If you haven't read the first chapter, please do. Most of their backgrounds are written there.

There was a whistle from the chamber next to him. Min Yoongi did not have the intention to move even the slightest of his muscle to acknowledge the sound.

The person who was sitting next to him on their flight back to Seoul, the very person who Yoongi had swore to ignore for the rest of his sane life, shifted a little, leaning toward Yoongi without taking his eyes off of one of the stewardesses. "Yea, she's hot," he whispered lowly, a smirk was on his face, and honestly, Yoongi was not very surprised that it came out of Jung Hoseok a.k.a Mr. Casanova, though for Yoongi it was a questionable reputation seeing how timid he could be at a lot of stupid things, like animals and dark spaces.

Yoongi still did not want to acknowledge the motive of his friend, close friend in fact since more than fifteen years ago. "Sometimes, I question myself why I still hang out with you," he said without looking away from his laptop and heard a scoff from the seat behind him, and he wished he would take the offer to switch seats with that person at the back, "I don't freaking care if you have a right now, but I have works to do. Thank you very much for the distraction."

Yoongi could see the way Hoseok gasped and looking scandalised through his peripheral vision and when the VP of JungHwang Operation started leaning even more toward his chamber, Yoongi rolled the partition between them until Hoseok disappeared from his sight. He heard the younger cursed in his own chamber but made no more move to continue the bother-Yoongi mission. He definitely thanked God for the advances in technology, also for the invention of first class in the airline industry.

When Yoongi thought the whole issue was over, he heard Hoseok calling for Kim Namjoon only to be cut off with the sound of another partition being rolled up. Yoongi tried not to laugh loudly at Hoseok's exasperated sigh and a quiet you guys are seriously no fun.

Kim Seokjin was the son of a very busy Professor in Neurological Surgery at Seoul National University College of Medicine who was predicted to be the next Minister of Health & Welfare, seeing his excellent record in the ministry. Despite how busy his father was, he still had the warmest home among their group. His father was generally a kind man with the many free medications he gave to the less fortunate ones which made him one of the shortlisted men that Yoongi really admired, and his own father was not even on the list. Jin's mother was the most humble, kind, and sweet housewife, the mother his friends were dreaming of. Jin was the most fortunate one when it came to family.

So, Kim Seokjin took the responsibilities. He was "the mother" of the group, had practically adopted and raised his six younger friends who were his inspiration to make his dream came true as he started his own businesses. His friends might still have their own mother figures at homes, but some of them simply forgot what a mother was. Kim Seokjin was the one who stayed sober at parties so he could get his friends back home safely, the one who patched Taehyung up every time his own father hit him, was the one who pulled Namjoon out of his office when he could not distinguished nights or days behind piles of work, the one who cooked warm meals in the middle of the night for Jungkook after the youngest was done hiding in his studio for days, he was the one who came to all of Hoseok's dance performances, the one who dragged Yoongi out of his room and hit him in the face when he succumbed into his dark thoughts and refused to attend a session with his psychiatrist, and he definitely was the one who sat with Jimin as the younger fight his sleep so he could avoid nightmares. Although he was not availble 24/7, but he was always at least one call away and his friends knew that whenever they need help.

And, Kim Seokjin was definitely the one who picked them up after a long flight.

"Where's Hoseok?" Seokjin asked once he saw Yoongi and Namjoon walked his way with luggage trailing behind them.

Some suited men had suddenly showed up from somewhere around the airport and made a scattered formation to protect them. They knew those were Namjoon's people because he always used close-protection officers and somehow did not hesitate to show themselves. Somewhere unseen, they also knew that Jin's people were watching them too. Amongst their group, Jin, Namjoon, and Jungkook were so used to have bodyguards following them around since most of their families were politicians. Their other friends were guarded too occasionally, but not as much as them. Growing up together, even their bodyguards were fond of their masters' friends and their guards were working together to protect them when they were with each other.

Namjoon gave an acknowledge nod to the man who Jin and Yoongi were so familiar with since they were children; Mr. Kang, the head of Namjoon's security team and the only person Namjoon trusted his life with other than his six best friends. Then he turned to Seokjin and shrugged. "He's hooking up with a stewardess. But she's too easy, Jung Hoseok doesn't do easy," he answered casually, pulling his tie loose as he walked pass Seokjin without stopping.

Yoongi walked pass Seokjin's other side with a smirk, "Come on, hyung, he won't take long," he said at the same time a smiley Hoseok showed up from the gate Namjoon and Yoongi were coming from with a girl waving her hand excitedly behind his back.

Seokjin waited until Hoseok got closer, arms folded on his chest and lips tight, he asked insincerely, "Hey, how is it?" he asked, nodding his head toward the girl.

Hoseok smiled brightly, he took his steps fast and big, half-running. "Oh hey, hyung! I think I'm gonna have a nightmare," he answered brightly without stopping either and went pass Seokjin to follow Namjoon and Yoongi to the parking lot.

Seokjin just rolled his eyes at his friend.

"So, anything new?" Namjoon asked once he sat in the passenger seat of Seokjin's Bentley and they started driving away from the parking lot.

Seokjin turned from where he sat behind the wheel with one eyebrow raised. "I'm not sure, I just got back yesterday morning from my conference in Singapore. I barely even spoke with Jimin on the phone last night," he said and looked to the street again.

"The kids know we got home earlier than we should?" Hoseok wondered out loud as he looked at Seokjin through the rear-view mirror, Yoongi opened his computer next to him.

"Nope, I didn't tell them," Seokjin answered, emphasising the p in 'nope'.

Hoseok giggled, eyes tinkling with mischief. "So, who should we check first?"

