[CONTENTID1]CHAPTER FOURTEEN[/CONTENTID1]

[CONTENTID2]

It had been close to a week from when HoSeok had forced me to stay in NamJoon’s condo, living in his room while he slept on the couch, and occasionally in YoonGi’s room, since the man was gone most of the time, anyway. Nobody questioned my stay, not even HoSeok came to confront me about my father. Presumably, it was because of the first time that I had been stuck in this house; when SeokJin was treating my back. JiMin, of all people, was about to bring the topic up, but was immediately quietened down by both JeongGuk and TaeHyung.

As the early hours of the slowly ticked by, I stood leaning on the window sill, looking into the empty and cold streets. The steaming coffee in my hands had left a nice sensation of warmth on my freezing limbs and I sighed with relief as I had smelled the delicious smell coming from the kitchen. SeokJin was already up and busy, making everyone breakfast.

Of course, on the first morning of my stay I had tried making breakfast, but was instantly shooed away by SeokJin himself, as he had claimed the kitchen as his own spot and he required utmost privacy while cooking. I quietly gave up, knowing just how stubborn the eldest man could be, and so the kitchen is now all his.

I heard a loud yawning sound from behind me, and so decided to glance at the person who finally woke up, and was definitely not surprised at the presence of a dead beat NamJoon. The dark circles under his eyes had deepened from the last time I saw him, which was two days ago. He looked pale, nearly sick, and seeing as he just woke up- I couldn’t say that the sleep had relieved much of his tension in the body; he did not get any rest at all.

“Good morning.” I quietly greeted the older male who was walking with his eyes closed, instinctively stepping towards the smell of food.

I didn’t get a work in reply as the man was still basically sleeping, but I only chuckled at his tired back, though concern still gnawed at my heart.

However, NamJoon was not even that much of a problem, since I wrote everything off on him working too much for his own good. What concerned me even more than NamJoon was Jung HoSeok himself; the man that made me live with them for my own benefit, meanwhile being sick himself. Looking back at my words, however, I had no way of proving how the male was sick.

As another sigh of content from the warm liquid flew off from my mouth and I turned back to face the window, I was startled out from my feet as somebody blew air onto my ear. Speak of the devil, or so they say. “Did you just… Squeak?” HoSeok’s highly amused voice questioned.

Angry, I turned to face the male and my breath hitched. It was a surprise that SeokJin did not try to forcefully feed this man, because I would bet a lot of money on the fact that if HoSeok would lift his shirt up, there would barely be skin and bones. “Don’t do that anymore, you…” I threatened with wide eyes, trying to carefully sweep my eyes all over his body. “Did you sleep on the couch?”

He tried to square his shoulders up, twisting the bones back into their places as he grunted while stretching. “Yeah… YoonGi’s home right now. In fact, I think he should be in the kitchen as we speak.”

“Let’s swap places, HoSeok.” I quietly muttered, the guilt of allowing a sick person sleep on a couch eating me up from the inside. “You sleep on the bed in your own room and I’ll sleep on the couch, yeah?” I lifted my eyes up from the half empty cup of coffee, and was unpleasantly greeted by HoSeok’s stern expression.

“I told you already, MiRan,” he was frowning, clearly unhappy about my declaration. “I can’t make you sleep in the God damned living room. Not after how I saw you being treated.”

“Don’t pity me, HoSeok.” I said sternly, and from behind I saw YoonGi just emerging his own room, a leather jacket on hand as he ruffled his light-brown hair. “And I guess you were wrong about YoonGi. He just woke up.” Saying these words for the finality, I my heel and started waddling to the kitchen, tired feet taking me straight to the stool.

“Is something the matter between you and HoSeok?” YoonGi’s morning voice asked from behind me. “You two seemed a little tense just now.”

I shook my head lightly, plumping onto the stool and placing the cup of coffee away from me. “It’s okay.”

“YoonGi’s right, though…” NamJoon’s still sleepy voice quipped. “By chance, are you two dating?”

“We’re not. Enough with the small chatter and just eat, Monie.” HoSeok answered curtly, showing the spoon of porridge that NamJoon held in his hand, into his mouth, nearly choking the man; all the while adoring that angelic smile of his.

The silence fell over the kitchen’s island, leaving only some room for the clatter of spoons against the porcelain. Nobody spoke, and the air around us was tense as there were questions to ask, and secrets to keep. And yet still, not one of us started any of the uncomfortable topics.

“MiRan, speed up. I’ll take you to school.” YoonGi claimed, discarding his dishes into the sink and swinging one arm into his leather jacket.

Of course he would, he was the only one with the car.

“Yes.” I replied weakly, trying to pry my eyes open. “SeokJin, that was delicious. Thank you for the food. I’ll meet you at the part time later. NamJoon, good luck working today. HoSeok… Don’t cause too much trouble.” My heart hurt at saying those words. None of us were happy with our current situation.

SeokJin was not a happy employee working in a good business and earning big money.

NamJoon… Was obviously a workaholic, too matured for his own age; only the Devil knows how many jobs that man has.

HoSeok doesn’t even have a job, and from time to time I caught his melancholic looks