CHAPTER XXXII

**YERIN**

I gazed lazily at my surroundings as I stepped inside the manor. It isn’t my first time here in Yuna’s place after attending her birthday party but somehow, I feel like there’s a lot that I missed that day. First off, I never noticed the little angel figurines adorning the huge wooden shelves on display on one side of the massive space they call their living room. Upon my estimates, I’d say this one area of their house could fit four of our previous place. Second, I only realized that there has been a grand piano placed near the couches, probably for Yuna to play where guests could hear. Finally, it is only now that I observed clearly the paintings that hang on the house’s white walls. They were those that depict scenes of the Bible. I had no doubt then that Yuna’s family must be the religious kind. It’s no wonder then why Yuna seems so angelic. She’s been brought up to be one.

“Make yourself at home, unnie,” the subject of my thoughts said as she gave me one of her sweetest expression. If I were to be given a chance to live as someone else for a day, I’d choose Yuna in a heartbeat. I’d always wonder how it would feel like looking so innocent and kind. Being as bubbly-looking as me, people would immediately assume like I’m childish, like I don’t act my age and I’m tired of being labeled like that. I mean I’m mature even if I don’t seem like it. I don’t have a mind of a seven-year-old, just so they know.

 I gave a curt nod before making my way over to the couch. Yuna and I are the first ones to arrive at the agreed upon meeting place which happens to be this huge mansion I’m currently at. It’s now the afternoon of Friday which means we’ll be on our way to Gangneung a few minutes from now after everyone arrives. To say I’m not excited would be a total lie. I’ve never been to Gangneung all my life. The only place I’ve probably been outside of Seoul is Busan and it wasn’t even much of a vacation. Our trip there was meant for mom to assist her sister, which is my aunt, in tending to her husband who was sick with some sort of flu. The poor lady didn’t even know how to make broth for her husband. I wonder how they survived their married life with her being so incapable of doing things expected of a wife. No offense meant, just stating a fact.

“You seem to have packed less,” Yuna commented as she joined me in the living room, bringing along cups of tea. She set the tray on the table and offered me a cup which I gladly accepted.

“Didn’t want to burden myself,” I replied before taking a sip of the tea. The hot liquid slightly burned my tongue and I flinched a little which immediately alarmed Yuna.

She automatically leaned over and placed a gentle hand on my lap saying, “I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you that it’s still piping hot.”

I tried to smile through the pain on my tongue to ease her from the worry. “It’s fine. I’m okay,” I partly lied. I mean it really is fine but at the same time, my tongue feels like it’s being pricked by a hundred needles.

 I somehow managed to convince Yuna to believe me because instead of pushing it, she decided to sit back down and just give one last concerned look.

“You do know why Jin-oppa set up this trip, right?” Yuna asked after a while. I looked up at her as I placed my tea down on the table. Her expression shows it all- the apprehension. The weekend is just one night away which goes to say that Irene-unnie will probably be here in less than twenty-four hours. I don’t even need to ask why Yuna’s feeling more and more uncomfortable by the minute. I’m sure she’s been thinking about it all the time. I just hope Jungkook had been by her side these days, to comfort her, because it’s what she badly needs.

I put on my widest grin and bent over to grab hold of Yuna’s hand. The gesture took her by surprise, but she eased into my touch not long after, her expression losing a bit of the tension.

“I know. He told me about it and honestly, I’m thankful for him for it,” I said while carefully squeezing Yuna’s hands, almost like I’m massaging it. “You should be too.”

She looked at me for a second before she uttered in a low voice, “I know.”

“You’re not the only one who’s worried about Taehyung, Yuna. The others are, too. Even I admit that I’m worried for him as well. We’re all trying our best for him. That’s why I want you to put into your mind the fact that you’re not alone in dealing with the problem. You have us with you and together, we’ll knock some sense into that alien’s mind. You got me?”

