Episode 4: Where We Belong

Lunchtime had never been so quiet. Not in this house for sure. But for today, it feels like as if they were in a strange household - maybe not just today, it has been like this since dinner last night. 

Seokjin and Taehyung exchanging glances for the umpteenth time, staring at their little sister, Yeri who doesn't seem to be aware of her brothers who were watching her with curiosity. She sighs as she stirs at her mushroom soup, looking at it with a blank stare. Looking at the situation, Seokjin decided to clear his throats, surprisingly catching her attention abruptly.

The eldest smiled, "How's the soup? Is it tasty?" 

Yeri blinked, realizing she was in the middle of lunch with her brothers and quickly snapping out of her own thought. "Ah, yeah. The soup is tasty. There's no food you made is not tasty, oppa."

Seokjin grinned, "Glad you like it. Please eat more, you look tired these days. Do you have anything you want to do today?"

"I'm just going to finish my homework today, I think." She shoved a spoonful of rice into .

"Aww, come one Yerimie!" Taehyung, being the enthusiast of his own little sister, begin to whine. "It's the weekend! WEEKEND! Should we go somewhere fun like the arcade? Or do you want to eat some parfait? Crepe?"

Yeri laughed as she shakes her head, "No thanks. I'm just gonna stay at home."

"How about you help me at the cafe tonight? We need more hands since Juhyun is taking her leave for today." Seokjin suggested, making both of his siblings looking at him, disbelieve. 

"Hyung! There's no way-"

"How much will you pay?" Yeri quickly cut Taehyung's words, who is now looking at her in shock. "If it's about money then I'll gladly be a helping hand."

Seokjin laughed as he crossed his arms. "How about if I increase your lunch money?"

"I can't believe you guys are doing this... Right in front of my mushroom soup!"

"Chill oppa. This is what business is." Yeri glare at Taehyung as she gives Seokjin a thumbs up. "I'll give it an 'OK'."

"Then it settled! You two are going to help me at the cafe tonight.

~*~

Seokjin is standing behind the counter, watching as his younger siblings are working hard helping him in the cafe tonight. Yeri is being a diligent little sister doing the dishes part in the kitchen and Taehyung - it's really a good idea for bringing Taehyung to his cafe tonight. He can already sense all the flock of customers (he is sure that most of them will be women) coming and of course, money. Just with the thought of it is making him laugh.

Behind him, a woman with a ponytail came out from the kitchen and wearing a pink apron, tilting her head as she watched him with a glare. Seokjin felt a sudden presence behind him and decided to turn around, only to be greeted by her frown.

"Why are Taehyung and Yeri here?" The woman asks, "Out of my way. You're distracting me." She said as she shoved him out from the counter.

Startled, Seokjin stared at her in disbelieve, "Juhyun?" he paused, "I thought you're going back to your hometown? Why are you-"

"Shh!" Juhyun hushed him down with one finger on his lips. "We have customers. Slow down your voice." She said as she greeted the customer coming to the counter. "Welcome to Petite France. Would you like to dine-in or take out?"

I swear, this woman is intimidating. Seokjin had never met a woman like her in his life though how many he had dated before. She's beautiful but stern - it was an immediate turn off for him. He left Juhyun at the counter as he proceeds to walk to the kitchen after receiving the orders from the customer earlier when he bumped with Yeri, who had just finished washing the dishes.

"Seokjin oppa," She turned the water tap closed before turning to face him. "I thought you told Juhyun unnie won't be here for tonight? I was surprised when she came in just now."

He shrugs, "She maybe missed the train or something. Now, back to work! You should help her out at the counter." Seokjin pushed his little sister out from the kitchen as he continues to cook. He couldn't careless about Juhyun right now. That woman is just so hard to understand.

Yeri went to the front where Juhyun was busy collecting orders from the customers and she stood next to her, simultaneously helping her by opening the second counter. It was when the turn for the next customer, Juhyun was relief that the line was surprisingly short until she realized that it has been divided into two and she turned her head towards Yeri, who is busy taking the customer's order next to her. She didn't even realize it at first, but she was really thankful to her for doing this.

The last customer takes her order from the counter and abruptly leaving the cafe soon as Juhyun yell "Thanks for coming!". The two ladies sigh in unison and laughed when they caught looking at each other. "That was really tiring," Yeri said as Juhyun agreeing with her words with laughter.

"Imagine working with only two employees every day," Juhyun moaned, "Glad you guys came to help tonight."

