"But what if..." 

 

"You'll definitely come to me. I'll make it happen." Namjoon sounds so confident I can't resist the urge to .

 

"You're just that confident, huh?" I smirk. Lifting myself off the floor, I stand but having squatted for a while just now, blood rushes to my brain. I sway off balance and fall.

 

"Byeol!" He catches me as I lean into him to calm the whirlpool in my head. 

 

"I'm fine," I assure him, pulling myself away. "It's just a blood rush. What are you doing?" I ask when I see that Namjoon has no thoughts of letting me go. Instead, he tightens his arms around me. 

 

"Let's just stay like that for a while," he says softly. I feel his body relax against mine and suddenly think of that day at the dance studio. 

 

"There's something going on." It's not a question. 

 

"What thing?" Namjoon feigns ignorance.

 

"I won't know unless you tell me." I push him away just enough so I can look into his eyes, weariness clouding his usually shiny orbs. Namjoon flashes his dimples but his smile doesn't reach his eyes. He releases me from his arms and sits back down on the sofa. 

 

"Byeol, sit over at the other end, will you?" 

 

"Hmm?" Sceptically, I do so. Namjoon surprises me by flinging his legs over the arm rest at his side and lying down, his head on my lap. He closes his eyes and instinctively, my fingers move to arrange his hair. A small smile creeps up onto his lips. 

 

"You know how I'm not very good at dancing," Namjoon starts, his eyes still closed. "There are three sets of choreographies for this comeback and they're all so tough."

 

"This is what you were worried about?" I sigh. 

 

"This is huge! Everyone thinks we're suited for crazy dances but they're really difficult for me." 

 

"But oppa, you've really improved a lot. I went to watch your past performances and seeing you dance that day, you're really good!" 

 

"You were monitoring me?" He opens his eyes suddenly, making eye contact with me. I blink a few times in fluster. 

 

"Not like... that...That's not the point!" 

 

Namjoon laughs. "So between Hoseok and me, who's better?"

 

"Hoseok oppa," I say without hesitation. He fakes a frown and closes his eyes again. 

 

"You're not going to fall asleep, are you?" I poke his cheeks. 

 

"I might? Your lap is so comfortable." 

 

What did he say? "Yah!" I shake him off and caught off guard, he rolls off the sofa,

 

"'Yah'?" Namjoon raises an eyebrow. "Did you just 'yah' me?" A lopsided grin makes its way onto his face as he gets up and leans over.

 

"Did I...? Hahaha I don't think so." I manage to escape just in time as Namjoon slams a hand down onto the backrest, blocking out the corner I was just in. Namjoon laughs again and walks off towards the rooms. He disappears for a while before coming back out. I raise an eyebrow at the big Ryan soft toy in his hand.  He comes and motions for me to move over. Back in the corner of the sofa, Namjoon lies down sideways with his head on my lap again, his arms hugging his soft toy. He adjusts himself and closes his eyes. Seeing the lines of tiredness on his face, I don’t make a sound.

 

“Byeol-ah,” Namjoon calls my name.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Sing me a lullaby?”

 

I think for a moment. “What song do you want to hear?”

 

“You decide.” His voice sounds like it’s already miles away. Pulling up a mental playlist, I pick a song.

 

 

 

 

Namjoon’s breathing steadies as I sing – a sign that he’s fallen asleep. Nevertheless, I continue the song.

 

 

 

I take the chance to study his features. He’s handsome. Granted not the Won Bin handsome but there’s something very attractive about him I can’t put my finger on. Maybe it’s his confidence, how he carries himself. Unknowingly, I stare at his face until I fall asleep myself.

 

Noise of people talking wakes me up.

 

“Shh, don’t wake her.” I recognise this as Namjoon’s voice. Rubbing my eyes, I sit up and look around my surrounding. Well, obviously, this is not the living room I fell asleep in. I look down at the Ryan in my arms, and up around the room again – a shared room…? On my side of the room, I see a cupboard of overflowing clothes, more clothes on the floor, an expensive laptop, a bookshelf. I breathe in a familiar smell. This must be Namjoon and Jungkook’s room.

 

“What are you going to do about it?” This is no doubt Yoongi.

 

“Hyung, maybe we should…” Jungkook sounds worried.

 

“We should let Bang PD know,” Jin says.

 

“But Byeol…” Jimin?

 

“You should discuss it with her.” Hoseok’s voice is not as cheery as it normally is.

 

“Uh Byeol…” Taehyung looks up at me as I stick my head out of the room. The guys are huddled around in the living room, some sitting on the sofa and the others on the floor. An envelope in Namjoon’s hand catches my eye.

 

What is this feeling of déjà vu? I lock eyes with him and know something is fishy the moment he tries to hide the envelope.

 

“What is that?” I approach him, my palm outstretched for the envelope he’s now sitting on.

 

“What thing?” He breaks eye contact and turns to Yoongi.

 

“You’re awake?” Yoongi smiles at me.

 

I roll my eyes. “No, I’m sleepwalking.”

 

“Come sit here.” He pushes Taehyung down onto the floor and pats the empty space beside him.

 

“What time is it?” I pull out my phone – 6PM. For how long have I been sleeping? To Namjoon, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

 

“He didn’t even get up until we came back,” Yoongi says, shaking his head. “You two.”

 

I subtly eye the tiny corner of paper from under Namjoon’s . As the guys are distracted, I push Namjoon over and pull the envelope out.

 

“Byeol!” Namjoon tries to grab it back but I stop him. Inside the envelope are paparazzi shots of Namjoon – at the supermarket, eating, walking – and in all of these shots is undoubtedly me. It may seem like normal tabloid blackmail but I recognise the envelope and the meaning behind the red crosses on Namjoon’s face in the photographs. Fear strikes me. Frozen in place, Namjoon takes the photographs from me. He places his hands on my shoulders.

 

“Byeol, listen to me-“

 

“I have to go home.” I brush Namjoon’s hands away and turn around but he wraps his arms around me from behind.

 

“You promised you won’t push me away.” There is a quiver in his voice. “I…”

 

I turn to look at Yoongi.

 

“Joon, let her go first.” Yoongi pulls Namjoon back.

Remembering to take my bag, I leave the house.

---

A/N: Just when you've probably forgetten about our quite important stalker character, BOOM. Single update to keep the suspense! Nah, not really. It's a busy night tonight :(