(Please see A/N at the end of chapter)

Ye Seul stared at Jin’s broad retreating back, bewildered. She really didn’t understand the reason why the boy had to be so hostile to her. She looked on, stumped, as two other boys followed him out.

“What did I do?” she turned to Hoseok, confused. Hoseok sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You just don’t talk to Jin hyung that way.” Jimin said quietly, looking thoroughly displeased with her.

“He’s the eldest, Ye Seul. And, well, we all look up to him a lot.” Hoseok explained, a little more nicely, “When Jin hyung suggests something, he always has a very plausible reason for it. And we did agree to the no girls rule.”

“That’s okay, though.” Ye Seul said, hesitantly, “I mean, this was just a one-time thing and I really won’t be running into you like this again.”

“Yeah…” V scratched the nape of his neck, “That would have worked, had you not drawn attention to yourself with that amazing bit of performance.”

“They’re going to be asking for you, and, well…” Hoseok hesitated, “We don’t really disobey them, unless we want to get into trouble.”

“By them, you mean…?” Ye Seul asked.

“Eric hyung and the rest of Shinhwa.” Hoseok explained, “They started out as an underground dance group like us. And then made it big. And now they hold illegal underground dance competitions.”

“Oh.” Ye Seul said, having nothing else to say to that, and then asked, “What are you guys called then?”

“Bangtan Sonyeondan.” Jungkook said, “Bangtan Boys. BTS.”

“Ah…and earlier he…Jin…kept calling you…J-Hope?” Ye Seul asked Hoseok, curiously.

“That’s my underground name…sort of…like yours is probably going to end up being Jen…unless you change it, of course.” Hoseok shrugged, “When we’re here, we refer to each other only by those names. And the names stay here. We never speak this names anywhere else.”

“Right.” Ye Seul, deadpanned, wondering what she had really got herself into, “And no one else…like in school…knows about your clandestine night time activities, I assume?”

“Only those who are also in this business.” Taehyung nodded, “You’re not allowed to talk about this. I hope you understood that bit after the whole drama.”

“Yes.” Ye Seul swallowed thickly, “Um, you said they’re going to be asking for me again. But J-Jin just said that…that you won’t be taking responsibility for me any more…?”

“It doesn’t work like that, and Jin hyung knows that.” Jimin frowned, “They’ll find you, they’ll tail you and they might even forcefully haul you here…if they go slightly far.”

“They can’t have you blabbing all over the place, so they’ll make sure you’re deep enough in this. Then blabbing will get you into as much trouble as it will get them in.” Hoseok sighed.

“Jin hyung…whatever he said…he didn’t mean a word of it.” Jungkook said, softly, “He knew, as well as any of us, when Hope hyung claimed you were with us, that we’re going to be responsible for you, whether we like it or not. Jin hyung actually feels the most responsible.”

“His reason for not wanting girls in the group…?” Ye Seul asked hesitantly.

“That is something you need to ask Jin hyung, not us.” Jimin said, firmly. Ye Seul nodded, feeling intimidated.

“That was some y performance, babe!” came a drunk obnoxious voice from behind them, at that moment.

Hoseok discretely pulled Ye Seul by the elbow and away from the gang of boys that appeared, all looking rather tipsy.

“You guys going to perform in this condition?” Taehyung asked one of the boys, who was leaning heavily on another for support.

“We’re not performing.” The boy who was supporting the drunk lad said grumpily, “Shownu didn’t turn up.”

“Oh.” Jimin frowned, “Why not?”

“Some family business he mentioned.” The boy shook his head, “I better get I.M. home, then. He’s already puked three times.”

Ye Seul shifted aside slightly to let the boys pass, wincing at the stench of alcohol and vomit emanating from them.

“Monsta X.” Jungkook said from behind her, making Ye Seul jump.

“I’m sorry?” she squeaked, hand over her chest.

“They’re called Monsta X.” Hoseok explained, grinning slightly at Ye Seul’s reaction, “Another underground dance group.”

“Right.” Ye Seul nodded, turning away from him to look around at the crowd inhabiting the club.

