that you had a baby inside of you. Taehyung gasped, dropping his utensil to cover his mouth.

"Oh my—congrats (F/n)!" Taehyung clapped. Namjoon was so proud of himself, bouncing Hakkun up and down in his arms. Yoongi wouldn't stop shaking his head. He crouched down and told Eunkyung to come over to him as her second father. You took in all the reactions of your coworkers, friends, and the children in the center. They all just felt like a big family to you. Smiling at the clapping boy, you were grateful for his positivity.

"Thanks, Taehyung."

Chapter Text

Jimin Bonus Ending

The summer without the eldest boys was sad. Everyone felt the difference if we ever showed up at the warehouse. Changes were slowly being made so no one really hung out there anymore. Namjoon would have construction workers there, so Taehyung didn't want to bother them. Namjoon and Hoseok have become busier now that the school year has started already. Hoseok is Ms. Moon's apprentice so he tends to go her salon after school for practice. Namjoon is busy with studying and creating the center. That leaves you with your fellow second year boys. Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jimin were free to hang out all the time.

The four of you are together no matter what. Jungkook may be working towards his dream of becoming a videogame developer, but he still has time to spend with friends. Taehyung has the most free time since he has a guaranteed job with Namjoon in the future. His only real task is to graduate high school. Then Jimin and you are inseparable. He's your best friend after all. He tells you everything that goes on in his life. Especially now that he's a trainee at Jam Entertainment. You're so proud of him and he hears those words constantly because it's the truth. It's how you feel and you simply adore seeing his giant smiles. Jimin can be very cute without even trying.

"Let's go to the park today!" Taehyung suggested.

"I'm down." Jungkook smiled as he looked at you.

"Me too!" You nodded. Taehyung clasped his hands excitedly together. There was only one person who hadn't accepted the invitation yet. Jimin stayed quiet and fidgeted with his long sleeve. Jungkook raised a brow at him, waiting for an answer.

"Are you free, Jimin?" Jungkook asked.

"I...don't think so." Jimin pressed his lips tightly. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"You can't hang out with us?" Taehyung began to frown. "Does Jam Entertainment need you again?"

"I'm sorry..." Jimin stared down at his feet. You placed your hand on his shoulder, squeezing it.

"It's okay, Jiminie. You don't have to worry about it at all." You smiled. "We can always hang out another time."

"You're almost becoming as busy as our hyungs." Jungkook sighed. "What if you called in sick?"

"Is that a thing?" Taehyung turned to Jimin.

"Guys, no. If Jimin has Jam Entertainment in his schedule then he has to go." You crossed your arms.

Jimin had a thankful expression as you spoke for him. He didn't want to ignore his friends, but he was a trainee. He knew he would get busy with this. Lately, whenever Taehyung or Jungkook wanted to hang out as a group, Jimin could never come. Jam Entertainment always needed him to practice. They needed him for one reason or the other. Training takes a lot of time so you guys understood how demanding it could be. It just sucks seeing him less and less. Now when school ends, it's always you hanging out with Jungkook and Taehyung. It's fun as always but you'd be lying if you said you didn't miss Jimin. You wanted to hang out with all the second years or sometimes you just want to spend time alone with Jimin. Dancing like idiots on the track field like you used to.

"I'll make sure to tell you guys when I have a free day." Jimin assured them. "I do want to hang out with you guys though. Please understand."

"We do, Jiminie." Taehyung nodded his head lightly. He gave Jimin a small smile since he wanted to support his best friend. He also just wanted to spend one afternoon with him too. "You know that."

"Thanks, Tae. I'll make time aferter school one day so we can all hang out again. Promise!" Jimin smiled, his eyes becoming cute crescents. Jungkook shoved his hands in his pockets as Jimin faced him.

"You better make time." Jungkook smirked. "You might lose (F/n) to me if you don't."

"How funny." You rolled your eyes.

"(F/n) has standards, Jeon Jungkook." Jimin grinned, becoming sassy.

"She'll fall for me in the end, Park Jimin," Jungkook retorted.