"I was forced okay! FORCED!" Taehyung yell from where he was standing while wiping the tables. Yeri rolled her eyes as Juhyun laughed at the latter. 

"All you did was wiping the tables and collecting the leftovers so stop complaining, will you?" Seokjin comes to the front as he finished doing the dishes in the kitchen. Taehyung rolled his eyes in annoyance as his hands violently wiping the gray table, mumbling incoherent words that probably contains curses to his older brother.

Juhyun stole a glance at her wristwatch and gasp, earning both Yeri and Seokjin attention.

"What's wrong?"

"I have to go," She said as she took off her apron and went to the kitchen, grabbing her coats and wearing her barret immediately. Seokjin and Yeri followed her from behind and Juhyun is now wearing her beige high heels boots "My train is going to leave in an hour. Gotta catch it up before it goes." 

Seokjin tilted his head quizzically, "Where are you going?"

"Going back to my hometown, duh!" Juhyun sighs, "Sorry I didn't tell you earlier that I reschedule my train trip. I'll be taking a leave for tomorrow and the day after tomorrow." She sent off an apologetic smile before bowing to him and walked out from the cafe through the back door, leaving Seokjin standing there, dumbfounded.

Yeri moaned in disbelieve of what she just saw and she turned to her brother reaction, "Wow, for once I thought she is the real owner of this cafe and not you oppa. How do you even allow her?"

Seokjin groaned, "She is the co-owner after all. I can't do anything about it." He scratches at the back of his neck, "Let's forget about it, it's not closing time yet. Go back to the counter."

Yeri watches as her brother went back inside as she follows him from behind, only to watch him walking out from the cafe and starting to annoy Taehyung who was in the middle of collecting the leftovers from the tables outside. She took a seat on the wooden chair near the counter and resting her chin on her hands, softly letting out all her stress through her breathing. She looks at the clock - 9.30 p.m, another 2 hours until it was closing time.

She has been thinking too much about trivial things lately that her brothers probably had taken notice of it. She wishes she could hide it from them but Taehyung and Seokjin know her too well that she can't even hide it from them. Tonight was just another 'stress reliever' her brothers have set up for her although they know she doesn't need it. Yeri rather chooses to lock herself in her room and read some books or just sleep soundly. 

She takes a look at her brothers and sighs again - it has been 5 years huh? 5 years was very long for her. Were her mother and father are happy with their own new family after 5 years of divorce? Are they really happy? Is she really happy? What a joke, she should not have asked that to herself - she has already forgotten about what happiness is since a long time ago.

She only has her brothers on her side right now and nothing else matters anymore. The thought of being hurt by your own emotion resulting in an endless pain. She still remembers the suicide attempt she made during her second year of middle school when she knew her parents are getting a divorce and was hospitalized for a month. She still remembers that day when the divorce was concluded and she was given the option to choose to live with her mother or father.

She chooses neither of them.

She doesn't want the same pain to be repeated again.

She just wanted it to stop.

Taehyung had brought her to a friend of him, a psychiatrist named Park Jimin, believing he will pull her out from the dark past and bringing back the light to her. Yeri hates to admit that nothing is working to reduce her depression, but she is slowly getting better. Years have passed, she is still the same Kim Yerim but less suicidal. That was she thought of herself after 5 years. Moving out from Seoul and coming to Busan is a new fresh start for her - both for herself and her brothers.

And still wishing till these days, that the light will eventually come to her.

To: Uncle Yoongi

Subj: (no subject)

Please don't wait for me. I'm not going back tonight.

Jungkook switched his phone off soon after he sent the text message to his uncle, not bothering if Yoongi will read the text or not. Just for tonight, he wanted to be alone as his foot wanders with nowhere to stop. His shift at the convenient store he works at supposedly started an hour ago but he feels like he should resign from the old shop where nobody ever come. He glanced at his watch; 10:30 p.m. It will be too late to catch the train back to his town at this hour, probably he will stay in this town for tonight.

He had been wandering at the street of Hwamyeong for hours today. He didn't know what exactly that made him come back again in this town, but he just did. It feels like something was left - something was missing. After the school incident a few days ago, he probably knows himself won't come back again but today he just bought the train ticket and poof! Three train rides and he arrived. He spent almost a day in this town - going to the central park, the town, the marketplace and lastly... he didn't even know where he is right now.

Jungkook spent almost half of his life in the town he is living now, that he forgot that he actually born in Hwamyeong.

It has been years already. Of course, everything has changed.