Yoongi groaned. "I have a meeting tomorrow and I don't plan to be late with any kind of excuse, including babysitting you children. Drop me off somewhere, I'll take a cab." Hoseok leaned forward until his face was really close with Yoongi's, eyes staring up with a stare that Yoongi wanted to punch out of his friend. Yoongi sighed. "No, Jung Hoseok, get out of my sight." Hoseok pouted. "No." Hoseok blinked a few times. "I'll kill you." Hoseok let out a whine, high and loud and dangerously annoying. "Fine! Just—! Piss off, will you?!" Yoongi exclaimed as he pushed Hoseok's forehead away from his sight.

Hoseok grinned happily which made Seokjin laugh out loud. "Let me repeat the question, who should we check first?"

Seokjin shared a meaningful glance with Namjoon who threw him an affectionate smile. "Kim—" Namjoon started.

"—Taehyung," Seokjin finished.

"What if Seokjin hyung comes, huh?" Park Jimin, the number one person on the list of Kim Taehyung's best-friend slash partner-in-crime slash most-precious-person-asking-to-be-kicked-in-the-, looked furious as the loud beats drowned his voice out, "you said only five people, Kim Taehyung! Five!"

Kim Taehyung lived with three priorities in his life; pretending like he was happy to be the first inheritor of Kimdae Inc. in front of the public, trying not to get too depressed through his senior year in SNU, and, mostly, being a full-time pain-in-the- to Park Jimin and his friends, like tonight when he giggled distractedly. He seemed very unfocused, which was a worry to Jimin.

"Tae, where's my stuff?" Jimin asked slowly, eyes narrowing with accusation. He was 100% sure that this human-child in front of him had started smoking his weed while he was too busy ordering drinks from room service and keeping the place together. When the only answer he got was another silly giggle, Jimin pulled his hair out in frustration. "Gosh, you're such an idiot, Tae! Do you even imagine what will happen if someone reports you for partying, again? And you're already high at what—8.30?!"

"Chill out, Jimin-ah," Taehyung said as he swayed side-to-side and Jimin had to hold him in place before he got dizzy seeing his friend's current state, "yes, I did smoke your weed, I'm sorry, but Seungkwan there brought some more and he loves sharing! And, this apartment complex is owned by my family, remember? Who cares if someone reports us?" Taehyung slurred with the mix of another laughter that Jimin had to strain his neck so he could hear him better and try to understand what his idiot best friend was saying.

Jimin wanted to laugh. He sure as hell did. But he found no humour in everything they were talking about, especially not in the only face that showed up in his mind. "What if Seokjin hyung comes!" he repeated the question, though it was no longer a question.

"Yeah, Tae, what if I come?" a voice was heard from behind Jimin and he freezed in horror, because he had arrived at the hell's doorstep. The voice sounded so serene, untroubled, but dangerous. Jimin could imagine all the disappointment he would have to face in the upcoming week. He honestly preferred to have his own parents standing behind him in Taehyung's condo at the moment, rather than that one person.

"Oh, the other hyungs are back! Look, Chim!" Taehyung screamed in joy and Jimin swore he would punch his best friend's face if he had the energy to even move a muscle but he could not because he had been using all of his strength to try to register the definition behind the words of "the other hyungs are back". Weren't they supposed to stay in Hong Kong for another three days because Namjoon hyung still had another seminar until tomorrow night? Seokjin hyung would notify them firsthand if the hyungs were home early, wouldn't he? Wouldn't he?! And, now, there was not only one face that popped up in his mind, there were four.

Jimin still did not turn around. He did not want to put his life on the risk for Kim Taehyung's stupidity by facing and looking at his hyungs in the eyes. No. He was not going to take responsibility for this. This was all on Kim Taehyung, the worst and most idiotic best friend Jimin could ever have. No. No. But, yes, he was the only one who was sober between the two and he cursed his friend again for leaving him in this state. He would definitely choose to get high too right now if that meant the both of them would get scolded all together when they sober up later. What a true friend Kim Taehyung was!

He heard crackle sounds before the music abruptly stopped and all his friends whined loudly, yelling why. But as quickly as it stopped, the complains also died down on their throats because they knew exactly who it was leaning against the speaker with his arms folded on his chest. The room became eerily quiet, no one even dared to move. Then the voice he was most afraid of out of all his four hyungs spoke, holding the calm venom that Jimin did not want to face tonight, or any other night, or ever.

"Yes, I am Kim-ing-Namjoon, and I know there's only one elevator with access to get to and out of here, so I suggest you to start using the emergency exit before I finish counting to fi—"

Everyone in the huge condo were practically running for their life. They pushed pass each other, stomped on each other, and screaming, yelling for help. But they did not dare to touch the little circle that consisted of five tensed people in the middle of the room—four to be precise, while the other one was looking around with an amused grin, waving here and there. And, once the condo was clear of the others, it looked like a wreck.

"Are you still not going to look at us, Park Jimin?" Yoongi asked and Jimin's shoulder slumped down in surrender before turning around slowly, not daring to look up.

Jimin stayed quiet, while Taehyung was started swaying side-to-side again, humming songs like a lunatic that Jimin had to elbow him on the side.

Yoongi's attention turned to Taehyung. "What did he take? And how much?"

"Just weed, hyung, don't worry about it! And just one, I prrrrrrrrrrrromise," Taehyung held his hands up in mocked surrender with a silly grin, "I'm not that high!"

Jin sighed like he had the biggest burden on his shoulder. But, then he looked at Taehyung one more time, before dragging him toward the bathroom. And that left Jimin alone with the other hyungs. Again, he cursed his best friend for this whole mess. He could have been in his room at the moment, doing his final assignment and not facing the fury of Kim Namjoon, Min Yoongi, and Jung Hoseok.