"Or (F/n) ends up with Kim Taehyung." Taehyung shrugged as you went over to give him a hug.

Anytime those two boys fought playfully like this, you would always go to Taehyung. Unlike the others, he never pulled the sh*t they did. Taehyung is a good, respectful friend to you who doesn't do what they do. You're literally standing right in front of them and they're saying you'll fall for them. They do it shamelessly, but it doesn't bother you too much. Jungkook and Jimin pouted, ending the fight the moment Taehyung gave them a boxy grin to have you in his arms. Teasing them by hugging Taehyung is just for fun and they know that themselves too.

Jimin did his best to keep his promise. Unfortunately, Jam Entertainment was slowly becoming more demanding. They need him after school to practice his dancing, vocals, and were basically preparing him to be an idol. That's what he goes there for in the first place. The workload only seemed to increase. Jimin says it's hard, but he wants to complete his dream. No one is able to say a thing after that. Namjoon told him that if it gets too hard then he can quit and it'll be okay. Jimin didn't see it that way though. He felt like this was his last chance. If he quits because it's too hard then that'll tell him he was never ready for this life in the first place.

Under contract, Jimin can't tell you guys too much about what's going on. The company can't afford creating scandals or having important information leaked. Jam Entertainment is still a new company and they only have one debuted idol. She sings ballads and has recently sang a soundtrack for a drama. Other than that, they had no more idols. They did have a bunch of trainees to choose from to create a group. Jimin told you his friend Hyungseong was already set to be in a group, but they were still training before they debut. Taehyung is sad that he only gets to spend time with Jimin at school. Jungkook thinks it sucks, but he's fine with it. Then you were struggling like you never thought you would.

In the beginning, you didn't want to hear anyone complaining about Jimin being a trainee. If his schedule was busy then no one could say a word about it. Now you were starting to mope around. Jimin and you barely talk to each other now. It leaves you feeling drained of energy for some reason. He's your friend and you just want to hang out with him once after school. You still support his dream and everything. Jimin has the skills to accomplish his dreams. He's extremely talented at dancing and you don't know anyone who deserves it more. But even with all that, you're missing him like crazy. The four of you were third years now it was starting to do something to you.

"Whose house are we going to today?" Taehyung stretched his arms.

"My roommate has been getting kind of fussy lately about me bringing guests over." Jungkook rolled his eyes. They looked over to you.

"My place is kind of small, but you guys can come over." You smiled weakly, your eyes traveling over to Jimin who was texting on his phone. The two boys nodded before glancing at their friend. Jimin sent the message as he began to feel eyes on him. He raised his head, his cheeks turning pink from the attention.

"Do I have something on me?" Jimin furrowed his brows, bringing his hand self-consciously to his face.

"You're good, Jimin-a." Taehyung patted his shoulder.

"Are you busy today too?" Jungkook questioned.

"...well...yes." Jimin sighed in defeat. It took a lot out of you not to frown. Jimin looked over to you, giving you a small comforting smile. "I'm sorry. I'm currently setting something up with Jam Entertainment, so I can get more free time."

"You are?" Your eyes widened. The two boys behind you chuckled at your excitement. The two of you began held hands, swinging them around.

"Yeah, so I'll be able to hang out with you guys soon." Jimin nodded. "I just don't know when, but I'm sure it'll be soon."

"Okay, soon then!" You giggled.

The three of you started to wave as Jimin walked in the opposite direction from you guys. Jungkook and Taehyung kept giving you strange looks. What's their deal? They acted like they knew something you didn't. Whatever, it doesn't matter. Both of the boys followed you over to the apartment. Unnie wasn't going to be back early like the usual. She makes it eay to hang out with the boys at your place. Jungkook and Taehyung followed you up the narrow steps. Unlocking the door, you pushed it open as they happily ran inside. You kept thinking about what Jimin had said earlier. He was making efforts to hang out with you guys? That's so sweet of him. It made your chest feel warm as you made it over to your room. Taehyung and Jungkook sat on the floor while you fell onto your bed.