He stopped his tracks as he took a deep breath, exhausted. "Ah, I'm hungry." He looked around, almost all of the street ddeokbokki stalls have closed down and only one particular shop light is still on. He glanced at his watch again and sighs - 11:00 p.m. The shop probably ready for their closing time already but Jungkook is hungry. "I hope they still have everything on their menu."

He starts walking at a fast pace to catch up the time but luck was not having it on his side. He accidentally bumped his shoulders with a guy who immediately shoved his body into the wall, causing him hit his head. Jungkook groaned in pain, not exactly aware of what just happening to him. He opens his eyes, only to meet with two guys with a fiery looking face, looking down at him as one of them starts to grab his collar tightly.

"Hey kid, watch where are you going!" He whispered in a deep, scary voice.

Jungkook clicked his tongue, , this guy breath's stinks. He rolled his eyes, "Do you mind? I don't have any business -"

"Shut your ing mouth!" The guy shoved him again and Jungkook head was hit on the same spot. "If you think I'm going to let you go then you're wrong!"

"We should finish him," The other guy, much taller and bald, says to the guy who was grabbing his collar right now. "He needs a lesson from us."

Jungkook sighs. God, he's not in the mood to fight right now. "Look, I'm not -" A big, bulging fist landed on his stomach and Jungkook fell to the ground before he could finish his sentences. ! It hurts! He groaned in pain, crouching and holding where it hurt. The two guys laugh as if mocking him and he grabbed him again this time on his hoodie and blowing another punch on his face. He fell again.

"You're a ing sissy." The guy whispered.

"I'm... not," Jungkook answered weakly and they started to laugh again. , I didn't come here to get punch again.

He is almost to be kicked in the face when a voice comes to stop the two guys, abruptly saving Jungkook all at once. He can't see clearly who it was but he can clearly hear his voice provoking them and threatening them to call the police if they didn't stop what they were doing. The two guys were cursing the hell out and Jungkook can actually hear footsteps leaving him.

He sighs in relief and he felt two hands were holding his shoulders.

"Hey! Are you okay?" It was the last thing he heard before everything turns black.

~*~

Yeri and Seokjin are preparing to close the shop when suddenly Taehyung stormed in with a panic face and panting as if he had run miles away to come to the cafe.

Seokjin came out from behind the counter and realizing Taehyung was carrying something on his back. "Hey, what are you - TAEHYUNG IS THAT A PERSON?" He was startled when Taehyung put an actual person down on the floor, unconscious.

"He... he is my... student." Taehyung collapsed on the floor while panting hard. "I saw him...he was hit by the thugs on the street."

Yeri who was curious about what was the ruckus is all about and came to the front, only to be shocked by a freaking Jeon Jungkook lying unconsciously on the floor with Taehyung all sweaty beside him.

"What is he doing here?" Yeri looked Taehyung who was waving his hand, telling her to shut up.

Seokjin sighs, "You know him too? I mean this guy with bruises all over his face..." He stares at Jungkook for a long time with his arms crossing as if judging the boy appearance. He seems like a bad guy, how did Yeri know him?

Yeri bites her lips and nodded, "He's my classmate. That one, I go to his house for the printouts." She sighs, knowing Seokjin will most likely to remember that and get mad at it.

"OHHH THAT GUY?" Seokjin's voice suddenly rises. See? It is just like what Yeri have thought.

"And Kim Taehyung, what are you thinking for bringing this boy here? Are you going to nurse him or something?" His eyes were now looking at Taehyung with the most sarcastic and intimidating way that Taehyung himself thought that he is going to die in his older brother hand.

He immediately stands up from the floor, scratching his head. "Hyung, look, this boy was just beaten up by the thugs on the street and as his teacher, I must take responsibility for what I have witnessed. Do you think I would just leave him there?"

“Yeah I know it’s YOUR duty to take care of your students,” Seokjin answered, “But NOT outside of school hours! Are you going to take him in?”

Taehyung sighs, “He’s Yerimie’s friend too.” He took Seokjin’s hand, trying to gain his sympathy. “Please, hyung. Just for tonight. I ask him to leave tomorrow.”

Seokjin stares at Taehyung before he turned his gazes at Yeri who were standing next to him.

"Are you okay with bringing in strangers?" He asks her but Yeri shrugs as her answer. Honestly, she couldn't care less. Taehyung decided to take him in then it's his problem.

"Do what you want, oppa. I don't care." She said before turning her heels back to the kitchen, leaving her two brothers together.

