A ROSE’S SEVEN THORNS

CHAPTER 25

“Anticipation”

Earlier

He just knew things were heating up. For what – he didn't know, but he would be prepared for anything. Because he knew that along with her new friends, Jangmi had gained enemies—their enemies.

Suddenly, he missed when she was a loner.

•••

“What do you mean you don’t have the names of the two guys in the elevator?”

The manager of Black Brief swallowed, averting his eyes away from Detective Lee. “I-uh-I’ve gone over the sign in sheet and couldn’t find the names.”

Detective Lee was not thrown. “Why don’t you let me and my team be the judge of that?”

“O-Of course, Detective,” He replied and handed him the clipboard for that specific day. After he handed it over, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Just letting you know, sir, but I’ve talked with the workers and they met with those signed in and they do not match the descriptions of the two guys.”

The detective sighed as he let the clipboard fall to his side. “It’s not that I don’t believe you. I just have to be certain, but I’m inclined to go off your word.” He shook his head and placed both hands, one with the clipboard, on his hips. “The way the men deliberately avoided the cameras…they knew what they were doing, so I doubt they’d sign in even under fake names.”

The manager nodded before he caught sight of one of his workers waving him down. He looked back at Detective Lee and said, “Do you need anything else, Detective?”

“No,” He shook his head and lifted the clipboard, waving it slightly. “Thanks. I’ll be in touch.”

He nodded before walking off.

“Sunbae.”

Detective Lee turned to see his hoobae walking towards him. “What is it?”

“Tech called,” He reported as he came to a stop in front of him. “There was definitely a cut in the footage, but the hack is untraceable. Wherever it came from is a mystery.”

“Damn it,” Detective Lee cursed as his free hand came to cover his mouth. After a second, he jerked the clipboard and said, “Well, this is probably pointless then. They’re not going to come rob a place and leave behind their signatures, fake or not.”

He turned away and looked up towards the ceiling, thinking deeply. When he looked down, he walked over to the desk and returned the sign in sheet. Then he walked back to his hoobae and jerked his chin towards the exit. As they exited the building, he grew thoughtful. “Hey Park.”

His hoobae, Park, looked at him. “Yes, sunbae?”

“These robberies all around Seoul,” Detective Lee started. “Have you investigated them all?”

“Yes, I have,” Park nodded. “I wasn’t the head investigator, but I helped out on all of them.”

Detective Lee hummed. “And they were all dropped?”

His hoobae nodded once again. “That’s right. We investigated for a long time, but our chief decided to drop them and focus on other things until we got a clue…or when another one happened.”

“And in the beginning, you didn’t know if they were connected?” Detective Lee asked as he opened the door to his vehicle.

Hopping into the passenger’s seat, Park replied, “Correct. It wasn’t until the last few robberies that we were able to connect them all. We examined them, but nothing ever helped find these guys.”

In silence, Detective Lee thought this through. Then he began driving away and after a few seconds, he spoke, “I’m going to need you to gather everything you found from the other robberies.”

Park nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Detective Lee’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. These guys were major professionals. They covered their tracks very well, to the point where they were untraceable. But he refused to believe that these guys could just vanish; commit these crimes and get off unscathed.

He knew there were two involved and he didn’t know how many more, but he’d get them all if it’s the last thing he did. He knew this case was serious, or else he wouldn’t have been called back to Seoul. He travelled all the way back here and he was not leaving until this was solved.

Well, this…but more importantly, until his family situation was solved as well. And if that was solved, he didn’t think he’d leave. He hoped everything worked out and that he could remain in Seoul close to his family. Then he suddenly remembered something about Seoul before he left all those years ago.

“Hey Park…what’s the gang scene like here?”

•••

“Right,” Jangmi cheered happily as she glanced at the BTS members. “So what’s for dinner?” Then she turned to face Jin and jumped softly, excitedly as her eyes sparkled, “Spaghetti carbonara sounds great, just saying, oppa~”

Namjoon, who entered the room as she spoke, made a noise of disapproval. “You’re not staying for dinner.”

“What?” Jangmi drawled in a whine and she unconsciously stomped her foot. It seemed she didn’t even realize how much she acted like a kid. “Why not? I took care of Sucrose like you wanted. Don’t I at least get dinner?”

“Sure,” Namjoon nodded with a smile. When she began to smile, his next statement halted her. “I’ll buy you dinner on the way home.”