"You're gonna say something?" Namjoon asked once he was back to his own place between Hoseok and Yoongi, arms still crossed and looked at Jimin sternly, "We might not be that upset if you tell us something."

"The truth," Hoseok corrected, "we would like for you to tell the truth," and Namjoon nodded.

Jimin gulped and finally looked up through his bangs. "Tae said he was inviting a few friends to drink tonight. But then people showed up more than what we expected and I didn't know where he went. When I found him, he's already like that."

"Whose weed did he use?" Yoongi interrogated, and he knew it belonged to Jimin somehow, but he just wanted the youngest in the room to admit it himself.

They were all drinkers, with Jin, Namjoon, and Yoongi being the responsible ones. When it came to illegal stuffs' experience, both Taehyung and Jimin were caught sharing weed one time. The weed's dealer turned out to be Jimin's classmate. They talked about it and agreed that illegal drugs would give bad influence to Jungkook, so they were not allowed to use any kind other than  once in a while and with the small amount to prevent addiction. The purpose was for the kids to have a little fun since all of them had experienced it while in school. Jin had been so pissed about that final conclusion.

"Mine," Jimin muttered.

"Why did you have it?" Hoseok, this time, with the same intention as Yonggi.

Jimin shrugged, face contorted in his own confusion. "Just to have a little fun. We're allowed to do this, that's our deal," Jimin sighed like a kid sulking but too afraid to fight his parents.

"Is there anything else you want to say?" Namjoon dared him to say more and started comparing their life with their hyungs'. They had been through this conversation over and over again, although it was always Taehyung on the other opposite while Jimin and Jungkook were only listening. "Say it, I want to know."

"You do know, hyung," Jimin looked away with a defeated frown.

Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose slightly. "Look, we never forbid you to have fun and do what you wanna do, but we want you to do it responsibly. You practically open the access to this place without any guards or permissions. What if people call the cops again for disturbance, huh? What if paparazzi was in the building and seeing the open access, they could come in and find Tae half-wasted like that? Who will save you if we're not here, huh? When will you grow up and start taking care of yourself? Both of you are still in college and also the successors of your families. You two might not care about your image or what your families say about you, but other people do, Jimin. We live in a society where—"

"It ," Jimin muttered not so quietly, he wished none of his hyungs heard it but he also wished they did, so he continued a little louder, a little braver, "we live in a society that . It so much to be like this, it to have to keep restraining myself just to avoid so many s that I can't even bring myself to care. You hear me, hyung? I don't ing care about other people. I'm tired of people labelling me. 'You're the heir of Park Auto, you should do this, you shouldn't do that! Why can't you do this or that? Why can't you do ?!'"

Namjoon opened his mouth hesitantly. It was Jimin's first outburst in a while. Jimin was one of the few in the group with the best self-control. He always was the obedient one to his hyungs, the one who said yes to everything. He always played along with Taehyung and sometimes took the fall for his best friend. He always took care of Jungkook and even got teased by the youngest often. And, he always did everything with a smile on his face. So, Namjoon could not hide the shock on his face after listening to Jimin.

Hoseok put a hand on Namjoon's shoulder which stopped the lawyer from saying anything. Namjoon and Yoongi turned to him and Hoseok shook his head, enough. "Jimin-ah, what happened?" Hoseok asked with a far softer voice than Namjoon's before. He took a few steps forward closer to Jimin.

Jimin looked up and watched as Hoseok's expression turned into pity. He hated it when someone felt sorry for him, making him feel like a burden. "It's nothing, hyung, you know what? I'm sorry for what I said. I'm just stressed with college and stuff."

"No," and Hoseok hated lies, "you're smart, you always did good. It's more than that, isn't it?" he pushed a bit further because that was Jimin always needed, a push. All of the older members realised that Taehyung wore his heart on his sleeve while Jimin and Jungkook wore theirs on the cheek; Taehyung only needed a question, Jimin and Jungkook needed a push, but the three of them needed a fight sometimes when they were feeling so far away. "What is it? Tell me."

Jimin sighed, his anger had finally subsided and turned into a bit of guilt for snapping at his hyungs. "It's just a stupid thing. My scientific work got rejected because I wrote about mechatronics and my ing professor thinks that I have to write about ing cars because I'm gonna be a ing boss of a ing automobile manufacturing company. Tae wanted to cheer me up, but things got a little out of hand, so, yeah, sorry, hyungs," Jimin took a deep breath and tried to calm down more, he realised he did not sound sincere but he just wished for this to be let go. At least, Jin was not there to hear him cursing so he had bigger chance.

"The work you're going to submit for the proposal of your master degree?" Namjoon confirmed and when Jimin nodded, he sighed, "That's not a stupid thing, Jimin-ah. You have the right to be upset."

"And to use a lot of 'ing' in a sentence," Yoongi added absurdly, making all three of them turned to him with confusion. Yoongi shrugged, "I don't even know what mechatronic is but that's a ty professor you got there."

Namjoon smiled at Yoongi's attempt to contribute in making Jimin feel okay in his own way, but he looked back at Jimin. "I want you to understand that the things that we do shape us in the eyes of other people. I'm not saying that you always have to care about how they see you, but I just hope you and Tae would be a bit more responsible of what kind of shape you want to make. That's all our wish and what made us upset tonight."

"And, we're not upset upset," Hoseok pulled Jimin in a quick hug before he pulled away with his hands still on Jimin's shoulders, "we're upset worried," he smiled as he ruffled Jimin's hair fondly. Jimin shook his head away but Hoseok made sure he ruined the hairstyle, a smile was finally seen on Jimin's plumped lips.

