“You seem busy,” Minah said as she set her fork down, Taeyong looked up from his plate.

“I have something up after dinner. Sorry, I forgot we made plans.” He said politely, Minah bit her lip and nodded.

“Is Taeri always like that? She seems..cold.”

“Taeri…Well, Taeri is Taeri. I don’t even have an excuse for her.”

Minah smiled.

“I really would love to get along with her, she’s going to be my sister soon after all.”

“Ah, really?”

“Can you set an appointment for us to meet? Maybe a shopping trip?” Minah suggested, Taeyong could only nod hesitantly.

“Do you already had a date in mind? How about this September? I think the weather would be perfect.” She said cheerfully, Taeyong swallowed.

“I’m thinking about contacting a designer from London, she makes the~”

Taeyong tuned her out, he took out his phone and sent a short message to Taeri.

“They seem to enjoy dragging me around now.” She commented as the waiter returned with their dessert, Lucas observed the male. He would stare at Taeri’s face then down to her neck and lower and lower.

He exhaled before slamming one palm on the table, the male jumped and blinked at him.

“D—Do you need anything else, sir?”

Lucas’s eyes had gone cold as he looked up to meet the male’s gaze.

“Leave.” He said flatly, Taeri blinked at him before digging on her ice cream.

“Is he out again? That dark Lucas?” She sighed, Lucas shook his head at her and gestured for her to pull her shirt up.

“What is it now? Is it that bad?” She asked him.

“Drugs. Even though we already took care of Gilbae, it’s still there. And it’s not getting any better.”

Taeri paused, her brows went up.

“Which area?”

“Buckhon.” He replied as he took a spoonful of his brownie a la mode.

“Its getting too much attention, it’s worrying. We don’t want the police to become overinvolved.”

Taeri nodded slowly, Lucas looked up.

“Is something wrong?” He asked her, she just flashed him a smile before picking up a napkin.

“No. You eat like five-year-old.” She commented before wiping the chocolate sauce off the side of his lip.

“Says the young lady I was sent to babysit.” He commented.

“I’m going to let that go since you bought me shoes.” She said before eating, Lucas chuckled and took a bit of her ice cream.

“Ya!”

“It’s chilly tonight.” Johnny said as he slid down from his car, Taeri looked up and gave him a small wave.

“She’s jolly.” Doyoung commented.

“Taeyong hyung just gave her what she wants.” Mark shook his head, they saw Jaehyun and Yuta arriving.

“Where shall we start?” Lucas spoke, Jungwoo took Taeri’s hand and pulled her along with him.

“An apartment being rented out is suspected to be their office, their base of operations. And we have to find it.” Taeyong announced.

They were all dressed in black, but only Taeri had a red baseball cap on.

“Victims?” Taeri spoke, she walked forward.

“Two idiots overdosed and accidentally killed a toddler. The other day, someone had accidentally left a packet at nearby market and the cops found it. We have to clean up, Tee.” Yuta spoke.

Jaehyun shook his head and pulled his hood down.

“Let’s get moving then.” Taeri started to walk forward, Mark rushed to her side.

“Noona, is it true? You’re going to help hyung?”

Taeri paused, she felt Lucas’s presence beside her.

“So what if I am?”

“Noona,”

“We both get what we want anyway, don’t think too much about it, maknae. Go and join your usual group.” She smiled before kissing his cheek, Mark winced and wiped his cheek before walking away from her. Jungwoo grinned at him.

“You never told me how you would do it. To stop the wedding.” Lucas said to her as they moved forward, his eyes were scanning the area as they walked. The streets were damp and empty, and somehow it made the hairs on his back stand.

Taeri grinned at him and stretched one palm forward, he sighed before offering the steel baseball bat he was holding on to.

“I’m going to scare her away.”

Taeyong tensed as he heard something from the shadows, he halted and raised one hand. From behind, he could hear Taeri and Jungwoo chatting. Jaehyun shushed him.

“Look who we have here,” A masculine voice echoed, Taeyong’s eyes narrowed as a shadow appeared before him.

“I didn’t know we were important enough to make the big bosses come by and visit. They even brought a treat.” He chuckled and rubbed his palms together.

“That treat will probably send you the ER.” Doyoung commented under his breath.

“What are you doing?” Taeyong questioned.

“I should be asking you that, you are standing outside my apartment.” The unknown man replied cockily, from the back, Taeri’s eyes scanned the area. She could see light coming from the door on the third floor, she chewed on her lower lip.

“You see it?” Jaehyun asked quietly, she nodded slightly.

“There are three vans parked to the right, they all have drivers.” Lucas said, Mark turned to them as Johnny stepped in between Taeyong and the bulky male.

“We just want to check on the apartment, there’s been a lot of trouble lately and we’re here to keep everyone~”

“Oh, so now you think you can just barge in here without saying anything? And you think I would let you rich boys do that?” The male cackled.

“Probably ten or more men are surrounding us.” Mark hummed, Taeri smiled.

“This is our area. We have the right to check on anything we want to.” Taeyong said flatly, but the male laughed and spat at him.

Jungwoo and Lucas tensed, Taeri started to move backward.

“Do that again, you might lose your face.” Taeri hummed.

“But oops, you don’t really have anything to lose.” She continued, the male’s eyes went to her and his goons appeared from the shadows.

“You must be the popular only girl.” He his lips, Taeyong and Mark tensed at his words.

“Just give my brothers what they want, I don’t really like having to spill blood.” Taeri replied, her eyes went to the door again.

“Why should we always give in to you? What do you know about this world?” He challenged as he closed the gap between him and Johnny.

“You rich brats, claiming you’re in the mafia while all you’re doing is sitting on those golden chairs of yours and letting your men do the dirty work.” He spat just as his goons started to move.

Then the fighting started, the bulky male reached for Taeyong’s neck but the Lee heir managed to kick his hand away, Taeyong started to run for the stairs. Then one of the goons yanked him back, he winced as his back landed on the wet pavement.

Yuta had one male in a chokehold while Doyoung was disarming his enemy. Taeri heard Jungwoo grunt in pain, she looked behind her just as the male smashed Jungwoo’s arm with a rock. Taeri made a run for it, she swung her bat across his face, the male dropped to the ground.

“Thanks, Tee.” Jungwoo flinched as he sat up, she looked up and saw Lucas fighting off the bulky male while two others were trying to get to Taeyong at the staircase.

“Johnny oppa!” She called as she started to run towards him, Johnny pushed the male away from him, Taeri saw his busted lip and swollen nose.

“I’ll take care of it, so,” Taeri said, her eyes went to Taeyong again, he already had a cut on his forehead.

“Take care of those vans, they already ran away.” She gestured.

“Taeri~”

“Jungwoo needs help too. Take Doyoung oppa and Mark with you.” She said before rushing to the staircase again.

She saw blood running down from Lucas’s arm down to his fingers. She whacked one male by the knees and grabbed him by the back of his shirt, with one swift move she yanked him down the steps.

“Taeri,” Lucas coughed as he saw her.

“You can take this.” She tossed the bat to him and started to climb up, she saw her brother fighting off the bulky male from earlier.

“L—Lucas!” She tensed as the male wrapped his hands around Taeyong’s neck.

“I’ll take care of it, go.” Lucas pushed her forward and kicked the male on his back, he jolted and dropped Taeyong.

Taeri looked away from him and rushed up the steps, she was about to reached the door when something caught between her ankles, Taeri screamed as she fell down on the cold hard floor.

“Lucas!”

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