Jungkook drummed his fingers on the table, Taehyung was speaking on speakerphone.

“I called Byul earlier…She seemed...” Jungkook trailed off.

“I noticed too. She did seem..stressed out today at school.”

Jungkook shook his head.

“I got yelled at today.”

“By who, Hyena? Of course you should get yelled at.” Taehyung chortled.

“No, Byul. Byul yelled at me.”

“Daebak.” Taehyung nodded, Jungkook leaned back on his seat.

“I haven’t had the chance to call Hyena. I forgot.” Jungkook said honestly.

“But, you called Byul first? Why did you even get a girlfriend?” Taehyung asked dryly, Jungkook paused, his brows met briefly.

“Can you check on her, hyung? I don’t think I should call her tonight,”

“Arasso, I’m expecting her and Mark in a few.”

“Mark?” Jungkook paused.

“Yeah, you worried you might be replaced?” Taehyung laughed before ending the call.

Jungkook just exhaled and left his seat.

Byul went inside her room, she dropped her car keys on her computer desk before setting down the box she was holding.

Her brows met briefly as she plopped down on her bed.

“What’s happening?” She murmured to herself, she bit her lip as she glanced at the windows.

Her thoughts wandered back to Hyena, she sighed before fishing out her phone from her purse.

She started to dial.

“Byul.” Jungkook answered after two rings.

“Hi.” She breathed, she could hear that Jungkook was inside the car.

“Can..Can you talk?” She asked.

“Yeah, we’re on our way to the hotel.” He said.

“I—I’m sorry for yelling at you. I just..had a bad day.” She said quietly.

“It’s okay, Song Star. Will you tell me what happened?” Jungkook asked patiently. Byul looked at her toes.

“Surprise quiz. It took me by surprise, literally.” She shrugged.

“Did something happen with Hyena, Byul?”

She paused, she bit her lip before answering.

“Uhmm, she was…annoyed that you didn’t tell her. And she confronted me about it, then I overreacted, I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be. I—I’ll talk to her tonight. Have you eaten?”

“I’m heading over to Taehyung oppa’s in a bit.” She murmured.

“Byul?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ll try to keep this trip short.”

“Arasso. Buy me those mooncakes your dad used to bring over.” She mused.

Jungkook chuckled.

“Anything else?” He asked.

“Tea. I want traditional tea.”

“Noted. Mooncakes and tea. Whoa, you sound like an old lady.” He teased, he could almost see her smile and roll her eyes.

“I have to go now. I have to ask Mark if he wants to join. Text you later.” She said before ending the call.

Byul just let out a shaky breath before laying flat on her bed, she heard her door open.

“Noona? Are we still going out?” Mark asked, he stood by the doorway, refusing to just walk in. Byul grew amused and just waved him over.

“You don’t have to be all proper with me, Lee Minhyung. Come in.” She said as she sat up and righted her shirt.

Mark rolled his eyes at her and strolled in, he sat down on the leather settee and faced her.

“I’ll just grab~” Byul saw the red hoodie lying on her computer chair, she picked it up and wore it.

“Let’s get going then, Markeu Markeu.” She said before stretching one hand to him.

Mark just smiled and took her hand in his.

Jungkook walked in the suite, his father was seated across the TV, listening to the news.

“I heard from your mother, you got a girlfriend.” He said teasingly, Jungkook sat down on the couch beside his.

“Yes. I’ll introduce her to you soon, abeoji.”

The Jeon elder nodded, then he sat up.

“That must be an adjustment for you.” He spoke, Jungkook blinked.

“Byul’s a girl, son. I’m sure you know what to do.”

“What do you..mean?” Jungkook asked.

“I understand you two, you like being around Byul. You two have always gotten along well, but now, you already have a girlfriend. You have to distance yourself from your Song Byul, because it might cause problems.”

“Abeoji~”

“I’m just saying, be careful. I know you’d do anything just to not have Byul hurt.” He patted his shoulder before walking towards his room.