Jimin looked between Hoseok, Namjoon, and Yoongi. He was still gripping the side of Hoseok's shirt after the hug. "I'm sorry, hyungs," Jimin's voice was barely a whisper, but everyone heard it loud and clear.

Namjoon smiled. "It's okay, this whole thing is a process you all have to go through to understand how things work, just like us before."

"Some of us had it even worse," Yoongi put in.

"Really?" Jimin asked curiously.

"I almost died, remember?" Yoongi answered with the same smile, and Jimin's heart suddenly felt heavy because Jimin tended to forget about the past. The younger always saw his hyungs as amazing people and thought that they always did everything right. Despite the incidents, the rumours, the backstabbers, they always were able to sort things out, and now look at how successful they all were.

"Why does Jimin look like a kicked puppy?"

Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, and Jimin turned to the stairs where Taehyung was standing with towel around his wet hair, Jin was not far behind him.

Hoseok rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Because you're an idiot, Kim Taehyung."

Taehyung grinned, this time he looked sane enough. He skipped toward his best friend and hug him from behind, "I'm sorry I wasn't able to really cheer you up, ChimChim," he said affectionately like he tried to steal some hearts.

Jimin huffed loudly but did not say another word, instead he smiled at his friend. Jin was about to ask what happened but all of their attentions were snatched by Namjoon's question.

"By the way, where's Jungkook?"

Jeon Jungkook was the youngest in the group, the one who spaced out a little bit too much and stayed out of the spotlights unless it was Jimin's and Taehyung's mischievous invitations, the one who held the soft spots in everyone's hearts, the one who made Namjoon dropped all of his works in his law firm to pick him up, the one who could make Yoongi smile after a long stressful day at work, the one who always made Jin did his best in cooking because the doctor believed in the principle of happy tummy, happy life and he wanted Jungkook to be happy, and the one who made Hoseok sacrificed his own Casanova image just to make himself look like an idiot in exchange of Jungkook smiled a little bigger and more sincere. They all loved him and they had been trying so hard to take care of the youngest in the group.

So, that was what they were doing there in front of the door in one of the most expensive apartment complexes in Gangnam, knocking loudly at Jungkook's door that his only neighbour came out to check on the whole ruckus, though he cowered immediately after seeing seven people in front of Jungkook's door.

"Have you seen Mr. Jeon, sir?" Mr. Kang, Namjoon's head of security, asked viciously.

Jungkook's neighbour shook his head quickly Jimin thought he would break his own neck. "I ha-haven't seen him since tw-two days ago!"

Namjoon sighed tiredly. Didn't they have enough trouble for one night? It was not the first time Jungkook went missing, both intentionally and unintentionally. "Jin, use the spare key," he said to Jin and the eldest pulled out a key from his pocket.

"And, tell me why you didn't do it since—I don't know, fifteen minutes ago?" Yoongi asked sarcastically, they all knew it was just his way to hide his concern.

"Because he'll sulk for at least a week," Taehyung answered as he stared at the door like it would help opening it sooner.

The door opened and the hyungs were scrambling inside, checking every corner in one sweep. The apartment was lack of furnitures which made it easier for them to look. There were only two rooms anyway to check, one bedroom and one huge walk-in closet which connected to the bathroom.

"He's not here," Jimin informed them loudly once he was done looking in the closet.

"Not here either," Hoseok shouted from the bedroom and they all gathered back in the living room.

"Where could he be?" Jin wondered worriedly, but his thought was cut off by the ringing of Taehyung's phone.

Taehyung answered immediately seeing the ID on the screen. "Kook!"

"Hey, hyung, you and the hyungs called?"

"Hell yeah, we did. We haven't heard from you since God knows when," Taehyung frowned at how tired his voice sounded, which caught the others' attention and they all gathered around the second youngest.

Jungkook chuckled. "You're being dramatic. I'm in the studio."

"What studio?"

"Ehm, my architecture studio? It's in my college, remember? Where are you?"

"We're in your apartment. Why are you there this late?" Taehyung spoke as he motioned for the group to come out of the apartment and started walking back to their cars.

"I've been staying here for a while, got a deadline for tomorrow so it was pretty hectic, I didn't check my phone at all. I just finished and I'm so tired right now but I saw your missed calls and messages so I call back."

"Has he had dinner?" Jin asked softly.

"Jin hyung wants to know if you've eaten?"

"I think I'll pass that tonight," Jungkook stopped as a yawn was heard, "I'll eat as soon as I wake up tomorrow, promise."

"The thing is, the hyungs are back earlier than we expected and none of us eat dinner yet. So, come to Jin hyung's place, yeah? He's opening the bakery for us tonight," Taehyung glanced at Jin and when the older nodded his permission, he continued, "then, we can sleepover at Jin hyung's."

Jungkook sighed, he hated worrying his hyungs. "I'm fine. Plus I'm alone and I'll have to use a cab to get to J—"

"What, you're alone and have to use cab—you mean alone alone and cab cab? As in no guard and no car and just you?!"

"Oh stop being dramatic, hyung, I can take care of myself," Jungkook scowled.