You stayed in your own world. Jimin will eventually get to hang out with you again. The idea made you so happy. It's been so long since the two of you messed around alone. It made you wish you guys could sneak into the secret attic in the warehouse. You wanted to dance in front of Jimin, embarrassing yourself but then witnessing his raw stage presence. Anything he did, he made it look good. How was that even possible? You wanted those good feelings from the old days to come back. Jungkook and Taehyung were talking about classes. At least that's what you believed them to be talking about. Your mind was currently fogged with Jimin. It's like you were infatuated with him!

Wait.

"Do you like grapes, (F/n)!?" Taehyung shouted.

"She can't hear us." Jungkook was waving his hand in front of your face as you broke out into reality. Blinking quickly, you almost forgot where you were.

"Oh my god, I like Park Jimin." You brought your hands up to your head in shock.

"You just realized that?" Jungkook scoffed. "That's kind of old news at this point."

"Huh?" You stared at them. They both had smug faces for knowing this before you. It made you tempted to slap their little smirks off.

"Everyone knows you like Jimin. Namjoon and Hoseok always ask me if Jimin knows, but he's too busy to notice." Taehyung shrugged. "He doesn't even have time to flirt with you anymore."

"Haven't you noticed that I've stopped flirting with you?" Jungkook tilted his head.

"You have?" You were beyond bewildered. It felt like you were in the wrong universe. How come they all knew this before you? And when did Jungkook stop flirting with you? Wouldn't you have noticied something as obvious as that? It didn't make sense. Taehyung laughed at your innocent confusion. You looked back on the last couple of days then weeks. Holy sh*t. Jungkook has stopped flirting with you. He's not lying. "Why am I just realizing this now?"

"Don't know," Jungkook said, "But I stopped flirting with you because I know I can't change your heart." He shrugged as his cheeks became pink. You faced him while feeling touched by his actions.

"Aw, thanks Kookie." You grinned.

"But you know who to come to if he doesn't make you happy." He winked, ruining the sweet mood. It's a good thing Taehyung is also in the room.

"So are you going to pursue Jimin now?" Taehyung asked in excitement. You bit your bottom lip, unsure. You wanted Jimin's attention more than anything. He usually gives you guys some of his attention while the rest is waiting for emails and messages from Jam Entertainment. How are you going to attract his attention if he's always so busy?

"How? He's too busy with Jam Entertainment." You frowned.

"Well, then just audition for Jam Entertainment!" Jungkook made it sound like this was the obvious solution. "Simple!"

"That's good! You should do that!" Taehyung clapped his hands together. "It'll definitely get Jiminie's attention!"

"Audition for Jam Entertainment?" You scoffed in disbelief.

Though you wanted to enter a romantic relationship with Jimin, that was not going to happen. Even if Jimin gave you one hundred percent of his attention for five seconds. Jam Entertainment wouldn't accept you in the first place. Then there's also the fact that you're not that desperate that you would follow Jimin into his work place. Plus, you could handle dancing in front of your friends. Especially Jimin. The idea of dancing in front of others sounded horrible. There was nothing appealing about this plan but Jungkook and Taehyung were smiling like they were geniuses. That couldn't be farther from the truth. They're crazy if they think you're going to do that sh*t.

Maybe Taehyung and Jungkook aren't that crazy. Maybe it's you who's the crazy one. The fact that you even showed up to one of the auditions speaks volumes. You sat in a room filled with girls who were practing their singing and stretching. Jam Entertainment liked to do group auditions which made you feel a little better about doing this. It wouldn't be as intimidating with other girls getting judged too. A woman with a clipboard opened the door, stating all the names that needed to enter the room. Kwon (F/n). There you go. Standing up at the mention of your name, you took in a deep breath as you entered the terrifying room.

