He walks along side Taemi, letting her to walk on the inside of the pavement—so she wouldn't be near the road—like a gentleman he is. He and Taemi had been walking around the city, walk through a small bazar with a live performance at the end of the road which they enjoyed. It was an acoustic performance, obviously to Taemi's liking. The sky was blueish-gray not too cold or too hot, perfect for a date or so they thought. They had shared ice cream cone and had lunch together in a nearby kiosk. They talk for hours about their day, and their interest, a lot of interesting thing that they could never get the chance to talk about before. Without them noticing, the night has fallen and its getting closer to dinner time. 

"Aren't you hungry already?" asks Namjoon to Taemi who's walking so close to him that their shoulders nearly touch. 

Taemi turn to Namjoon. "Do you want to eat ttoppoki? And udon? It seems fits the situation," she suggested. 

Namjoon flick two of his finger together making a clicking sound. "Call! I think there's one around the corner," he point forward. Both of them walk toward where Namjoon points at and when they turn, they see a red tent with smoke coming out of it, there were 2 empty seats perfect for them. 

"이모 (Aunt), 1 serving of ttopoki and udon, please. Do you have any warm drink too?" Namjoon quickly orders as soon as they sit, which the aunt answers right away. In normal and common date, the couple would usually eat at a cafe or nearby restaurant but considering his budget. Be can only bring Taemi here, and he is also sure she doesn't have that much money on her and she would not let him pays for her alone. 

"The next time, I'll bring you a nicer place," he mutters. 

"Next time? There's a next time?" she asks teasingly with her mischievous smile. 

Namjoon caught off guard by Taemi's comment. He had not yet determine whether this was a date that would continue or was it just a one time thing. He tries to answer her mischievous act with being cool. "wouldn't you want it?" he asks.

This time, Taemi is definitely defeated. Its not that she doesn't want it, but she's conflicted whether she should be having this much fun with him, considering everything that's going on right now. On top of all, what would her brother think of her and Namjoon is he knew. Would he be furious? Would he be against it? "그냥... 뭐," she mutters back.

Namjoon smiles with a little giggle. Satisfied with her answer. Although she didn't approve, but she didn't deny either, it was enough for him. He's not going to push his luck. In a flash, their order is serve, 1 serving of ttoppoki and udon with green tea place on the table between them. They say their gratitude towards the server and start to pick up their chopstick. Taemi take one of the rice cake to , blowing it until it cools down. She seems to be hesitating. She blows the rice cake long enough but she's not eating it. Meanwhile Namjoon is playing with the udon, stirring it up, not eating either as he waits for Taemi to take her first bite. He can feel that Taemi is still gaze toward Namjoon but he keeps silence and not stare back, instead focusing on the udon that is in front of him. Before he could act, suddenly he sees a rice cake is being offer in front of his face. He lifts his face to see Taemi, she had offer him to fee him rice cake. He glance at Taemi a little bit and sees a little bit of anticipation and worry in her eyes. When Namjoon takes his bite, a sight of relief is drawn on her face and she forms a little smile. As he chews, he looks at Taemi seems to be satisfied with herself and start eating the ttoppoki too. He smiles. Pleased by her initiative, then he starts eating the udon and feed her udon back, which she didn't reject and accept gladly. For a while, they both are pretty occupied with their own thought and enjoying the meal. Then... 

"Oppa, how did you and Taehyung oppa meet?" Taemi asks out of curiosity while chewing her rice cake. 

Namjoon stops eating and looks at her. "Long story."

"We have time."

He is silent for a while, seems to be contemplating. He clears his throat and starts playing with his food again, not eating. 

"From Jin," he says. 

"Jin-oppa? How? I thought you know Taehyung first."

"Why?"

"Well, Oppa never mention about Jin before you."

"No, no," he denies. "It was Jin." he stops and clear his throat again. He's actually just stalling on telling the story, as he never really openly talks about, he doesn't even know why. "It was, when he was still in high school, I think. You were in junior high, maybe? Yea, one day Jin called me said that he needed my help with something. We meet up somewhere, and we went to this abandon warehouse. When we got there, I swore I could've heard Taehyung whimpered in pain as he was being beaten," when Namjoon said that part, Taemi stops eating too and pay more attention to what Namjoon is saying but still remain silence. 

"...when we got in. Taehyung was... covered in blood. When he was about to get another punch, Jin stops the guy and throw him across the room, as  he would. He's a black belt in Taekwondo, you know. I was in shocked, Jin call out to Taehyung making sure he was alive. He was... bad. I couldn't even find the word to explain it," or rather Namjoon doesn't want Taemi to know every bit of detail how her brother was hammered to death by a group of thugs. 

"I knew what I had to do. I quickly pick up Taehyung and bring him away from the fight. I couldn't exactly heard what Jin said to those people, but a couple of exchanged later, those guys went away. He never told me what happened, but all I know he was involved in some petty bad deal," or rather he doesn't want her to know that her brother was set as a fault guy for forge deal between two gangs, which made it look like it was Taehyung who lost the "items" that those thugs were suppose to receive. He was going to get beaten to death, but thank god they arrive in time. More like thank Jin for cleaning up the ed up mess. 