Jangmi’s eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you playing at?” Then she sidled up next to Jin. “I’m sure oppa’s cooking is a lot healthier than fast food.”

Jin’s smile was wide now as he pushed out his chest, obviously enjoying the compliments. She would give him a big head about his cooking, but who cares? He was just happy because not only was he handsome, but he also cooked well.

“Yah,” J-Hope laughed as he patted Jin’s shoulder. “Hyung is liking what he hears, but I do have to agree. His food is really delicious.” Jimin and Jungkook nodded in agreement.

Namjoon sighed, “It’s not because I’m trying to get rid of you.” Then he quietly murmured, making Jimin and Jungkook snicker, “If only it were that easy.”

Jangmi didn’t hear, but her eyes narrowed at them. She just knew they were talking about her.

He cleared his throat and looked directly at her. “Eomeoni messaged me and told me to get you as soon as I got back.”

Her nose scrunched and she had to stop herself from groaning loudly. Although she had that talk with Suga, she was still planning to avoid that conversation with her mother tonight. Maybe she could push it off for one more day. But apparently her mother knew her too well and used the Joonie card.

Well played, umma.

At her fallen expression, J-Hope tossed his arm around her shoulder and shook her gently from side to side. Then he cooed, “Aw~ it’s okay, Jangmi-ah! We won’t eat spaghetti carbonara until you’re here to eat it with us.”

Jangmi pointed at him, still allowing him to shake her. “I’ll hold you to that, Hobi.”

J-Hope grinned widely as he released her and ruffled her hair. Jin spoke up then and placed his hand on his heart, “I swear it.”

“Okay, okay,” She laughed then she looked at all of them. “Thanks guys.” When she realized one member was missing, she frowned. “Where’s Taehyung?”

Jimin tilted his head. “He ran off in search of you right when we got home. He bought you two jajangmyeon.” Then his voice turned bitter in a hidden playful manner. “But he didn’t buy his hyung one even though I’m always taking care of him. Hmm.”

She continued to frown as she shook her head. “I didn’t see him…” Trailing off, she looked towards Namjoon. “Joonie, can I—?”

He was already nodding. “Go ahead, but don’t take too long. Ten minutes tops.”

Sending him a nod, she started to walk away as she muttered under her breath, “Don’t put a time limit on me. Who you think you is?”

“What was that?” Namjoon asked loudly, knowing her way too well.

“I said ‘okay’,” She answered as she continued to walk away, lifting her hand to acknowledge him.

Jimin grinned as he tilted his head, eyes turning into crescents. “That was a lot of words for just okay, Jangmi.”

She slowed as she looked over her shoulder and sent him a look. “I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean, Jamless.”

“Ha, nice try,” Jimin snorted as he crossed his arms over his chest somewhat smugly. “That doesn’t bother me anymore.”

“Oh really, Jamless?” She asked him as she turned around to face him fully. “It doesn’t bother you?”

Jimin pushed his chest out and lifted his nose up. “That’s right.”

Her eyes drifted towards the right and then she asked, “You sure?”

Before Jimin could answer, the person on his right spoke up. “Yeah, Jamless-hyung, you’re sure?”

…

“Jeon Jungkook!” He whined loudly.

He could never handle when his favorite maknae was the one calling him Jamless. He was his hyung and sure, he was Jangmi’s oppa but no. Jangmi was in a different category than Jungkook. With Jungkook, he wanted to be a cool hyung and you just didn’t call a cool hyung, Jamless.

Jangmi laughed as the others began to snicker. The maknae smirked at his hyung, but he could not help but grin his cute bunny smile when Jimin squared his shoulders and started coming over to him.

Taking this as her chance, she walked out of the room.

A second later, she reentered the room and asked, “Taehyung’s room—”

“Is the second on the left,” All five members told her simultaneously, completely used to Jangmi’s bad sense of direction. It was amazing how she used to get home every day, but then again GPS was an amazing tool.

Jangmi rubbed the back of her neck and chuckled airily, “Thanks.” Then she left the room and walked down the hall, heading all the way to the second room on the left. Soon, she was standing in front of the door.

It was closed, but the light underneath the door told her someone was in there. So she knocked three times softly and waited for either the door to open or for his voice to call out. When neither happened, she frowned as she tilted her head.

She knocked again and she heard muffled noise inside. Growing curious and a bit concerned, Jangmi moved closer to the door and called out, “Taehyung?”

Silence.