Seokjin shakes his head, "It seems like Yeri disapproves." He said, gaining a long sigh and groan from Taehyung.

"But we can't just leave him here." Taehyung scratches his head.

After minutes of thinking, Seokjin pats his shoulder and asking Taehyung to lift the unconscious body of Jungkook. "Just bring him to the back room. We'll leave him there until he wakes up." He said, "We need to close the shop for the night."

Yeri leaned against the wall, clutching on her shirt tightly. What the heck just happened?

Jeon Jungkook - what is he doing here? In this town? On top of that, why did he just ended up in her brother's cafe? Taehyung mentioned that he was beaten up, he must have involved in a fight again. But for what? Does he actually belong to a mafia gang or something? Yeri doesn't understand him and she doesn't understand why it feels like her life actually playing her. Ever since she met him under the bridge, it seems like fate has been crossing between them.

Between her and Jeon Jungkook.

She walked towards the back room where Jungkook was resting inside, taking a little peek through the crack of the door. He is still unconscious. Her brothers are busy cleaning and closing the cafe and had not been calling her ever since she abruptly leaves in mid of their conversation earlier.

She bites her lips, battling her mind and heart whether to enter the room or not.

"Yeri?" She startled at the sound of Seokjin's voice, abruptly turning around to see him.

"Oppa, I-"

"Can you accompany him for a while?"

Yeri blinked, "Huh?"

"I thought it will be alright if you were by his side when he wakes up. You two are friends, right?" Seokjin said as he threw the mops and pails inside a small storage room. "Call us if you need anything."

"Aren't we going home?"

Seokjin glanced at the clock on the wall, "Maybe in another 30 minutes? Probably will be longer since we have that boy in our care. Thanks to a certain someone." He said while glaring at Taehyung.

Ugh, why did I signed up for this? Yeri had no choice but to enter the room and sitting on the floor while staring at Jungkook, who was lying on the floor, snoring. She clicked her tongue. "Feeling comfortable over a person suffering, huh?" She sighs as she lifts her legs, resting her head on top of her knee. "It must be good sleeping on that futon." She mumbled.

A few moment of silence before she heard a soft groan."My body...hurts."

"Huh?" Yeri was startled at the voice, crawling closer to the futon. "You're awake?"

Jungkook groaned again; eyes closed tightly, enduring the pain. Without a doubt, Yeri quickly stood up and walked out from the bedroom before returning a few moment later with Taehyung and Seokjin following from behind. Taehyung kneeled next to Jungkook, examining him before he stops on his stomach where Jungkook is seen to be holding the pain inside. He lifted his shirt, exposing his stomach and spotting a purple-ish plus blue-ish colors appeared on it.

"What the hell - it's swollen!" He said half yelling, "Yeri! Bring me some ice! Quick!"

Yeri abruptly walks out to the kitchen and returned with a bag of ice. She gave it to Taehyung, before he places the bag on the swollen part. Jungkook growled, almost losing control from the sudden cold substance as Seokjin quickly restrained his hands from moving. Yeri could only watch everything as her eyes were not leaving the boy upon her. 

What - no, who the hell is Jeon Jungkook? 

~*~

It has been 10 minutes since Yeri been sitting next to Jungkook, watching him while he lay down on the futon. Seokjin and Taehyung have gone from the room, leaving both of them inside the small room.

"What the hell just happened to you..." Yeri mumbled, loud enough for Jungkook to hear her. The boy let out a defeated sigh, lifting one arm then resting it on top of his face as if hiding it.

"I don't know," He answered softly. Jungkook still can't swallow what had just happened to him. He just wanted to eat some food, that's all.

Yeri tilted her head, sighing softly while staring at him, "Are you in a gang or something? You always got involved in fights."

Jungkook chuckled. He remembered clearly like it was yesterday, their first meeting under the bridge.

"I'm not that low, idiot," he removed his arm from his face, now staring back at Yeri. "And what are you doing here? Who are those guys just now?" He shot her back with questions.

"They are my brothers," Yeri stopped when the door opened, revealing Seokjin with his face full of disapproves,

"We're going home," He said, now looking at Jungkook, "You're coming with us." It was clearly not his decision, Yeri can see it on his face. Sometimes she wonders, between Taehyung and Seokjin, who is the real eldest?

"No, it's ok - AGH!" Jungkook groaned again when he tried to get up from the futon and Seokjin sighs.

"Stop being so stubborn," Seokjin rolled his eyes and Yeri chuckled softly, "You can go now, Yerimie. Taehyung is waiting in the car."

