31.

FOUR DAYS LATER

“How was your night?” Jhope calls out as Angel, wearing a sweatshirt with running shorts, enters his kitchen.

She sits at the counter, smiling at him. “Great! Sleeping is so fun! What are you doing?”

He chuckles, turning back to his task: a pan of frying bacon. “I’m making you breakfast.”

“Thanks! What’s on the menu-” Angel scrunches up her nose. “What is that?”

“What is what?” Jhope turns around and, grabbing a plate, puts the bacon in front of Angel.

She frowns, sniffing again. “That-”

“Smell? You’re probably smelling the bacon.” He laughs again as she leans down, inspecting the bacon.

“Are you a good cook?”

“Why, may I ask?” He counters, beginning to wash the pan.

“Because my first piece of food for the day needs to be the best food on the history of the planet!” Angel exclaims.

“Just eat it.” He orders, amused.

She eyes the bacon suspiciously before gingerly taking a strip and biting it. “Jesus! This is good!”

She shovels the rest in quickly, adoration appearing on her face. “Alright! Don’t choke! I can make more.” He laughs, snagging a piece off the plate as he sits down across from her at the counter.

After a moment, Angel grins. “What are we doing today?”

Jhope's smile falls. “I have to go to the hospital.”

Angel frowns. “Why?”

“Bora called me. She told me to just show up for an hour or two, maybe bring coffee or something.” He shrugs. “You can come if you want, maybe introduce yourself?”

She says nothing, studying the plate between them.

He sighs. “You don't have to come.”

“What?”

Jhope grabs her hand comfortingly. “It’s your first week as a human. Go explore.”

She says nothing again and he sighs slightly. “Literally come as my friend. You can tell them when you’re ready. I won't be there for long.”

“You won't tell them that I'm Angel?” She asks quietly.

“You won't tell them I was fat?” He retorts.

She grins, a twinkle in her eyes. “Who knows? I might.”

“C'mon! You can't hold that above me now!” He whines playfully. “I was trying to make you feel better.”

“Whatever.” Angel dismisses his complaints. “I still don't want to go.”

“I'll get you ice cream.” He offers, letting go of her hand and standing, stretching slightly.

Her eyes widen. “You will?”

“Of course.”

----------

“What do you propose as a course of action?” The scarred man asks, his voice gruff.

Suho, who is sitting across from him in a dark room, shrugs. “BTS and EXO have one thing in common: Kyra.”

Another man, this one standing, scoffs. “Your wife? What a shock?”

“Relax!” The scarred man reprimands. “Let him explain himself.”

Suho nods at both men's words. “He's right. My wife is what binds them together. You get her and we can draw them to us.”

“Okay. That's it!” The man seethes. “How is that a plan if that's exactly what he wants? We're playing straight into his hands!”

“I am not trying to hide anything. Getting my wi