All you saw were a bunch of girls nervously leaving. Some were confident, but a majority of them were about ready to cry. Is the choreographer that intimidating? Swallowing hard, three girls trailed behind you as you stepped into a good-sized room. The floor was wooden and one wall in the room was entirely made out of mirrors. This is starting to feel real and you're not so sure you like that. Two girls behind you were whispering. They were pointing out things about the studio and then they started mentioning the choreographer. He's attractive apparently. Turning around, you looked for the male but you couldn't quite spot him. It wasn't until you realized it was the male in all white. He was wearing a large Puma sweat shirt and pants with a white hat blocking most of his face. Yes, very attractive and you can't even see his face.

"I'm Sohye," One girl started, but the choreographer cut it there.

"I can read your labels. Introductions waste time so we'll start dancing right away." The voice sounded oddly familiar, but the words coming out made it feel off. The girls stopped talking as he looked up. He lifted his hat slightly and your heart almost stopped.

"Jimin??" Your lips parted in shock. You knew Jimin could be scary when he was angry, but you didn't expect this. Him taking charge like this was actually kind of hot. Jimin's eyes widened to see you in here. Not to mention, everyone in this room didn't know what was going on.

"(F/n)? What are you doing here?" Jimin frowned. His voice became softer and quieter, making his previous intimidation not fel as strong.

"I'm auditioning! What does it look like?" You put your hands on your hips. Jimin sighed heavily, looking at the staff in the room before nodding.

"Okay, let's just get started then." Jimin walked up to the front of the mirror.

No one knew the meaning of 'disaster' until that audition happened. To be fair, you were exaggerating about how bad it went. You really didn't like watching yourself dance through the mirror. It also felt weird to have Jimin watching your body to make sure you did the right moves. His voice was softer than how he originally spoke at the start of the audition. The girls weren't as scared to hear Jimin's light voice. He explained the choreography well, but you just weren't a dancer. Jimin has improved a lot with explaining though. He knows how to use counts now! It made you proud of him throughout the whole audition. You didn't care if you looked strange. It felt nice to be around Jimin. The only truly embarrassing part was when he got physical to show you how to do a move.

"Put your hand here and slide your body down." Jimin showed you on himself. The other girls understood already, but he was making sure you got it.

"Like this?" You tried. Jimin watched through the mirror and licked his bottom lip when you finished.

He didn't say a thing and went behind your body. Trying not to react, you made sure to have a calm facial expression. Everyone can see your face because of the mirror. Jimin held your hand and helped you do the correct move. Your face was on fire. It didn't help that Jimin cleared his throat to focus when you had your @ss pressed up against his crotch. By the end of the audition, the girls most likely hated you. They probably thought you were receiving special attention because you knew Jimin. There's no way you were getting a call back though. They were good dancers who had this as their dream. You were here to catch the attention of a boy which you were actually successful with.

That didn't mean Jimin was happy with the stunt you pulled. It's one thing if you actually wanted to be a Jam trainee, but you auditioned just to catch his attention. Not only does it waste the company's time, but also the girls trying out. The choreographers were switched out so Jimin could talk to you outside of the building. The two of you sat on a stone bench with a lot of plants surrounding the area. He was running a hand through his hair, wondering if he should scold you professionally or give you a friendly warning. Coming to audition was a stupid plan from the start. You can't believe you actually listened to Jungkook's plan instead of logic.

"Why'd you come?" Jimin asked as he stared at the ground.

"I ca—" You began to speak, but he wasn't done yet. Jimin didn't want your answers.

"Do you know how unprofessional the staff will see me? People are going to think I was showing favoritism." Jimin frowned. "I used to be a trainee to be an idol, but I asked if I could be a choreographer. They were testing me to see if I could teach new possible trainees."

"..." You felt a giant wave of shame hit you. All the reasons you came here were selfish. There was not a single good reason to explain why you were here in the first place. It was better to take responsibility "I'm sorry, Jimin."

"I'm hoping they let me become a choreographer. That way I get to have more free time to hang out with you guys." Jimin connected his eyes with yours. "I told you."

"I didn't know..." You balled up your fists.

