Jin drives us safely to Auntie’s restaurant before the guys can bleed my eardrums complaining that they’re hungry. Parking in a quiet car park down the block, we alight and walk towards the delicious smell of food. On the way, as I take a look at the guys, I can’t help but laugh.

 

“What’s so funny?” Namjoon asks, nudging my arm. I shake my head, trying to control my laughter. Taehyung pops his head between us.

 

“What is it?” He bugs. “If you don’t tell me I’m going to annoy you until you do.”

 

“Yah, Kim Taehyung,” Yoongi pulls him back by his shirt. “Don’t disturb my little sister.” The younger guy pouts.

 

“But I’m your younger brother!” Taehyung thinks about it for a while before turning back to me, “Which makes you my younger sister too! Faster call me oppa!”

 

From beside me, Namjoon pushes him away and casually wraps his arm over my shoulders. My heart rate increases at his touch but I manage to ignore it.

 

“But really, Byeol.” Yoongi appears on my other side. “What were you laughing at?” The guys skipping in front – Jin and Jungkook – turn around, curious too.

 

I shake my head at this bunch. “It’s nothing. Just that with the mask and all you looked like a group of terrorists. But now, you’re just one big bunch of excited kids on an excursion.”

 

“Kids?!” Yoongi hits the back of my head playfully.

 

“Hey!” I turn to Namjoon and he pushes his hyung away jokingly.

 

“We’re here!” Jin announces, stopping in front of the restaurant. He frowns and following his gaze, I see that the place is in full house. A couple of part-timers busy themselves serving customers.

 

“Wait here for a while,” I tell the guys before entering. Inside, I find Auntie in the kitchen.

 

“I have the back room set up already,” Auntie says as soon as she sees me. I smile and thanking her, I hurry back outside.

 

“No seats?” Jin looks at me with hopeful eyes.

 

“But I’m hungry…” Jungkook whines. Pushing my way through the group, I tilt my head in the direction of the alley beside the restaurant.

 

“This way,” I say, leading in front. The alley is dark with nothing but dim streetlights so I start up the flashlight app on my phone.

 

“Where are we going?” Namjoon asks, his eyes following my light. Shining the light around, I find the side door.

 

“Into the back room,” I tell him as I pass him my phone. “Help me hold this a while.” I make him hold it so that the light shines into my bag. Fishing around, I find my keys and unlock the door.

 

“Wow…” I hear Jimin’s small voice from the back. I swing the door out and push away the curtain in the way, holding it to the side when I enter.

 

“Come in,” I say. The guys squeeze through the door and tumble into the restaurant’s one and only VIP room. When everyone is in, I close the door and let the curtain fall back down, concealing the entrance once again.

 

“What is this place?” Hoseok asks, looking around. Different from the main restaurant, this room is air-conditioned and only one large round table sits in the middle. Just like I ‘reserved’, eight chairs surround the table.

 

“Our VIP room,” I explain, hanging my bag over the backrest of the chair as I sit. The guys each take a seat awkwardly. Seeing their surprised faces, I can’t help but giggle. “I called Auntie earlier to reserve this room.”

 

“Daebak.” The maknae looks around with widely opened eyes.

 

“Did you know there would be a lot of people?” Jimin asks and I shrug.

 

“No matter what, the whole Bangtan together would be a bit too obvious, isn’t it?” I smile and stand.

 

“Where are you going?” Yoongi looks up at me.

 

“To help Auntie for a while. Ah, and the menu will be decided by Auntie too.” Instead of going out by the way we came in, I exit by the actual entrance on the opposite wall. This leads me into the main restaurant.

 

“More kimchi here!” A customer shouts over the noise.

 

“Coming!” Nodding to one of the part-timers, I tell her that I’ll take that order. Rushing to the kitchen, I bring out a small dish of kimchi for that table. For next fifteen minutes… or so, I help to bring out dishes and serve customers.

 

“Byeol unnie,” one of the part-timers calls me to say that my orders are almost ready. “Do I bring them into the back room?”

 

“It’s okay,” I tell her. “I’ll bring it in myself.” Going into the kitchen, my eyes widen when I see Auntie standing in front of a counter filled with a variety of dishes.

 

“These are yours,” Auntie says, pointing at the dishes in front of her. I blink, wondering if my eyes are playing a trick on me.

 

“Auntie… isn’t this a bit too exaggerating?” I stare at the ten dishes – fish, meat, veggies, and even seafood.

 

“You rarely bring friends over,” Auntie says, dismissing my concern. “Of course I have to prepare more. Besides, seven grown men! I’m sure they eat a lot. Hurry bring these in before they cool.”

 

Sighing, I end up calling the part-timer over.

 

“Don’t freak out,” I tell her as we approach the room. I use my feet to open the sliding door and put the tray down from between Hoseok and Yoongi, the two closest to the door. The part-timer with me is still standing at the door in shock. Before the tray in her hands can fall out of balance, I quickly take it from her.

 

“Your eyeballs are about to fall out,” I whisper  when I pass her the empty trays. Coming back to her senses, she quickly bows and leaves. Meanwhile, the guys are drooling over the food.

 

“Daebak.” Jungkook eyes the dishes on the table as I try to think of what’s missing.

 

“Ah, rice!” Quickly turning out, I hurry into the kitchen.

 

“I’ll help you.” Namjoon comes out after me and I nod at him. In the kitchen, Namjoon greets Auntie as she passes us eight bowls of rice. I fit them into a tray but as I hold it up, Namjoon takes it from me. Ahead of me, he turns around and knocks himself on the counter corner. My eyes widen as instinct kicks in. I reach out and balance the tray before the bowls can slide off.

 

“Yah, Kim Namjoon!” I set the tray back on the counter to calm my heart. Namjoon smiles guiltily as he rubs the side of his thigh where he hit the corner. “You okay?” I ask in concern.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry.”

 

“I’ll take this,” I tell him, picking up the tray. “Let’s go.” I let Namjoon lead the way to the back room.

 

“Wah, hyung,” Taehyung gives Namjoon a disapproving look when we enter. “How can you let a girl carry that?” Hoseok shakes his head as he takes the bowls off the tray and distributes them to the guys. Namjoon looks at me apologetically.

 

“It’s fine,” I say, giving him a pat on his back. “Let’s eat!”

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