Then all of a sudden, there was a loud thump followed by more muffled noises. At the sudden noises, Jangmi jumped back in surprise. Just then, the door opened and she was met with a messy haired Taehyung.

He moved forward and stumbled as his foot was still caught in his sheets. His stumble was rougher than expected and he fell forward. Jangmi was taken back and had a very slow reaction. One minute, he was standing there and the next, he was sprawled out on the floor in front of her.

When he fell, she caught sight of his bedroom. She’d been in here plenty of times because he never failed to show her all the cool things he’s collected. For example, all his little toy cars. His room had never been spotless, but it also wasn’t a pigsty. But right now, his room was borderline pigsty.

His bedsheets were thrown all over the floor, one tangled around Taehyung’s foot. His lamp was on the floor as well, but it looked like it had been thrown. His tiny garbage can was tilted and trash had poured onto the floor, including two empty bowls that once held jajangmyeon.

Shocked by the state of his room and his fall, Jangmi ducked down quickly. She touched Taehyung’s shoulder and helped him, “Are you alright?”

He stood straight and tried to walk back when he stumbled again. Luckily, he caught himself and Jangmi ducked back down to unwrap the sheets from his foot. Once she was done, she stood and asked again, “Are you alright, Tae?”

Taehyung nodded and continued to remain blank. His entire expression was blank and Jangmi was taken back. She knew he got like this sometimes and he never really had a reason for it. And if he did, no one really knew what was going on inside his head.

She didn’t believe him, but he’d tell her when he wanted to. So she’d focus on something that really made her curious. She moved her head to the side and looked past Taehyung to see his room.

As she did this, he moved to the side, his hair moving, and blocked her sight. She moved the other direction and he was quick to follow. They repeated this one more time before Jangmi narrowed her eyes at him and he still remained blank. She hmphed before she leaned her head to the left and waited for him to follow. He did not disappoint and at the last second, she moved to the right and entered the room.

“Ah-ha!” She cried out happily and then froze when she stepped on something. Jangmi looked down and saw her foot stepping on an empty bowl. She squinted as she tried to read the wrapper. “Jajangmyeon…” Then she understood and glanced at both bowls before looking back at Taehyung.

His blank mask was cracking, but that wasn’t what she was focusing on. Her eye narrowed in on the black sauce around his lips. Then she gasped and pointed at his face, “You ate all the jajangmyeon!”

Taehyung’s blankness was gone as his eyes shifted to the side. He shook his head and fibbed, “That was from yesterday.”

“You didn’t clean the sauce off since yesterday?” She asked him as she placed her hands on her hips. Then she pointed sternly at him when he started to nod. “Don’t nod because I saw you earlier and your face was clean. Kim Taehyung, tell me.”

He was quiet as he bit his lip and tried to think of anything to say. He knew he was caught, but how could he tell her that he was an emotional eater? How could he tell her that he ate his emotions in the form of two large bowls of jajangmyeon?

Sure, after he saw his hyung looking at her, he lost his appetite. He then locked himself in his room and pulled his sheets off to make himself into a burrito. He tossed his pillows on the floor, so he could lay comfortably on them. Then he started thinking about Suga and Jangmi and the way he stared and the next thing he knew, he was stuffing his face with jajangmyeon.

He finished the first bowl with ease and then he quickly moved onto the second one. Eating distracted him and he was just so happy he had these two bowls. After he finished, he tried to throw them in his small garbage but they didn’t make it. At that, he only sighed and tried to make himself into a burrito again.

Just when he got all secure and situated, there were knocks at his door. He froze and remained silent. He really didn’t feel like talking with anyone and he hoped they’d leave if they didn’t think he was in here. He was content to stay there, but they kept knocking.

He made a loud sigh and then clapped his hand on his mouth, hoping they hadn’t heard him. Or if they did, then maybe they thought he had fallen asleep. He was planning to stay quiet, but then she spoke and his eyes shot to the door.

Taehyung stayed quiet before he tried to get up quickly. He should’ve gotten up slowly, but he wanted to see her. He’d been so out of it that he forgot that she was going to wake up. What made him want to see her even more was that she came to seek him out.

Since he had gotten up quickly, he actually fell back with a loud thump. Then the blanket around his legs loosened and he stumbled, still trying to move fast. That was how he knocked over the small trash. And as he tried to free his arms, he did it roughly and he hit his lamp.