You were hating yourself already for possibly ruining his chance at becoming a choreographer. How are you going to fix this? It was reminding you of the callback and deal incident all over again. Looking down to your lap, you regretted your actions greatly. This could have ruined his chances completely. Jimin sighed as he saw you beating yourself up. He placed his hand on your shoulder, pulling you into his chest. A small blush appeared across your cheeks to have him do that. Was he trying to comfort you? Your eyes rose up to see his dark eyes staring softly at you. It was hard to tell if was upset with your or not.

"I'm really sorry, Jimin. I messed up by coming here," You confessed, "I only wanted to see you, but I should've just waited until school or—"

"You wanted to see me?" Jimin broke in. He chuckled at the for some reason. "The things you do for me are crazy."

"W-What do you mean?" Your brows knitted together.

"You came to a drug deal to become my friend." Jimin smiled. He was right. That was literally the start of your friendship with him and the rest of the gang.

"We're literally third years now and I haven't changed?" You scoffed, smacking your forehead. Jimin shook his head and prevented your from hitting yourself again. His eyes had turned to lines from laughter.

"It's okay! I still find it charming and appreciate how far you go for me." Jimin assured you. "But please, next time you want to see just give me a text. I'll find a way to make time for you since I know how far you can go."

"That's embarrassing." You pout. Jimin continued to pat your back. He was mad at first, but now he was okay. The two of you were actually talking to each other and spending time alone. Should you tell him how you truly feel? Jimin's already told you that he likes you before. You really had nothing to lose. "Jimin?"

"Yeah, (F/n)?" Jimin asked.

"I have feelings for you..." You got yourself to say, but you wanted to be blunter, "I l-like you." Jimin was automatically surprised to hear this. He turned to see your face, making sure that you were telling the truth. Why would you lie about it? Jimin didn't know what to say. He began to smile to himself as the words set in. That's when he wrapped his arms around you, bringing you into a tight hug.

"You do!? Oh my God, I can't believe this!" Jimin pulled away slightly to look at your face. "I'm so...I don't know what to say."

"You're that surprised?" You tiltled your head, smiling at him. Jimin was becoming teary eyed as his grip around you tightened.

"I like you too." Jimin was still in disbelief. "You like me?"

"I do, Jimin. I like you so much!" You nodded.

"I'm so happy!" Jimin brought you closer to him again. He kissed your cheek, laughing from happiness with you. He repeated how he felt as his grip on you grew tighter like he never wanted to let you go. You're happy too.

*~*

Jimin is an incredibly talented angel. Those are just the facts and one of the main reasons you fell for him. He's always been the absolute sweetest to you. The most understanding, loving, and he's perfect as your boyfriend. It's also a good thing that he works so hard towards his dream. Jam Entertainment was understanding about your little audition and gave him the chance to be a choreographer anyway. That meant he had more free time to hang out with you and the others. Everyone figured the two of you would end up together. They all considered it obvious in their opinion. To some of the boys, they thought you guys were too sweet with each other. It's not your fault you love Jimin so much.

He's a harderworker who's determined to be known as a great choreographer. Though Jimin sometimes needed help with his confidence, he's improved a lot with his self-esteem. You give him pep talks all the time anyway. Jimin knows you're his biggest supporter. There's nothing hotter than someone determined to accomplish their dreams in life. Jimin is ambitious and is becoming less afraid to take risks. This was making him important to Jam Entertainment. All the dances Jimin created broke down emotions into complex choreography. It was like Jimin knew how to express exact emotions through little body movement. His choreography has gotten Jam Entertainment attention and his name was starting to get known. That's your Park Jimin! Reaching his goals like it's nobody's business!

The reason you found his accomplishments even more amazing is because of what he had to go through. It didn't take long for Jimin to come clean to you. He sat you down one day to talk about his personal home life. You didn't know a thing about his parents until you guys began dating. Jimin told you how his parents were never around. Even today, they're practically nonexistent in life. He had no support on his dancing until he met you. It explained to you why Jimin craved affection and why he was needy to know what people thought of him. It only made you want to hug Jimin tightly to keep him safe and make him feel loved. The only good thing that came out of that rough past was the fact that Jimin discovered dancing and fell in love with it through being lonely.