None of the hyungs honestly cared about Jungkook's little tantrum of I'm not a kid anymore so stop treating me like one, because they all know that Jungkook craved for attention and affection too unconsciously. Jungkook was an unhappy kid at home with two parents who were too busy to notice him; dad was a respected CEO and had travelled to every part of the world but forgot his way home, and mom was a fashion designer who had also flew all around the world to promote her labels and do photoshoots but forgot to pick up a phone for her children. It was a bit better when his brother was still around, but when Junghyun told him that he would pursue his dream in the army the night after his college graduation, Jungkook's whole world broke apart. He was left alone by his dear brother in an empty home with a sudden responsibility of being the only JBC Group's heir at the age of 17. That was the main reason he decided to move out and live on his own at such a young age. The closest thing Jungkook could call as his family was his grandfather, Namjoon who was his only cousin, and his friends. Even his grandfather had been really busy to meet him ever since he was appointed as the Mayor of Seoul for the second time.

"Yeap, no way. You stay there, Jimin and I are coming to pick you up. If we can't find you in your studio in 10 minutes, I swear to God I'll turn Seoul upside down. You got me?" Taehyung used it. He used the only voice Jungkook was so afraid coming from him because that meant serious, that spoke no space for argument and Jungkook should do what he said or else, and it was so rare for Taehyung to use it.

Jungkook whined, but he did not say anything other than "Yes, hyung-nim," and cut the connection first, did not want to hear the lecture any longer.

"What is it?" Namjoon asked once Taehyung put his phone back into his pocket.

"Hyungs can go to Jin hyung's place first. Jimin and I would have to pick that idiot up. He doesn't have his car with him, and somehow he's alone, without his bodyguard. I think he was planning to come home with bus or something," Taehyung said.

"Is he out of his mind?!" Hoseok claimed with wide eyes while Jin looked three times more worried than before.

Namjoon pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling himself got older and older with each passing second after he landed back. "That child. I swear grandfather would be so pissed if he finds out Jungkook got rid of his bodyguards."

They all may sound overly protective. But all six of them did not want to imagine the times Jungkook was in danger. The first one was when they were all still in school, the fourth-grade Jungkook had insisted that his guards did not wait for him while he was in school. He was taken away when he was in the toilet between periods. His grandfather ordered his men to search the entire city and only found Jungkook twenty hours later, dirty and crying, his kidnappers were shot to death right next to him. The second time was when he was in high school, the year after Jimin and Taehyung graduated and went to college so no one to look after him, Jungkook was on his two-days camping with his school to Daegu. His guards were following him while they were at the rest area and suddenly there was a man, holding his knife against Jungkook's neck and yelling I'll kill him, I swear I will! The rescue mission was a blur to Jungkook that he never told the details to his hyungs. He stayed in Jin's place for a week, refusing to go anywhere.

It was a sight to see Jungkook closing himself from them, only answering questions that were directed at him. So, they vowed to take extra care of him and to never let it happen ever again.

"You guys better go now. You can't be late," Yoongi said once they all were at the basement of the apartment building. He pushed Jimin toward the younger's car, Taehyung and he waved them good bye.

Once they got inside Jimin's car, Taehyung barely had time to put his seatbelt on when Jimin drove away crazily, he could be compared to a race driver. There was tension between the two because they had to get to Jungkook in 10 minutes, less if it was possible. They knew SNU like the back of their hands, especially all each other's building since the three of them spent time together quite a lot outside of classes.

They got there in 9 minutes and 48 seconds. No, Taehyung did not count. And they found Jungkook sitting in front of his building, playing the dirt with his shoes out of boredom, which made Jimin parked his car ignorantly to get to Jungkook sooner.

"Are you deaf?! I told you 'inside your studio', Jungkook-ah, which part is it that you couldn't understand?" Taehyung yelled as soon as he closed the passenger door and Jungkook looked up in surprise. Though there were practically no one there nearly midnight, he still felt embarrassed.

Jungkook stood up and walked to them so he could shut his hyung's mouth. "I was doing okay, you know!" he hissed.

"Where are your guards? I can't believe you got rid of them! Again!" Jimin spoke desperately, clearly irritated at how ignorant Jeon Jungkook was.

"It's itchy having them 24/7," Jungkook tched with annoyance flowing down his posture.

"But it's safer!" Taehyung replied.

"I can take care of myself!" Jungkook insisted petulantly, frowning like a stubborn little kid.

Jimin never really understood what went through Jungkook's mind. The youngest would feel extremely bad when he gave his hyung a hard time by bothering them with his life, he wanted to look like a grown up who could take care of himself and his problems, he kept insisting to be left alone and being embarrassed when one of his friends showed him any kind of attention. Maybe the fact that Jungkook never grew up with love made him feeling like an alien for being in the receiving end of his hyungs' affections. But after more than fifteen years knowing all six of them, he should know by now that each other's safety and comfort were always their first ever priority, and one of the ways to make it happen was to talk, to stop worrying each other with his impulsivity. If he wanted to give his hyungs a peace of mind, then he should stop the sudden irresponsible acts and start acting like a true grown up for once. How could his hyungs trust him to be on his own if he kept troubling his own self? Jimin sometimes felt like a hypocrite for thinking this way, seeing how careless he and Taehyung could be, but this was Jungkook, their youngest friend and the most innocent one. Jimin and Taehyung had practically swore to never let their haphazard stupidities influence Jungkook.

But arguing with Jungkook when he decided to be a pain in the  was like asking for the youngest to sulk for days, which meant no connection at all until he decided to act like nothing ever happened. That often happened when the six of them being all paranoid about Jungkook's wellbeing when he felt unnecessary. So, Jimin and Taehyung shared a look, and Jimin was forcing Taehyung to swallow his anger down with his hard gaze. Taehyung looked away for a while, changing himself to be the mature and calm one which was rare and only happened when it came to Jungkook.