Then he was able to make it to the door and pull it open. He went to move forward when he realized his foot was still caught and that’s how he ended up sprawled out on the floor in front of Jangmi.

Jangmi.

He hadn’t wanted her to see the mess he created and he also didn’t want her to see his jajangmyeon evidence. The evidence that he had eaten both bowls even though he promised to bring her some. Honestly, he didn’t even remember that one was for her. He just wanted to continue eating because food made everything better.

He didn’t know how to explain, so he turned away and said, “I refuse to answer any questions without a lawyer present.”

…

She blinked once. Twice.

Then a large grin overtook her face as she begun laughing. She bent over and held her stomach as she continued to release laughs. “You’re something else, Taehyung.”

V froze at her sudden laughter and glowing grin. His face turned blank as he started to realize something. He had freaked out because he saw Yoongi staring at her, but that’s just it. Suga was staring at her; she wasn’t staring back. Jangmi didn’t give his hyung grins like she was giving him now.

The two were always arguing, or simply ignoring each other. And maybe that’s how far it went, but Taehyung’s stomach always twisted when he recalled Yoongi’s stare. It seemed he’d have to keep an eye on things, but as he did that, he’d also spend more time with Jangmi.

Why? Because he loved to be around her.

Also because he had to keep all these guys away from her. He’d heard about GOT7’s Jackson and BamBam trying to flirt with her from J-Hope. And let’s not forget about Zico; Taehyung just knew something was fishy – Namjoon’s facial expressions said it all. And now he had to watch his own hyung.

Luckily, his other hyungs and his maknae didn’t give him this uneasy feeling in his stomach when Jangmi was around them. He was sure they saw her as a little sister (Jungkook, of course, saw her as his noona) or just a friend. Then again, he’d thought Suga saw her as a nuisance…but who looks at a nuisance like that?

But like he said – he was going to enjoy his time with Jangmi. No one could stop him from doing that.

When Jangmi finally stopped laughing, she grinned widely at him. His blank expression stayed for a few seconds, which made Jangmi’s grin falter slightly. Then he grinned his signature square grin and made a weird noise. One that sounded like a high-pitched squeal, one that could only be his own language.

Jangmi laughed again and Taehyung felt happy that he could make her laugh. He moved closer to her and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry for eating your jajangmyeon, Rosie. I was just…really hungry, yeah that’s it.”

Waving him off, she said, “It’s no problem. Umma wants me home ASAP, so I wouldn’t have been able to eat it with you.” Then she scrunched her nose playfully and spoke, “But next time, you owe me.”

“You got it!” He agreed happily, showing her a thumbs up.

She nodded and then glanced at her wrist. “I better get back to Namjoon before he chews me out for taking longer than ten minutes.”

“I’ll walk you out,” He told her as he kicked the sheets away from his feet.

Jangmi looked around the room. “You need help cleaning up?”

Taehyung looked around for a bit before he shrugged. “Nah, I’ll clean it later.”

“You better hope Hoseokie doesn’t come in here and hound you for dirtying your room,” Jangmi told him as they started to walk out of the room.

She had soon discovered that even though Jin was the gang’s umma, J-Hope was the cleanly one. He was always cleaning up whatever he could, but sometimes he’d nag the younger ones when they continued to make a mess, despite him just cleaning it the previous day.

V grinned cutely, “Nah~ Hobi-hyung loves me!” Then he threw his arm over her shoulders and started to speak, “So Rosie…do you really need so many guy friends?”

His job started now.

•••

Jangmi entered the house quietly. She gently placed her shoes by the door before she glanced around. She didn’t see or hear anyone in the kitchen. She froze when she noticed her mother sitting on the couch watching TV.

Looking from the back of her mother’s head to the stairs, she figured she could make it if she was quiet enough. She sighed inaudibly and began tiptoeing towards the stairs. She didn’t make it two steps before her mother’s voice called out.

“Lee Jangmi, on couch. Now.” Her mother always did have eyes in the back of her head.

She stopped abruptly and turned around swiftly, heading towards the couch. “Hey umma, I was just going upstairs to change but I suppose I can do that after.” She plopped on the love seat and noticed that her brother was sitting there as well.

Jangho glanced at her and she could read his look. He didn’t want to be here either, but they wouldn’t want to deal with their mother’s temper. Their mother could be scary when she wanted and it was even scarier to be on the end of that anger.

The variety show went to a commercial and Mrs. Lee muted it.