While Jimin was a successful choreographer, you worked with your sister. The two of you created an online shopping website. People buy your clothes and you guys send it out. It's really fun. Especially since you get to do it with your sister. Unnie brought up the idea to you before you graduated and so that's your job now. She managed to convince you into it, but you found it interesting from the start. The clothes you guys sell are mainly women's clothing and accessories. Right now you sat in a café with unnie, enjoying the day. Jimin is going to be picking you up soon. Today's the day when everyone is going to reunite again. Seokjin is coming back from Australia and Yoongi is coming back from the military. You're ready to cry a river when it happens. The reuion is going to be so sweet.

"What'd you get?" Unnie looked at your drink.

"The usual." You shrugged, taking a sip through the straw. Unnie always bought a different drink every time and was currently making a sour face at her own drink. She's too picky so she ends up hating them anyway. Honestly, that's her with men too.

"Okay, well I redid the website! I made it easier to get to the checkout with over ten items since some people were experiencing glitches," Hyosung unnie stated. She's really good with technology so she did a lot of updates and improving the experience for shoppers. "It took me a while to realize what was wrong."

"That's good." You nodded. "I've also sponsored someone's video, so they can get the name of our website out there. Sound good?"

"Yes! Advertise the crap out of it." Unnie grinned, taking a sip of her drink before scrunching up her face again. You were about to tell her that she needed to stop trying random drinks until the door opened. The both of you looked over to see Jimin walking in. A huge smile went on your face as you stood up to hug him.

"My angel~!" You kissed his lips. The two of you already had your hands on each other, holding one another tightly. This was typically how you guys greeted each other. Jungkook said it was like you guys couldn't get out of the honeymoon phase. He was very right.

"Hey, Wonderful." Jimin smiled. He rested his forehead against yours, ready to kiss you again and again.

"Gross." Unnie pouted. Well, she knows how to ruin the mood.

"You're just lonely," You retorted.

"Do you have to point it out?" She sighed in defeat.

Jimin and you chuckled. Everyone thought you guys were too sweet. Mainly your sister, but you knew she was happy for you anyway. All the boys were happy too, but you understood how you two could be too lovey dovey. The door opened again and the only reason it caught your attention was because an older boy walked up to Jimin. He was incredibly tall that it was almost intimidating. He had smokey hair that looked really cool. The roots were black but then it transtioned into grey tips. You figured he knew Jimin since he came off as an idol to you just by standing there. Lots of people in the café were staring at him with interest. Jimin was the only one who didn't find it weird and smiled at him happily. The way Jimin looked at this male was similar to how Taehyung looked at Namjoon.

"Are you coming back to Jam tonight or are you going straight home? The group wants me to ask since you're right here," He said.

"I'm gonna go straight home." Jimin seemed excited talking to him. That's when he nudged you. "(F/n), this is my friend Hyungseong hyung. He's really cool and he's currently in a rookie idol group. He gave me the ride here!"

"You're Hyungseong!? I hear so much about you!" You stared at the male in awe. He looked down bashfully before giving Jimin a little smirk.

"You talk about me?" Hyungseong laughed. "Jimin, you admire me too much for nothing."

"That's not true!" Jimin shook his head. "You've worked so hard and now you're actually an idol."

"Well thank you. I appreciate that." Hyungseong bowed his head slightly. Everything was calm until a loud screech was heard. Someone abruptly stood up from their chair out of nowhere. The three of you looked to the source of the noise to see Hyosung unnie in shock. Her eyes were wide and she almost looked outraged. What is her deal now?

"Hyungseong!?" She gasped.

"Hyosung noona?" He furrowed his brows. Jimin and you were officially confused.

"You've changed your hair!" She pointed out.

"The company had me change it!" Hyungseong explained.

"Are you still lying about being a trainee?" Hyosung crossed her arms. "Too busy to date me two years ago?"

"What's going on?" Jimin whispered to you. It didn't help that you were just as clueless. Hyungseong gave her a giant eyeroll which earned him a scoff from your sister.

"I was never lying. You're just needy," Hyungseong remarked.