“You.”

Ye Seul jumped again as a very familiar stern voice penetrated her ears. She turned to see Jin standing next to her, still looking pissed, but not outright mad as he had been.

“Come outside and talk to me.” He ordered, poker faced.

“Jin hyung, don’t-“ Hoseok began.

“You come out too.” Jin’s eyes flashed to Hoseok angrily, “All of you. We’re not winning any cash here tonight, anyway.”

“Come on.” Jimin sighed, pushing Jungkook forward, “Let’s not make him angrier.”

Shooting an apprehensive look towards Hoseok, who nodded at her, Ye Seul fell into step next to Taehyung. The noise from inside the club dimmed as she stepped out into the dark alley.  Jin stood with his back to her with the two other boys who had followed him out.

“Kook, V” Jin called and Ye Seul swore Jungkook jumped a teeny bit.

“Yes, hyung?” Jungkook asked, anxiously, staring at Jin’s back.

“Go home with Park. No arguments.” Jin ordered in a ‘no-nonsense’ voice, “Park, take them home.”

“Yes, hyung.” Jimin exhaled, and Ye Seul realised ‘Park’ was probably Jimin’s underground secret name or whatever that was and V was Taehyung’s. She felt like giggling at ‘Kook’ but decided the time wasn’t too right for that.

Ye Seul watched nervously as Jimin ushered Jungkook and Taehyung to his car. No one spoke till Jimin’s car was out of sight. Hoseok kept shooting uneasy glances at Jin while the other two boys stared broodingly ahead.

“Jen.”

Ye Seul jumped at Jin’s eerily calm voice.

“Y-yes?” Ye Seul uttered in a mortified whisper, the heavy uncomfortable aura smothering her.

“I assume J-Hope has explained to you what you need to know about our group?” Jin asked, still not looking at her.

“Y-yes, I suppose…” Ye Seul stammered, glancing at Hoseok fleetingly.

“I have.” Hoseok answered quietly.

“You understand you’re not supposed to talk about this carelessly?” Jin emphasised, “We do not want any more unwanted audience finding out about us.”

Ye Seul felt a pang of dismay at the word ‘unwanted’. Chagrin replaced the fear and apprehension in her voice, as she answered, “I understand.”

“We’ll try to keep you from getting too deep into this. You don’t have to come with us to all the competitions that we go to.” Jin continued. ”But you will have to come with us to every Shinhwa club party and any party where there are chances of Shinhwa being present.”

“Okay.” Ye Seul said, quietly.

“It’s late.” Jin said in a lower voice, “We’ll explain everything else to you after school tomorrow. You should go home now.”

“How did you come here, Ye Seul?” Hoseok asked.

“I took the bus.” Ye Seul answered, looking up the time on her phone, “I don’t think I’m going to get a bus back this late though. I mean, it’s already past twelve.”

“How were you planning to get back originally?” Jin asked, passing a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“I thought I would be in time to take the last bus…” Ye Seul whimpered.

“Suga, RapMon, Hope.” Jin called, “You guys go on ahead in Hope’s car. I’ll take her home. Hope, take them to my place.”

“Your place?” Hoseok looked surprised.

“My place.” Jin said, not bothering to give any explanation.

Ye Seul watched timidly as Jin threw them a bunch of keys that was caught by one of the boys with glistening green hair. Finally, he turned to her, eyes looking calmer than they had been earlier, but worried.

His perfectly styled hair was now messed up, but Ye Seul thought it made him look even more attractive, if anything.

“Come on.” Jin said shortly, watching Hoseok and the two other guys getting into Hoseok’s car. Ye Seul followed Jin to his car and silently got into the passengers’ side in the front as Jin held the door open.

“Thank you.” She muttered as Jin closed the door. Jin didn’t reply, but silently got into the driver’s seat and pulled out of the parking.

“I’ll need you to give me directions.” Jin said, after around five minutes of driving.

“Yo-you’re going on the right route.” Ye Seul stammered as Jin’s voice broke through her thoughts, “Just take the right up ahead and go straight on.”

Jin nodded, att