“Oppa!” As soon as Areum saw the familiar figure on the couch in the living room, she ran into his outstretched arms.

Joonmyeon smiled. “Are you well? Are they treating you alright?”

Areum cheerfully nodded, like a young child. “They’re all really nice to me.”

“That’s good. Thanks, guys.” Joonmyeon let out a sigh of relief.

“No prob,” said Chanyeol, who had been laying down on the carpet stomach-down with a book in his hands. “She’s a really sweet girl.” D.O., who had been sitting next to Chanyeol, nodded in agreement.

“Where did you go all of a sudden?” Areum asked Joonmyeon. Worry creased her brow and the older boy reached out with a hand to straighten it out.

He closed his eyes painfully, as if doomsday had arrived. “I guess I can’t cover your eyes from the world any longer,” he murmured. He raised his voice to call for the rest of his gang to gather.

“We’re a gang,” Joonmyeon finally broke out. He looked down at the ground. He, a person who mercilessly fought ferocious gangsters, could not find the courage to look up at Areum.

“I thought as much.” At her quiet words, the rest of the boys stared incredulously at her. “Since you were so secretive and against telling me, I knew you guys were doing something unlawful,” Areum added.

“No, you misunderstand!” Joonmyeon reached over to grab her hands. She didn’t pull away, but she refused to look him straight in the eye. “We’re not some kind of gang that attacks and steals from innocent people off the street. We don’t do drugs and we don’t go around murdering people.” Anguish was in his handsome features.

“We’re all for justice,” Baekhyun added. “We fight bad gangs and strive to prevent the mafia from terrorizing citizens. We started as just a group of kids who could fight-” Baekhyun eyed Joonmyeon, knowing that he wasn’t allowed say anything about the older boy’s revenge, “-and ended up as part of the Underground World that fights for the good. We may live in the shadows, but our hearts have light in them.”

“Your brother is an amazing person,” Chanyeol piped up. “Because his gang, Exo-K, moved with such a wondrous example, other gangs like BTS began forming to help out the citizens. We do what the police cannot.”

“It’s a dangerous job,” whispered Areum. She turned back to Joonmyeon with fear in her eyes. “You could get killed!”

Joonmyeon’s hands tightened on hers. “I know,” he stated. “But ever since I made this gang, I felt like it was my duty to help the people in the world. And once I stepped into the shadows, I couldn’t escape.” He closed his eyes and a tear slipped out from his one of his eyes. The gang gaped at him – they had never seen their leader cry. “I’m sorry. I’m dragging you into the shadows too.”

Areum pulled her hands from Joonmyeon’s. Then she threw her arms around him and hugged him. “If my brother wants to do something so noble, I can’t stop him. I can’t promise that I won’t worry every time you leave, but whatever you do, I’ll support you.” She smiled, trying to be strong. “Because I’m Joonmyeon Kim’s sister.”

Joonmyeon wrapped his arms around the girl, feeling a prick of guilt inside his heart. However, relief and love for the girl dominated all other feelings. The one thought swirling in his mind was that Areum wasn’t going to leave him. She was going to stay by his side. “Thank you,” he whispered.

“Oppa, you’re leaving again?” Areum cried out. She rushed into the living room, her eyes wide like a rabbit’s.

Joonmyeon sighed, but he looked sad. “Areum, I’m the leader of Exo-K. I have to plan out every mission and guide each team until we complete it. It’s my job.” ‘That’s why I couldn’t spend much time with you back at our old house,’ he added privately.

“Um, Hyung,” Chanyeol spoke out. “You could rest easy this time. All we’re doing is intercepting another delivery to Exo-M. Leave it to D.O. and me.”

The older boy looked torn into two. With a conflicted expression on his face, he momentarily closed his eyes. Opening his eyes, he knew what he had to do. It was his duty, after all.

“You’ll be safe here, Areum,” Joonmyeon finally said. His heart felt like it was being torn. “I’ll be back in a couple of days.” Now that he knew that she was safe with three of his best friends, he wouldn’t have to sneak out of the mission to make sure she was alright in the morning and send her to school before hurrying back. That itself had been a huge risk to both the mission and himself.

Chanyeol reached over and patted the girl's head. She stepped out of his reach, her frown growing deeper. "Oh, sorry, I forgot you didn't like being petted," the tall boy apologized. "Don't worry, Areum, we'll be back safe and sound." The three boys walked out of the door, leaving the girl standing in the living room.

“I’m sorry,” Joonmyeon whispered as he closed the front door behind him. His eyes were misty.

"Chanyeol, D.O.," he said. The two boys looked up at him in surprise. "Do you think I'm being too selfish? Do you think I should send her off somewhere far away that's safe?"

D.O. shook his head. "It's obvious you care about her and don't want to be separated from her. She doesn't seem to want to part with you, either, so it's a risk we have to take."