"Yes, we know," Jimin started gently, "but at least, take one with you and ask him to hide or something, or you can tell them to go once you're with us. Just to make sure you're safe and everyone else will be happy. Namjoon hyung is killing himself right now. Your grandfather is going to be so pissed. You know how protective they are toward you. Be a little less stubborn and just listen, okay?"

Jungkook huffed. His own hard surface started to crack with guilt. "I know," he muttered apologetically, "sorry for worrying you. I just couldn't concentrate in my apartment and when someone is watching."

"It's okay," Jimin ruffled Jungkook's hair and Jungkook repulsed, but Jimin only glared until Jungkook gave up.

"Hyungs are waiting," Taehyung hooked his arm around Jungkook's shoulder and dragged him toward Jimin's car, turning back into his own cheerful self, "and I'm starving."

"You have a rubber stomache," Jimin scoffed, "even if I give you my shoes you'll eat it because you literally swallow everything."

"Ew, gross," Jungkook made a face and when Taehyung let him go to kick Jimin's , he laughed out loud. Jimin stopped for a while to enjoy the sight of crinkled nose, bunny teeth, and the sound of Jungkook's happiness, before he started walking again toward his car.

Twenty five tensed minutes later for the four hyungs, Jungkook finally walked through Jin's closed bakery door with a scowl on his face. Hoseok stood up from where he was sitting, waiting and opened his arms in welcome manner with a grin on his face and a very loud the man of the night to Jungkook, making the youngest blushed. Two frustrated men, Yoongi and Namjoon, were behind the glass partition with Jin, wearing aprons and flour on their faces. Jimin and Taehyung had to hold their laugh when Yoongi threw daggers at them with their eyes.

"What—has the world came to an end?" Jungkook asked with amusement at the sight that made Taehyung almost cried from holding his laughter.

Hoseok turned around slightly to look at the three in the kitchen. "That's what I thought too, but you know Jin hyung," Hoseok shrugged, "even the devil himself is scared of him."

Yoongi's head popped out from behind the wooden kitchen door. "We're making chocolate croissant, anyone wants anything else?" he spoke without any sign of interest.

"Add one tuna sandwich for this kid," Jimin said, pointing to Jungkook's head. When Jungkook turned around and glowered at him, Jimin just shrugged, "You haven't ate dinner."

Yoongi gave a lazy salute. "One tuna sandwich for Idiot number 7, coming right up!" he shouted to his fellow workers and Namjoon replied incoherently. Hoseok could not hide another laugh which was followed by the younger ones.

The laughter died down once Hoseok's phone was ringing. He answered it with a smile. "Mom!"

"Where are you?" she asked sharply, there was accusation on the tip of her tongue and Hoseok could feel it slice through his skin even when he did not face her. His smile dropped in instant.

"Jin hyung's place. Is everything okay?"

His mother sighed, his voice softened. "You're not lying?"

Hoseok frowned. He did not like where this was going. So, now he was a liar in his parents' eyes? "No, Mom. I'm here."

"You're not at—"

"No, I'm not at the dance studio if that's what you want to ask," Hoseok snapped and it was so rare to hear it that the younger ones looked at him with worry.

"Did you just cut me, Jung Hoseok?"

Hoseok sighed, realising his mistake. "I'm sorry, Mother, I was wrong."

"Yes, you were. This has been frequent ever since you spend too much time with those dancers there. They're different from us, remember?"

Hoseok wanted to scream, but he knew better than that. "Why are you calling at this hour, Mother? Aren't you supposed to be in bed now?" he asked tiredly. Just several seconds and he already felt tired, even Jin, Namjoon, and Yoongi could sense it and were watching him carefully from behind the partition.

"I got worried because you told me you were coming home tonight, but there was no news, no nothing. I thought you're at that studio and wasting your time again," she said softly. If anyone listened to their conversation, they might think that his mother was just worried for his son, they would never understand the pressure Hoseok got whenever he talked about dancing with his parents and how they accused it to be the only thing that ruined his life when the truth was dancing was his hero.

Hoseok found dancing when he was 8. He was on his way from school when he saw some street kids performing near the Han river. He thought it was cool and he wanted to be cool. The next day, he found them at the same time and the same place. Three months later, he successfully persuaded his driver to stop the car and accompany him to watch the dance. When it was over, he talked to one of the older kid, the coolest one, his name was Yunho. Yunho invited him to his place and taught Hoseok some moves. Hoseok fell in love with dancing, he found solace in it like it was his safe place, it was a bubble that would protect him from everything. At first, his parents only saw dancing as a hobby. Over the years, hobby turned into a dream and Hoseok woke up one day, at the age of 17 with the CSAT was only a year away, telling his parents that he would pursue his dream to one of the art academies, the best one he assured. It was the first time in his life that his father ever slapped him in the face. He would never forget his father's words.

"You are my son. You are the heir of JungHwang Operation. You are going to be a civil engineer, that has been set ever since you were born into this world. So, I dare you to go into that filthy dance school and you will never see my face."

Hoseok ran away to Jin's place that night, crying and burying himself in agony for a broken dream. He did not come home and did not go to the dance studio for five days. His mother occasionally called, when Hoseok did not pick up, she called Jin and made sure Hoseok was healthy. When he came home, his parents acted like nothing happened, like he was still their only golden son. He received one of the highest scores of CSAT along with Namjoon and he was able to choose any university he wanted to go but he did not know where to go because the only place he wanted to be in was the only place his parents despised. So he let them choose it for him and they did it happily. They never talked about dancing normally ever since then and Hoseok only received wrath whenever they found out that he went to the dance studio.

"I'm gonna stay at Jin hyung's tonight, so don't wait me up, Mother. I'm sorry I didn't call," Hoseok said defeatedly.