"Then we brought Taehyung to my place, and Jin went away to deal some business he says," this time, Namjoon really don't know what happened, not because he wants to cover up. "Then sooner or later, we got close. He asked me to be his 'safe haven' maybe you can call it, which of course I agree. Then the rest, you know how it went." they got close, he met Taemi, then he falls for her, and now they are where they are now.  

Taemi is quite for a while, and play with her food. She looks down, she been looking down since the middle of the story. "My brother. He's good right? He's a nice person," Namjoon caught a tear roll down her cheek and drop to her lap, which he quickly offers tissue and she receives then quickly dap her face. 

"He is. I know he is," Namjoon consults her. 

"I wish our life were different. I wish our life was better. I couldn't stand seeing him like that all the time. He gets pushed around so much, sometimes I wonder what would kill him? Who? When? Where?" Taemi sobs gets louder. Loud enough for people who are within 2 meters radius to hear her. 

Namjoon arch forward and pat her head lightly. Hesitant, but comforting. 

"I rarely see him rest, or eat, or without a scar. He would get punch out there and when he's home he gets punch by mom's boyfriend. He keeps me so safely, to the point that he's no different from a punch bag," her tears flows more than before, as Namjoon listen to her concerns. 

"he's so good at doing his job as the head household, I'm not even worry about mom at all. Because I know he'll take care of her, he'll take care of us. At time like those, I miss our life before, I miss dad. If dad were alive, we would be good. We would be happy, and Oppa could be genuinely happy too." she lifts up her face and say her thoughts with a face full of tears and sorrow. So much that it's effecting Namjoon too. 

"He loves us, and protects us. But who's protecting him?" she asks a rhetorical question. 

I would, he mutters in his heart. I would protect both of you and your brother with everything that I've got. I've got nothing to lose. Suddenly his phone vibrates, he takes out his phone and check the notification. 

태형이: Hyung, I'm with Jungkook tonight. Could you visit mom and Taemi, and make sure they are okay? 

Namjoon does not reply immediately but he looks at Taemi who's still pulling herself together. He then types in his answer.  

나: I'll do it. You should go home and be with your family. I'm with Taemi right now. I'm taking her home. Go home, quickly. 

He hits send and put his phone back on the table. He looks at Taemi one more time who stops crying. He takes her hand into his and smile when she looks at him. 

"Don't worry. You and your mom is not the only people who will look after Taehyung. He has 6 other more. And you don't just have one brother, you have 6 other big brother to protect you. So don't worry. Although blood is thicker than water, but we are bound to each other with something stronger than anything," he consults Taemi one more time, which made Taemi shed another tear but this time with a small smile on her face. 

He smiles back at her. "Lets go back," then they walk together to Taemi's apartment side by side but this time, they don't leave any empty space between them and let their fingers intertwine. Suddenly, tonight doesn't seem so lonely anymore to the both of them. Although the cold night wind is blowing, they feel rather warm next too each other. They are silent the whole way back, but they know they are having a conversation deep down. 

Namjoon thought to himself, why did it take so long for them to come to this point? Where has he been? When they arrive to Taemi's apartment block, they stops and face each other without saying anything. Unsure what to say to one and another. They're still holding hand, no sign of letting go in near future.

"Thank you for today, Oppa," says Taemi still with a discordant voice due to her crying.

Namjoon smiles. He thought to himself, what if all of this is just for tonight? What if this opportunity would never come ever again? What if tonight is the only chance? While Namjoon is busy with his own thought, Taemi takes a deep breath, puff her chest and exhales. "Well, goodnight," says Taemi, then turn her body to walk away from Namjoon, but when she was about to let go of their grip, Namjoon pulls her in. He pulls her into her, wrap her around with his hand, and sink her face into his shoulder. Taemi's face is practically on his chest to the point, she could actually feel his pulse from her nose. Namjoon feels the weight of the world fall of his shoulder, and stuffy atmosphere fill in his lungs—in a good way. Taemi's and his body frozen, both of them actually startled what just happen—even Namjoon himself, he has no clear idea why would he do this out of the blue or whether it's okay to hug her. But after 5 seconds in, Taemi lets go of what happen and losen up her body. She reach to the side of Namjoon's jacket and squeeze carefully. With that gesture, it gives Namjoon the idea that it was okay to hug her after all. He tighten his hug, enough for Taemi to sink in a little bit more, but not too much until she suffocates. Namjoon feel like he should say something, just to justify his sudden action.

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay and I will be right here, for you and Taehyung," he whispers softly to Taemi's ear. His voice cracks a little as he tries to talk as low as possible.