Tonight event was beyond her expectation.

It seems like just yesterday she thought she will never meet Jungkook again but tonight here he is, in the same car and heading back to her home together with Taehyung and Seokjin. It was really awkward; seating next to a person who you consider as a stranger (and annoying) and he will be staying overnight in her house.

What happened today to him made her curiosity grew larger. However, the questions inside her head remained unanswered.

The road to home was shorter than usual, and they already arrived in front of their two-story house as Taehyung parked the car on the garage, taking a peek from the mirror to check out Yeri at the back seat. She looks calm.

Maybe I'll ask her if she still okay, Taehyung thought as he came out from the car, making him the last person to enter the house.

Jungkook stepped inside the house after taking off his shoes, carefully not to break anything and even walking slowly on the wooden floor after slipping on the house slippers Seokjin gave. He trying to not looked around the house, but that's what he was doing soon after he entered the small but cozy living room. The smell of home - is this what it is like? It doesn't feel the same with his home back in the old apartment house where he lives with Yoongi.

Taehyung brings him to the kitchen where he shows a small sized room next to the storage room. He crossed his arms as he leads him inside, "We don't have any spare room for guest and this is the only room available. Is it okay?" He stares back at the younger boy, making him flinch and immediately nodded.

"Ah, it's okay. I'm used to a smaller room." Jungkook rubs his neck out of habit. "Thank you very much."

Taehyung pats his shoulder, making the boy flinched again as he slapped his hand from him abruptly out of reflex. The older one stares into his eyes, realizing the anxiety in his eyes. He smiled reassuringly, still staring at him when he asks, "What's your name, kid?"

Jungkook paused, before he answers, "Jeon Jungkook."

Taehyung pouted his lips and nodded, "Just to let you know that I'm Yerimie's brother and also your teacher in high school." He puts his hand on his shoulder again, squeezing it lightly, "If anything happens to her," he pauses before letting out a soft chuckle, "let say, something bad happens to her, I will not leave a second to kill you."

The atmosphere suddenly tensed up with Taehyung staring into the boy's soul, making Jungkook averting his eyes from him and trying to not make any contact. He closed his eyes, regaining his courage again to look at the older guy in front of him.

"I don't even know she's my classmate or your sister," He answered,"By all means, she doesn't have anything to do with me. We're strangers, but yet you saved my pathetic from those bastards on the street and I now owe you your kindness."

Taehyung furrowed his eyebrows, "Was that mean that you willing to do anything as an act of repaying me for saving you?"

Jungkook shrugs, "Beats me. I don't want to do it but if you want, then I will. I'm not that kind of a person who will die out of regrets."

"Then how about you become my sister's friend?"

This time Jungkook is truly shocked by the words that came out from Taehyung's mouth. He didn't know if Taehyung was serious or joking but there was no hint of the teacher was smiling at him so he assumed he must be serious.

But being friend with a girl? He doesn't even have a friend of the same gender, let alone opposite gender. He is just a 'stray dog' wandering with no friends remaining on his side.

"I don't think I can do that." 

"Why not?" Taehyung crossed his arms, "You don't like her?"

"It's not like that," Jungkook can't say he hates her nor that he likes her either; he just doesn't want to associate with a person like Kim Yerim, and of course he will never say that in front of her brother. "I don't think I can do it. That's all."

After a few moment, Taehyung let out a soft sigh as he scratched his scalp, probably thinking of giving up. "Well, I guess I'm not strict enough than Seokjin hyung when it comes to Yeri. I just love that girl so much, I don't want something bad to happen to her." He finally let out a smile and Jungkook mentally sighs in relief. "It's already late. Sorry for taking too much of your time, please rest." He pats his shoulder for two times before walking out from the room, leaving Jungkook alone - like finally, he is alone in this room.

He doesn't even have time to look around as he quickly threw himself on the single bed. Although it was making his back ache a little, Jungkook drives himself to dreamland not long after he landed his head on the pillow.

Heyyyyyyyyy yall! I'm late again as always even though I'm on semester break now. Sorry about that. I'm babysitting my nephew during this entire break and I don't have time to even touch my phone and laptop. And also, I have been in a difficult situation after Jonghyun's death a month ago. I still can't believe that he's gone forever... It's a miracle that I able to finish writing this chapter although it requires countless times of writing and deleting. We will always remember our great artist Jjong <3 You worked hard, Jonghyun :')  

Oh, and thank for new subscribers and votes <3 For all my readers, I hope you guys are enjoying the story so far ^^