“I’d rather stick with you the whole day.” Byul murmured as they got in the campus, Mark grinned and just offered his arm to her.

“Noona, it’s like you’re leading double lives. Student in the morning, then by noon, you’re CEO of a huge company.”

“Hannah Montana on steroids.” She muttered before looping her arm around his, Mark smiled.

“You haven’t been hanging out with Jungkook hyung, why?”

Byul paused, she shrugged at him.

“Is this your way of telling me to get lost?” She mused, Mark chuckled.

“Aniyo, it’s fun chatting with you, noona. I’m glad it takes your mind off things.”

Byul smiled, earlier during breakfast she had received a call from Japan. Her mother was coming home next Monday and the police had revealed what the kidnappers wanted.

Money.

“It’s funny because, my aunts were threatened of me because of money and power. And now, in exchange for my dad..money.” She shook her head.

“Noona~”

“They still don’t know where he is.” She looked at her fingers, Mark stopped and stood in front of her.

Jungkook leaned back on the bench, his eyes were on Byul and Mark. She was talking with a smile on her face as they crossed the lawn.

Mark offered his arm to her, and Byul just leaned closer against the younger male as they neared towards their building. Jungkook exhaled and leaned back against the bench.

“I don’t like this.” He murmured to himself, Hyena glanced at him.

“What?”

Jungkook bit his lip and faced her.

“Hyena, there’s something..I want to tell you.”

Hyena set her bag down and faced him.

“I can’t do this. I don’t think things will work between us.” He said honestly, Hyena halted.

“Jungkook, what are you~”

“You can’t get along with my friends. You’re asking me to separate myself from them.” Jungkook said.

“Friends? Or just Byul?” Hyena replied, Jungkook exhaled.

“I know you two don’t get along well. I can see it.” Jungkook looked at his fingers briefly.

“You want me to change a lot of things. And that’s too much.”

“Jungkook, you always do this, you always take her side.”

“Because that’s how we’ve always been. We trust each other, and if you can’t accept that, then I’m sorry. I can’t choose you over Byul. That’s not how it goes.”

“Then why did you even ask me to be your girlfriend?” Hyena looked at him, her tears going down her cheeks.

“Because I thought things would work between us.” Jungkook said softly.

“Hyena, I’m so~”

“Don’t say it. You two deserve each other.”

Chunghee ran out of the classroom with her phone in hand, her lips had gone pale as she went down the stairs quickly.

“Chunghee?”

She paused, Mark was looking at her.

“Mark, it’s..it’s my uncle.” She choked, Mark walked towards her.

“Chunghee, what happened? Did you trip?” Mark looked at her skinned knee.

“Samchon..Eunhong samchon…he..he..” Chunghee started to chew on her lip, worry was evident on her face.

“What are you~”

Mark saw Taehyung and Jimin rushing towards the elevators.

“We have to get to unnie, Mark. We have to check on her.” Chunghee urged him.

“Well, is this public enough for you?”

Byul looked at the male before her, Jaehyun set the tray of snacks between them, she set her phone aside.

“I know I must have scared you because of what I said yesterday. I’m sorry, Byul. I was trying to escape it. And you were the nearest familiar face.”

She smiled and shook her head.

“Like you said, our hands our tied.”

Jaehyun opened the can of pineapple juice for her.

“How are you? I haven’t seen you since high school.” Jaehyun asked.

“Hyena’s in this school.” She spoke, she saw how Jaehyun pause briefly.

“And she’s with Jungkook.”

“You let that happen?” He replied.

“I’ve learned my lesson. I don’t want to be in her way again.”

“Ani, I let that happen. I let her get to you.” He said softly, Byul shook her head.

“Byul, I~”

Her phone pinged, Byul picked it up and opened the screen, and then she felt herself froze as she read the message. She started to check on the news sites, her lips quivered.

Jaehyun looked at her worriedly, Byul dropped her phone on the table.

“A—Appa…He…He..” She started to stutter, her eyes were starting to water.

“Byul, what~”

Byul suddenly stood up, she started rummaging for something in her purse.

"Keys...My keys, I need to go." She looked at Jaehyun, the latter grew confused.

"I can drive you, where~"

Byul dropped her purse on the floor, she felt fresh hot tears rolling down her cheeks.

She was shaking, Jaehyun panicked.

"Byul~"

Before she could move, somebody picked up her bag and her discarded textbooks.

"Let's go." Jungkook said brusquely as stood up, she looked at him.

Byul opened , he just shook his head at her.

"Jungkook, what's happening?" Jaehyun asked.

Byul was staring at Jungkook, her lower lip quivering.

"I'll drive you there, come on." He took her hand in his.

"Jungkook~"

"Byul, it's okay. I'll take you to the hospital." Jungkook said, Byul felt tear escape her eyes.

Jungkook just sighed before wrapping one arm around her and pulling her with him.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++