Jiyeong winced. She would have to explain about the truth – about how she had deceived the residents of the House – once again.

“Hyung!” Jimin shouted out before Jiyeong could open . “Did you know Jiyeong’s a girl?”

He obviously did not, for the bags of groceries fell immediately after Jimin’s excited words. “W-what?” He blinked several times, unsure whether he had heard right.

Jiyeong stood up from the couch. “I’m sorry. I really am. I’m actually a… girl.”

Namjoon seemed to be frozen with shock.

“She came here to attend Taejong and find her older brother. She’s an orphan and she lost him when she was little,” Taehyung said once he saw that Jiyeong had clamped shut in shame.

“Her brother attends Taejong, you see,” Jimin added, trying to be helpful.

Namjoon had turned white. “Um, are you okay?” Jimin went over to his hyung. He put a cautious hand on the older boy’s shoulder. “Okay, I was pretty shocked at the beginning too, but you look like you’ve finally found out Taehyung actually broke your old Smartphone.” Namjoon had been beyond enraged when he found his phone broken. No one confessed to the deed. The residents of the House would never forget his murderous expression from months back.

Taehyung frowned, clearly annoyed. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Your brother?” Namjoon whispered. His eyes were so round and big his whites were showing around his irises. He looked possessed. Jimin slowly lowered his hand on Namjoon’s shoulder and backed away.

“Yes.” Jiyeong seemed to have found her voice back. “I received a letter from him a while back in the orphanage and it had the logo of Taejong Boys’ High. Jungkook was nice enough to let me room with him and-”

“Your brother?” Namjoon repeated.

“Yeah.” Suga, who had been silent the whole time, finally had it with the weird reaction Namjoon was showing. “She said that her brother sent her a letter from our school.”

“He would be in your grade since he’s a year older than her. Maybe you and Jin Hyung could help her find him,” Taehyung suggested.

“Are you sure he’s here?” Namjoon asked.

“Well, the letterhead said ‘Taejong Boys’ High,’” Suga stated with exaggerated slowness, as if talking to a five-year-old.

“He could’ve gotten the paper by chance!”

“Yeah, but Jiyeong conducted a survey and one of the responses had the same handwriting as the one on the letter,” Taehyung said.

“You don’t have to be so pessimistic, Hyung! What’s wrong?” Jimin piped up.

Namjoon quickly shook his head. “No, it’s just… I was really taken aback. I’m sorry. I’ll help.” He looked apologetic.

“It’s fine. I understand. I’m the one who should be sorry. I know that this news is really… disturbing.” Jiyeong bit her lip. “But thank you.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll go put these away.” Namjoon started gathering the groceries. Taehyung went over and helped him. The two headed towards the kitchen.

“He must’ve been really shocked,” Jimin commented. He suddenly turned to Jungkook. “Anyways, I was saying, I’ll pack my stuff as soon as possible.”

In the end, Jiyeong ended up in Jungkook’s room with Jungkook, but not without a big fight between Jungkook and Jimin.

“Everyone’s so nice. I can’t believe they just accepted the fact I am a girl like that,” Jiyeong murmured. She was lying on the bed, looking up at the ceiling with a pensive look on her face. Jungkook was in his chair at his desk, as always.

“I was surprised,” Jungkook admitted. “But after you pretty much changed all of them… I’ve never seen them so open before. We would stick to the rules without another thought.”

“The rules were kind of stupid to begin with. No offense. It was just impossible for people who lived so close together and attended the same school to act like their business weren’t others’ businesses.”

A comfortable silence ensued. Then Jungkook said, “Jiyeong. What are you planning to do when you find your brother?”

Jiyeong opened and then closed it. “I… I don’t know,” she said truthfully. “But if I do find him… no, when I find him, I would probably leave here.”

“Why?” Jungkook frowned. “Everyone accepts you. You could stay! I’m sure that one of the Hyungs would be open to rooming with your brother.”

“No, it feels wrong to intrude on your hospitality that long. What will happen when the seniors graduate? No, I’m hoping to be able to live with my brother again.”

“Near here?” A tinge of hope colored the boy’s voice.

“Maybe.” A sigh escaped Jiyeong’s lips. “What I’m most curious about is why he’s been avoiding me this whole time even though he knows I lived at the orphanage. Maybe his new parents don’t allow him. But he’s almost an adult now – I’m pretty sure they couldn’t prevent him from coming to visit me once in a while. Why? Why would he just send me a letter with one short sentence? Does he even care about me anymore?”

“Jiyeong.” Jungkook went over to the bed. He lay down next to his friend and put comforting arms around her. “I know he loves you. He probably has a really good reason why he is unable to go to you. Once you find him, you’ll be able to persuade him that no matter what the reason is, the right thing is for him to be with you.”

“Thanks, Jungkook.” Jiyeong turned her head to face him. “Thanks for everything, always.”

The two teens’ faces were only inches apart. Realizing their close proximity, they simultaneously turned their faces up at the ceiling, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

“No, thank you. For always being next to me. For always being my friend,” Jungkook whispered.

The next day, Jin was walking with Taehyung, Jungkook, and Jiyeong to school. Normally, Jimin would want to join the group, but he had a concert later that night and his manager came early that morning to pick him up to deliver him to the studio to practice his dance routine.

“So you’re looking for a way to get to the school health records?” Jin said. Taehyung had told him about how far Jiyeong had gotten in her pursuit of her brother.

“Since you’re the school doctor’s assistant, could you help her?” Jungkook spoke out.

“Well, it’s technically against school rules to go through the records without permission. But if we don’t say anything, I don’t think it could hurt. We aren’t doing this with a morally wrong motive.” Jin put a hand to his chin. “I’ll have to think of a way to get to the records without Dr. Park knowing.”

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