In his embrace, Taemi smiles, warmth sensation crawls all over her body. The kind of warmth she never once felt before, it was different from when she hugs Taehyung, her brother, or her mother. It's a new feeling. A new feeling that Taemi is just starting to accept. Although both of them are reluctant, they had to let go of each other. They stare at each other for a while and Taemi starts to walk slowly away from Namjoon. They let go of their grip finger by finger, saying as if they don’t want to let, as letting go of each other embrace was the hardest they had to do yet, but they successful. When their fingers no longer touch, they smile at each other and give each other a little wave. Taemi quickly turn and run away to the stairs. Namjoon follows her figure into the night until she cant no longer be spotted. When he can no longer see her, suddenly feeling of loneliness fills his heart once again, but not the kind of loneliness he felt before. It's a new kind of loneliness, the kind of longing for someone. A particular someone. Not just the companion of other, but the idea, presence, comfort of that particular someone. The presence of Taemi. He smiles to himself thinking about what just happen, warming both of his cheeks. He's love struck. Love struck with her for the millionth time. Before his mind is completely taken over by Taemi, his phone ring. He quickly picks up after he sees the caller.

"Oh, Taehyung-a. What's wrong?"

"Where are you hyung?"

"Oh, I just dropped Taemi's home. I'm going now. Wait for me."

"Oo, thank you. I'm waiting here."

"Alright. Just wait a bit. I'll grab some things from my house first then I'll go straight there" click.

He shoves his phone back to his pocket and starts running in small steps to the bus station that would take him to the hospital. Taehyung-a, it's okay for me to be besides Taemi, right? He mutters in his heart, smiling one more time.

Soon, he arrives at his beloved rooftop house when he's surprised by a familiar sight that he would see often sitting on that exact same spot.

"Jin-hyung! You're here," he says in a tone of surprise.

Jin who is sitting on the bamboo platform crossing his leg facing Namjoon's house, turn his head to see Namjoon he just arrived. "응 (eung)."

"Why, what's wrong? Are you okay?" he asks as he takes his seat next to Jin.

"Where were you?" Jin asks intead.

Namjoon suddenly become flustered. "Mmm, I was out," he tries to cover his embarrassed face, after a montage of how today went starts playing on his mind.

Jin only hums in agreement and nod his head lightly. Namjoon looks at Jin's face closer, noticing there's something off, just from his facial expression. "What's wrong, hyung? Something happened right?" he's accusing now instead of asking.

Jin lower his head down and starts laughing mockingly, as if what he about to say is the stupidest thing he could be ever sad about. Jin turns to Namjoon, "I'm getting married."

There was a legitimate 5 seconds of silence between then until Namjoon reacts. "WHAT? What are you talking about?" trying to remain calm although his surprise voice couldn't barely be hidden.

"I'm serious."

"With who? You're joking?"

"I dunno."

"What do you mean, you don’t know?"

"It's a set up. By my father, so I don’t know who she is exactly."

After Namjoon hears that it was Jin's father interference, Namjoon's tense shoulder slackened. He almost pity Jin for a second, his life has been all about his father's doing. Namjoon couldn't really remember when was the last time Jin ever decide something huge in his life because he calls it. An awkward silence gradually fills the empty space of the night sky—there's no star, suddenly Namjoon realized. Jin takes out a small white box from his pocket, and open its lid. He takes it a long white cylindrical object out of it, and lit the end of it with a lighter. You would know that Jin is really stressing out when he starts smoking, because he's not really a smoker. He takes a good long , and let out white smoke from his mouth. Namjoon stare at Jin who is silent just like him. He reach out for Jin' cigarette on his hand and throw it to the ground then stomp it with his foot.

"Don't be like me. You're not a smoker," Namjoon mutters.

Jin stare at Namjoon and smile with a little giggle. He does not attempt to take another cigarette, instead he follows what Namjoon wants. Jin falls back and lays down on the bamboo platform.

"할래? "
"I don’t know, but probably not," Jin answers with his arm covering both of his eyes.

"How are you going to stop it?"
"I don’t know that either."

Then silence fills in the space one more time, but this time Namjoon let it be. This time, Namjoon waits for Jin to process what’s going on right now, and speak whenever he's ready. At that moment, Namjoon's phone suddenly rings, breaking the silence between them. Namjoon takes out his phone and answer right away.

"Oh? Oo, I'm at home… Soon… Actually I'm with Jin-hyung at the moment, so wait a little bit… Oo… okay, thank you… please." click.

While Namjoon on his phone, Jin heaved himself up and turn to Namjoon. "Who?"

Namjoon still stare at his phone and a second later put it back where it was. "Taehyung. Umm…. Actually I'm suppose to be watching Jungkook tonight so Taehyung could go home."

"Why? I thought he wants to be with Jungkook right now?"

"Yeah, but I told him to go home, Taemi might need him."

"Why, why? Is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing. I just think it's better for them to be together right now," Namjoon stare back at Jin, unsure about what to say next. "I'm sorry, hyung, but I think I have to go so…"

"Yeah, sure. Go ahead."

Namjoon thanked Jin and get inside his house, he grabs his bag and a piece of clothes from the laundry bin then gets out again. Jin was still there, Namjoon approaches him and stand in front of him. "Don’t worry hyung. It'll be fine. Whatever you need, I'll be here."

Jin hums, understood. Then they part ways after saying goodbye to each other. On the way to the hospital Namjoon thought to himself. He is having one of the best night of his life, while Jin is having the worst one. Sometimes Namjoon wonders if they all could be happy at the same time altogether. But that thought quickly gets dismissed after a splash of reality kicks in.