Jungkook exhaled and leaned back on his seat, he picked up his phone and started to dial.

“Jungkook-ah,” Hyena answered.

“Are you busy? Can you talk?”

“No, I’m just at home preparing some notes, why?”

“Did you do something to Byul?”

Mark laughed as Jimin and Taehyung debated over the last piece of steak, then he noticed the empty seat beside him.

“Oh, Byul loves to sit by the pool. You can find her there.” Jimin said, Mark looked at him.

“She seems down lately. Talk to her.” The older male urged, Mark nodded and stood up. Just as he left, Taehyung heard the patio doors open.

Jimin beamed and stood up.

“Junhee!”

Taehyung waved at the girl before Jimin wrapped his arms around her.

“This is weird, I saw Byul’s car outside, but I don’t see Jungkook’s.” Jimin’s girlfriend blink.

“That’s a problem we’re facing now.” Taehyung mused.

Mark made his way towards the well-lit pool, Byul was sitting by the edge, her legs were on the water.

“What are you doing here alone?” Mark asked as he plopped down beside her, Byul looked at him, he saw how her forehead furrowed for a moment.

“Noona, please stop saying that it’s nothing. It’s quite obvious.”

“Obvious, what?”

“That something’s wrong. And it’s bothering you. Ever since that party, noona, you’ve been…unlike you.”

Byul bit her lip.

“Noona, I’m here to help. I’m not that small kid who use to follow you around anymore. I’m even taller than you now.” Mark nudged her with a small smile.

“I just….It’s my..aunts, Mark.”

“Oh, they were at the house earlier.”

“Yeah, well..at that party, I heard them talking about me.”

Mark looked at her, Byul had her eyes on the still water before them, but he could see how uncomfortable she was.

“They were talking about me. How disappointed they were that I turned out like this. A girl who’s always around boys. A flirt. They’re even expecting me to be pregnant soon.”

Mark paused.

“They called me names. But..it’s not that, the thing that got to me is that, they really just had to ambush me at my home. And tell my parents what they think, when they know nothing.”

“Noona,”

“And I hope this wont affect you and Chunghee. No, this shouldn’t get it between you two, but I am..confused as to why she would make stories about me.” She looked at her fingers, Mark tensed as he saw fresh tears roll down on her cheeks.

“Usually, cousins have this..unspoken pact of protecting each other, but I feel so…betrayed. And I hate it. I hate feeling like this.” She breathed, Mark bit his lip before pulling her to him.

“I’m so pissed, but I know if I do something then I’d lose.”

“Noona, maybe something’s wrong. They just misunderstood you.”

“No. All these years, and it’s just now that they misunderstand Jungkook and I? What a joke.”

“Noona, I~”

“I just…I hate this, Mark. I hate feeling like I’m being watched. Chunghee’s the only cousin I’ve got in that side of the family. And, she just…she just made me rethink things.”

“Please stop crying, noona.” He asked as he gently pulled away from her, Mark made the girl face him.

“If they see you differently, then prove them wrong. But still, noona, you’re you, so that’s why, you should do you. And not mind them.”

Byul’s lips quirked up, Mark’s brushed the tears away from her cheeks.

“And I think Chunghee’s mistaken. What’s so wrong about having guy friends? That means you’ll have to get rid of me just to stop them from talking.” Mark said lightly.

Byul looked at him and started to smile.

“Aigoo, you’re good with words now.”

“I mean it, noona. Don’t let them bother you. You have me, I’ll be your lookout.” He said as he stood up and stretched his hand to her.

Byul stared at his palm.

“It’s time to go back, noona. I’m sure they’re looking for us.” Mark said, Byul met his gaze. She then smiled back at him before taking his hand.

"You're right. It's not that bad having you around again, Lee Minhyung." She said softly, Mark just faced her and cupped her cheek for a brief moment.

"I'm glad I came back to Seoul, Star noona. Thanks for having me."

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