Hearing myself, I would have laughed. Me, giving this mini inspirational speech, reminds me of that time way back in high school when I used to always motivate Hayoung, one of my closest friend, whenever she’s minutes away from running a race. In fact, I even remember giving her a speech longer than that given by their coach. It wasn’t worthless though because soon after, she bagged gold and treated me for dinner at some fancy restaurant.

I smiled at the memory and noted it in my mind to give Hayoung a call when I can. We’ve been messaging each other online before but we now rarely do it since she got busy with college.

My thoughts somehow gave Yuna time to let my words sink in and when I snapped back to reality and looked at her once more, I saw that the frown on her face began to correct itself that seconds after, she was now bearing a smile. It was small and still lacking in enthusiasm but it’s better than nothing.

“What would I do without you?”

“You’d be a lonely hopeless romantic.”

We both turned our heads to the direction of the sudden voice and saw Jungkook who was making our way to us with a huge grin on his face.

“I wasn’t talking to you,” Yuna told her boyfriend while shoving his face away as he tried to steal a kiss from her.

I laughed. These two are just too adorable for my system to handle. I’m pretty sure they’d go far in their relationship. I’d even bet this ring Taehyung gave me for it.

“If that’s what Yuna would be, then what does that make you?” I butted in on the conversation as a joke.

The two stopped playing around and Jungkook turned to me with a disbelieving look, clearly wondering how evil I’ve become after just a month of establishing my relationship with them.

I grinned. This isn’t the evilest I could get. Wait until I really get comfortable around them.

“Really, noona? I didn’t know you had that in you,” Jungkook said and the look on Yuna’s face which slightly mimicked that of her boyfriend says how she agrees with him. Does that mean I look like a kind being to them at first? If so, should I be flattered because for once, I’m seen as an angel or because I was so good in deceiving them, making them think I’m a pure being when in reality, I’m really the opposite?

“There’s plenty more where that came from,” I said which made the three of us laugh together.