His mother huffed. "Fine. Your father will see you tomorrow at the office. Take care, okay, sweetheart?"

"Yes, Mother," he answered stiffly and shut his phone off immediately. He did not say a word, he had his eyes stick to one place across the wall.

"Hyung, you okay?" Jimin asked gently, hand moving toward Hoseok's shoulder and the older abruptly moved from his daze and turned to Jimin.

"Yeah," he answered hesitantly, "I'm gonna go out to smoke," he said as he started walking with the same frown on his forehead, like he was still thinking and not back to this world yet.

"I'll come with you," Taehyung walked to him.

"No, Tae," Hoseok stopped and turned slightly, "I need a time alone. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

Taehyung seemed to consider his hyung's words. "If you're not back in fifteen minutes, I'll find you myself and it won't end well, hyung, you know it?" Taehyung threatened. He tried to joke but he himself did not find any joke behind his words.

Hoseok smiled softly. "I know," he answered before he walked away again, leaving the three youngest ones to share each other worried look.

In the end, it was not Taehyung who went after Hoseok almost an hour later. It was Yoongi, and everyone knew if there were only two people that Yoongi was so weak of, they would be Jeon Jungkook and Jung Hoseok. Even the full-of-charms Park Jimin and stubborn Kim Taehyung came after those two.

Hoseok had almost emptied a box of cigarettes that he bought instantly after he went out of the bakery shop at the nearest 7-Eleven. Yoongi and Namjoon were their regular smokers with Yoongi as the heaviest one, Taehyung and Jimin were smokers too but occasionally during parties or when Jin was not looking but the eldest had always knew, Jin was too fed up with his own medical knowledge that he avoided it willingly, and Jungkook was the baby of the family, everyone would scold him if he ever showed any interest to those kind of stuffs—it was not that he never did show any interest. But, Jung Hoseok. Jung Hoseok smoke only when he was stressed especially every time his parents talked about dancing, he did it and he did it worse than Yoongi. So it was no surprise when Yoongi found him crouching down on the pavement right outside Jin's shop, looking mindlessly to the street and a half-lidded cigarette between his two fingers.

"Mind if I join you?" Yoongi asked slowly as he crouched next to Hoseok.

"It's a free country," Hoseok shrugged without looking up. He knew that sooner or later someone had to pick him up.

Yoongi reached out for the box of cigarette and took one along with its lighter. "You almost finish it only in an hour," Yoongi said as he lighted it up, "Seokjin's gonna be pissed."

"Don't tell him then."

Yoongi scoffed. "Don't you know that he has sixth sense? It scares me sometimes, like I don't have to say anything for him to know about everything."

Hoseok laughed weakly. "That sounds like him."

For a while, they all stayed silence. The street was quiet because it was nearly 1 AM. Yoongi was too busy finishing his own cigarette and Hoseok was too busy daydreaming, getting too comfortable in the mess of silence that Yoongi always brought with him whenever someone was upset. It was like a little space Yoongi gave to Hoseok. The latter would speak eventually, Yoongi was sure, he just needed a little time to calm his own storm.

"She thought I was lying," Hoseok started, "she accused me for lying."

Yoongi sighed. "I'm sure that's not what she meant."

"I know she did, hyung. I know. Don't try to defend her," he scoffed cynically to his hyung but Yoongi knew Hoseok did not mean it so he stayed quiet and listened, "it's just hilarious how they can't let it go, you know. It was one time when I just couldn't control my stupid mouth but look where I am now! I am the VP of JungHwang Operation, I have done every single ing thing they dictate me to, and they still sound like anytime in the future dancing would just take me away from them. They want it to be just a hobby, then it is! So why the can't they just let it go, huh?"

Yoongi stayed silent, Hoseok's words slipped into every possible surface around them, like even the night sky was listening to him and did not know what to say either. Yoongi was never the one with words, it was Namjoon's and Jin's part of the day. To be put in that position, Yoongi decided to let Hoseok's thoughts flowed out first, even the darkest ones.

"What if they just use me for their own sake, huh? What if the only reason I was born is because they need a heir?" Hoseok continued when Yoongi still did not say a word and Yoongi knew that was it, that was the thoughts that had been eating Hoseok up for years, that always showed in his head whenever the bad days and bad fights came.

Yoongi shrugged. "Well, then you have two very ed up parents."

Hoseok laughed quietly. Yoongi had always been the blunt one in the group. "I guess I'm stuck with two very ed up parents then."

"Parents aren't always the best people in your life, you know," Yoongi said, his voice was soft because he reflected his words to his own relationship with his parents, especially his father, "it's all about luck. People like Jin were born lucky enough to have perfect parents and perfect life and perfect everything, and their homes are always warm and happy. Some other people, like Namjoon and Jimin, were born with problematic parents and problematic life. The rest, like Jungkook, Tae, and I, we were born with the worst people we could ever dream of as our parents. But, that doesn't make us less human. Because although we don't have the most wonderful life back at home, we have you guys. This may sound cheesy," Hoseok scoffed loudly, playful grin found its way back to his face and Yoongi had to restrain himself from strangling the dancer, "I'm being serious here—this may sound cheesy, but we're thankful for the four of you. And, I want you to feel that way too toward us. Like, if there's only one place you'll ever feel safe and happy and comfortable, it's us. We can fight our demons and stay alive as long as we have each other. Always remember that."