"And you're a snob!" Unnie stomped her feet.

She stared at him intensely, her cheeks slowly becoming pink. She wasn't embarrassed by the fact that she made a scene in the café. The number of eyes on the two of them didn't affect her. Unnie didn't have shame like that. You're her sister so you knew why she was turning red like that in front of Hyungseong. She still found him attractive. Hyungseong didn't say anything after that. He stared at her, biting back on his words. Jimin wiggled his eyebrows next to you. It seems like your boyfriend was able to pick up on his friend still being attracted too. This was crazy. It felt like a drama that you couldn't look away from.

"D-Do you still have my number?" Hyungseong asked.

"Deleted it," Unnie replied with her hands on her hips.

"Well I had my number changed. Do you want the new one?" He asked with a hopeful tone. Unnie raised a brow at him, trying her best not to smile.

"Why not?" Hyosung pulled out her phone as they began talking again. Jimin looked at you, completely entertained.

"Can't wait for the next episode." You grinned as he nodded. This was incredibly amusing to watch. Your sister's flirting explained a lot to you. Luckily, it looked like Hyungseong still had interest in her somehow. Maybe, just maybe they'll end up together and you won't have to deal with unnie calling you on a Friday night, crying about not being able to find a man! That sounded like a lovely miracle.

The two of you said your goodbyes to them. Though it would be fun to witness them interacting with each other more, you guys had a reunion to go to. It's extremely important. Jimin was having the hardest time containing his excitement. By the time you guys arrived at the center, Seokjin and Yoongi were already there. They were getting jumped by all of the members. Jungkook was currently piggy back riding Seokjin meanwhile the other boys attacked Yoongi with affection. Taehyung was clinging onto his leg, Hoseok had his arms around the boy's slender torso, and Namjoon was giving Yoongi a back hug. Both older boys didn't seem to be a fan of this type of affection.

"You're heavy!" Seokjin whined.

"I missed you, Hyung! Don't ever go again or I'll beat you up!" Jungkook threatened.

"Yah! Fine!" Seokjin slowly fell to the ground. Jungkook grinned, patting his back and looking like a bunny. Seokjin sighed gratefully and gave the maknae a proper hug.

"Let me go now." Yoongi sighed as if he was annoyed, but the smile on his face told another story.

"Just a little longer, Hyung," Hoseok said.

"We're going to have a lot of fun working together." Namjoon chuckled.

"I'm so happy you're back, Yoongi hyung!" Taehyung's bottom lip was quivering. He was trying his best not to cry but immediately became unsuccessful.

He sobbed into Yoongi's pant leg like no tomorrow. Eventually that led to Hoseok crying too while Namjoon and Yoongi only became teary eyed. Seokjin only cried slightly as he held the maknae, sad he missed seeing him grow up. Jimin came running towards Seokjin. It turned into a giant embrace. Soon the boys turned it into a giant group hug, squeezing each other and promising to never disappear again. You joined in the hug, feeling like you were going to cry from happiness. This was the family you adored so much. The family that made Jimin feel like he wasn't alone anymore. You loved all of them with every fiber in your body. Seokjin and Yoongi missed everyone. They made sure to say a few words before the reunion came to an end.

"I trust you, Jimin." Seokjin smiled. "You guys are perfect for each other."

"I agree," Yoongi chimed in, "I would have hated (F/n) ending up with anyone here except for you, Jimin."

"Aw, you guys are sweet." Jimin's eyes turned to lines.

"But can we trust, (F/n)?" Seokjin turned to you, making you feel almost offended.

"If you hurt Jimin then we're all going to become thugs in a split second, you do realize that Kwon (F/n)?" Yoongi questioned.

"I'll make sure to take care of your boy." You calmed them down. "I love him."

"You hyungs!" Jimin playfully smacked them. "I'll be fine but thank you for worrying."

"You know it, Jiminie." Yoongi smirked.

"All jokes aside, I'm sure the two of you are going to be very happy together." Seokjin nodded.