I think I’ve never been this cheery around Yuna and Jungkook before. I mean, yes, I have probably spent a lot of time with them already over this past month especially since they’re the first people I met alongside Taehyung when I signed in for the deal, but I don’t think I ever had real fun with them. The night at Yuna’s birthday party would have been the first but we all know things then weren’t that good with Taehyung’s drama. That’s why now is probably the first time I laughed with these two like this and I have to say that I like it. I’ve always had this notion in my head before that I’ll never click with rich people because I always see them as snobby, spoiled, and inconsiderate but getting the chance to know some of them, I learned that I’ve been wrong all along. I’ve been generalizing the rich people. There are still some of them who are good after all and Yuna and the rest are living proofs of that. They’ve shown me that being born rich doesn’t entirely make you a bad person. It all comes down to how you raise yourself that determines your character and truly, these people I’ve known, Yuna, Jungkook, SinB, and the rest, have grown up well. I think they’re even kinder than me, now that I think about it. That’s why even if I know getting into the contract with Taehyung is hard, I still did not regret it because it led me to meet such wonderful people.

~~~~~

We waited for about half an hour before everyone was gathered together inside Yuna’s place. At first, I would have thought of how crowded it would be to have thirteen people here in the living room but now that I’m seeing everyone seated, it came to my mind how huge the living room of Yuna’s house really was. There were even still a lot of space left for us to lie down and roll over if we want to.

“So, Taehyung’s the only one who’s not here?” Jin-oppa asked us as he gazed through the area in case he overlooked the alien but he’s right anyway. The alien still isn’t here and he’s the only one we’re waiting for. SinB, Umji, and Sowon arrived first after Jungkook and followed by Yoongi and Hoseok-oppa a few minutes later. It wasn’t long ago when Jin, Jimin and Namjoon-oppa got here which makes us twelve, only missing one more person- the alien.

“I thought you two went here together,” Jimin said to me which made everyone’s eyes turn to my direction.

“He said during lunch that he has an exam which won’t end until five thirty, so I texted him that I’ll go with Yuna instead.”

I saw Namjoon-oppa take a glance at his watch before he uttered, “It’s already past six. Are you sure he’s coming?”

I didn’t know if that question was for me or for Jin-oppa who was on his side but thinking I have the responsibility to know about Taehyung’s whereabouts, I answered instead.

“I don’t think he is. He wasn’t even interested on this trip right from the start.”

Saying that, everyone, even Yoongi-oppa looked at me as if I just grew a second head which quite confused me. Did I say something wrong?

“So, you want us to leave him behind? Is that what you’re saying, Yerin-ssi?” Namjoon replied with another question.

I shrugged. Do I? Well, I probably do. I mean why wait for someone who has a fifty percent chance of not showing up?

“You do realize it’s your boyfriend we’re leaving behind, right?” he further asked, and it was only then did I realize that most of the people in here doesn’t know Taehyung and I are only faking our relationship.

“Oh, right! What was I thinking? Silly me.”

I faked a laugh as I glanced at Yuna and Jungkook’s direction. They both bore the same incredulous expression and I could only give them an apologetic look for making such a reckless mistake. A step further and I would have blown it.

“You’re weird. Has anyone told you that?” Yoongi-oppa voiced out and this is, so far, his first statement addressed to me. I would have cheered but what he said wasn’t exactly nice.

“I tell myself that,” I replied with my chin held high. I’ve taken too many insults from Taehyung to even bother with such a minor one coming from a guy wearing a silly orange tracksuit. Plus, I do actually find myself weird as well.

The rest became quiet after Yoongi-oppa simply shrugged and left me alone. He really is a confusing little being. I could never point out what’s on his mind. His eyes always have that same bored look to them even if he’s enjoying himself.

“Okay! I’ve decided. Let’s just wait for fifteen more minutes. If Taehyung won’t be here by then, we have no choice but to-”

“JUNG YERIN!”

Everyone of us jerked (even Yoongi-oppa) when the doors, meters away from where we were, flung open, revealing Taehyung who had that irritated look on his face and the words he shouted gave me an idea of who he’s mad at. What did I do this time?

Taehyung stomped his way over to us and as he got closer and closer, the others began to turn their eyes on me while I sat in my seat, unknowing of what to do. I had this idea of running for it, but I don’t even know why I’m running or why Taehyung’s mad at me.

“Yah,” he coldly said when he finally stood before me.

I looked up to meet his gaze, immediately regretting when I saw how scary his eyes are.

“Yes?”

I tried looking around to distract myself and somehow avoid looking at Taehyung, but he called me out once again which forced me to stop moving my head and just face him directly. Everyone grew quiet as they observed the scene before them. I could tell they’re fidgety especially when they are still wary of Taehyung after he played them throughout these years by befriending them through a façade.

A short silence came after Taehyung and I had eye contact. We remained like that for quite a long time before Taehyung decided to break his stare as he took in a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, obviously as a way to calm himself down.

I hurriedly turned to Yuna for help, but she just gave me a shrug, same with Jungkook and the rest.

I was in the middle of trying to read SinB’s lips as she decided to tell me something, but I stopped when I realized Taehyung was looking at me again. Gradually, I tilted my face to meet look at him. I was already expecting to see the same irritated look, but I was surprised when I saw that Taehyung’s face now softened. His eyes were no longer reflecting even just a hint of anger. Rather, they looked…I don’t know…gentle?

“Why didn’t you wait for me?”

What? Wait for him? Didn’t he say he has an exam?

My forehead creased as I tried to put the puzzle pieces together in my head. We never agreed to go here together…or did we?

“I thought you wanted me to go on ahead because you still have an exam until five thirty,” I explained. “Besides, I sent you a text.”

“My phone’s battery ran out. And I never said it’ll take me until five thirty to finish the exam. I tried hard to answer everything within fifteen minutes to come and get you only to find out you’ve been here all along.”

So, it’s my fault now?

I pushed myself out of the chair to stand up and meet Taehyung’s height. I really did not know he was planning on going out of his class early. He never told me yet why is he acting like I’m the one who did wrong here? I think this is just unfair.

“You could have told me to wait for you if you wanted us to go here together.”

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