Hoseok tilted his head as he looked into Yoongi's eyes, and everything clicked. Hoseok remembered that night like how the worst nightmare always haunted him even in the brightest day. He remembered the gala dinner two years ago. He remembered Yoongi disappearing much earlier and all six of them brushed it off casually because they thought Yoongi was just too lazy to be social, like always. He remembered staying in Taehyung's condo with Jimin and Jungkook after the dinner. He remembered getting a phone call at 2 in the morning from Namjoon and how he could hear Jin's cry next to him. He remembered waking the kids up with Yoongi's in hospital, wake up, Yoongi's in hospital, wake up, Yoongi's overdosed and in the ing hospital and repeated the words like mantra, like they would wipe clear all of the horrible nightmares, like they would wake him up and he would find himself in Jin's apartment with the smell of pancake and coffee in the morning and Jungkook's laugh together with Jimin's and Taehyung's loud voices, and Namjoon's rare chatter about the nation with Yoongi, and not sitting in the hospital's waiting room with Yoongi in the operation room, getting his stomach pumped out. Hoseok swore he never wanted to go through that hopelessness again.

"Tell me about that night, hyung."

Yoongi let out a small smile. He never really talked about that night. That night where he woke up in that hospital bed with Jin's, Jimin's, and Hoseok's sobs and Namjoon's look of disappointment and Taehyung's anger and Jungkook's fearful eyes, he swore he would never do it again and he would be the most cooperative patient the hospital ever treated, he would go to every therapies Jin put him into even if it took almost six months until he was ready to take on the world. He would learn to speak and to open up a little bit, even if he did not want to, he had to. After that, he did not talk often about his own problem, but he accepted help with open hands. He decided that he would learn to be happy. He was still learning and his friends were glad to help.

Yoongi closed his eyes, bracing himself for the rush of memories. When he opened his eyes again, Hoseok was looking at him with concern. "Hyung, you don't have to if you don't want to. It's very silly of me."

"No," Yoongi told him, "I have to talk about it eventually. You deserve to know. It's been two years," he stopped for a while and took a deep breath, "I saw my dad having with his secretary that night which is not a surprise, right?" he laughed humourlessly, "Unlike you, I never really considered any other dream. I love playing the piano, but did I ever imagine myself being a pianist? No, it's a stupid idea. Maybe I've matured too fast because all I know since I was a kid is that I'm gonna be the heir of MBS, that people expect me to. So, I took that road willingly, I planned my own future to be the heir of MBS. And, when I saw him on that bed with that filthy woman? I realised that I was an idiot. I wanted to make him proud by being the best heir he could ever dreamed of, and there he was, being unfaithful to my mother and looking down on me like I was just a clueless child. I knew he cheated on my mom. I never saw him did it before but I knew, and I guess it hurt more after I saw it with my own eyes. But then he looked at me like that's where I'm going to be in the future, in that bed with that kind of woman while my wife's at home with our son, trying to be strong enough for the sake of her family, trying to mute people's talks because she has a huge amount of useless fate toward his useless husband."

Yoongi was looking at the road and Hoseok swore he saw tears and heard the shake in his hyung's voice. He wanted Yoongi to stop if it hurt him, but he also wanted Yoongi to open up more and more.

"So, I ran. I'm always good at running. I ran and ran and I decided to end it that night. But, you know who showed up after I swallowed those pills?" Yoongi turned to Hoseok, a nostalgic smile on his face and Hoseok wanted to keep the image forever. Hoseok shook his head and Yoongi continued. "Jungkook. Jungkook's stupid laugh and the sound of his voice calling me 'oh, hyung, you're here!'. And then Taehyung's grin, wide and happy. Then, Jimin's chubby little fingers. Jin's face when we compliment his food. Namjoon's stupidly rare but never ending philosophical quotes, and your peace while you dance. It wasn't my mom, it wasn't anyone, it was you guys. In that moment, I realised if I died right there, I'd let you guys down. I'd give more responsibilities to Jin's and Namjoon's shoulders to take care the rest of you, I'd give even less reason for Taehyung and you to be your happy sane selfs again and more reason for Jimin to cry, I'd give Jungkook an example that it's okay to give up on life. And, I just couldn't do that to any of you. No. You're the only reason for me to be okay in this ed up world, and even if I only have one ing reason, the world's still good with you." Yoongi laughed shyly, this was the longest and the most sensitive conversation he ever had with someone other than his own psychiatrist. He loved his friends but he always thought he would look weak if he opened up too much to them. But not today. "So, I called Jin and asked for his help while I could. I wanted to be okay again, I wanted to be more than okay. I want to be the reason for you guys to stay strong too and I can't be that if I'm not strong myself."

Hoseok sighed, did not even realise that the tears had gathered in his eyes. "I didn't know that, hyung. I'm sorry."

Yoongi shrugged. "It's in the past. I'm still struggling now, but I'm better because of you guys. I'm bad at talking about my feelings and those kind of s, but I'm getting there, right?"

"Right. I mean, look at you now, talking about it like the bravest man I've ever met," Hoseok nodded with admiration.

"And, I want you to be like me, okay? I know it out there, but when we come together to this circle of ours, you can be yourself and we're gonna deal with everything together. I promise."

Hoseok always thought that Yoongi was the one with the biggest demon to fight with. But that night, he also grew respect toward his hyung because finally he knew the struggle, he knew what really happened and he wanted to be brave to. He lifted his pinky finger toward Yoongi's direction and Yoongi linked it after a few hesitant seconds. The older might think Hoseok being childish, but he could always let his mask down with them, right?

"And, hyung," Hoseok spoke again while their fingers were still linked together, "you won't be like your father. You're way better than him. Believe me."

Yoongi smiled. "Thank you, that means a lot to me."

CSAT: College Scholastic Ability Test

I'm a bit late than what I expected, but yeah here's the thing. See you guys in a few days!! Hopefully :)