Jimin's hyungs were completely right about that. Whenever it feels like your relationship with Jimin can't get better, it magically does somehow. Seeing him smile warms your heart or hearing his laughter cheers you up. He says that you do the same for him. That you've been bringing him happiness since the two of you were first years. Jimin calls you his everything or his all. It makes you feel special. Even now that two years later when you guys are married, Jimin still makes your heart race like when you first started dating. He treats you right and you kept your promise to his hyungs. You try your hardest to make sure Jimin is happy.

Everyone in this town seems to be getting their happy ending too. Namjoon's center is helping so many kids in this town. Taehyung and Yoongi have jobs to support themselves and get to stick around the guys that loved the gang the most. Seokjin has become a famous model. He's known for his handsome looks worldwide and is going to start an acting career very soon. Hoseok has made Ms. Moon's salon well known and has now started his own salon. Then Jungkook has finally gotten his videogame out there and it was picking up speed in the gaming community. You couldn't be prouder of these boys. It wasn't just boys that you were proud of. Hyosung unnie has recently married Hyungseong. It became the talk of the town, an idol getting married before his career even really took off. This brought up a lot of discussion and was slowly making people more comfortable with the idea of celebrities having relationships. There was still a long way to go, but you were proud.

Not to mention, your own husband has worked with multiple idols and is the main reason Jam Entertainment has become a bigger company. Jam Entertainment has become well known as the company that takes dancing seriously and all their idols have to reach a certain standard. Your Jimin did that! Jimin and you sat in your bedroom. He saw at the edge of the bed with you, rethinking tonight's events. You didn't go with him, but you witnessed it on live television. You were rooting for him the entire time. That's when you saw it happen. Immediately, the groupchat you had with your favorite boys was flooded with congratulations. Namjoon, Seokjin, Yoongi, Hoseok, Taehyung, and Jungkook were all watching it on TV too.

"I can't believe I got an award for best K-Pop choreography of the year..." Jimin stared at the award in his hands. He came back from a long night at an awards event. He went on stage with Hyungseong's idol group that was starting to really take off.

"You did it. I'm so, so, so proud of you!" You kissed his cheek.

"My dreams...they've practically all came true. What now?" Jimin turned to you nervously.

"You make new ones, Jimin." You ran your hand through his soft hair. "You're incredibly ambitious so I know you'll get more goals soon." Jimin smiled at you softly with loving eyes.

"Thank you so much. For believing in me, (F/n)." Jimin gripped his trophy tightly.

"You even thanked me on live television!" You squealed before mimicking, "'I can't believe this. It doesn't feel real, but I'd like to thank my wife right away. Park (F/n), I love you!'"

"You memorized it?" Jimin laughed in disbelief.

"I almost fainted!" You giggled.

Jimin set the award side, placing his hand at the side of your face. He guided your head towards him, so he could give you a sweet and loving kiss. It was gentle but made your heart pound violently. His plump lips were nice to feel against yours. By the time the two of you parted, the idea you had in your head was official. You've been wanting this for some time now but you never knew if you were ready for this or if Jimin even was. It'd be a giant step in your relationship with him. Plus, a huge responsibility that you were willing to take. Grabbing a hold of Jimin's hand, you stared at him with an excited smile. He stared at you with slight curiosity.

"You're excited, my All?" Jimin asked as he brought your hand up to kiss it. "My everything."

"Jimin, I want to take a step further in our relationship," You said. His eyes connected with yours. "It's going to change everything."

"How so, Beautiful?" Jimin squeezed your hand. "Being with you already is like a dream come true."

"I want to start trying for kids. Can we?" You suggested. Jimin immediately wrapped his arms around you, almost knocking you back onto the bed. Laughing at his actions, you tangle your fingers into his hair. "Is that a yes?"

"Yes! A million times yes!" Jimin kissed your lips again, repeatedly pecking you with kisses. "I love you so much! I love you! I love you!"

"Give me a chance to say it back!" You giggled as he paused. He stared at you with eyes filled with pure love and adoration for you. The feeling was so strongly mutual. "I love you, Park Jimin."