It did seem like Taehyung had completely erased Kim Seokjin from his concerns, treating him as a stranger. And Taehyung was good at dis-acknowledging someone’s existence. He was trained for it. Jimin and Jin have been busier than usually with the approach of next week’s event, and Lisa in the meantime have noticed the no longer uncomfortable relationship between Rose and Hansung, she often saw Hansung talking to her and it didn’t seem like he was making her uncomfortable anymore. She squinted her eyes at the thought of it. Hansung’s identity still haven’t been found from the other side... but from Jin’s words, he can be trusted. 

Jimin came up behind her, rested his chin on her shoulder. “Still worried?” He asked and she turned to look at her boo. “Chaeyoung’s a kind person, but we can’t forever protect her from the past. Next week’s gonna be hectic for all of us, let her be.”

”What about that guy’s background?”

”He won’t do anything to her.” He assured her and Hansung put down some plates on the counter of the kitchen, looking at their directions. He mischievously smirked with a salute to them. “He is just annoying.” He said. He won't do anything to Rose because of Ryu Jaehyuk. But he would do anything to the Higher Society because of Ryu Jaehyuk. Chaeyoung was sitting at the counter and Hansung in front of her, when Jin came into the kitchen. He woke up late today because he went to meet a few members of the Higher Society just to get a general idea of what they could expect, and he came back, reeking with the scent of alcohol. Not that he drank until he was drunk but he had to social drink with them and he couldn’t drink less than he did. 

He glanced at the two sitting by the counter and greeted good morning before continuing on his way, while Hansung bowed his head at him. 

"Pasta~, are you ready for your presentation?" Lisa asked, coming to pass her arms around her friend's neck for a quick hug. "Will you be alright? I'm going to miss my baby so much." She asked and Rose let out a laugh. Jimin headlocked his sister after her best friend released her and rested his chin on her head.

"You're gonna do it right if not the best." He said and he ruffled her hair. It wasn't that they wanted to keep treating Rose like a child, but it was because they were indeed very worried for her. Rose suffered from social anxiety and have it under control now, after some times of recovery from her past, but it didn't mean she was 100% over it. And it was normal for Lisa, Jimin and Jin to check up on her, her sole family members. 

Taehyung was quietly drinking his coffee, and sipping it while he simply stared at Rose. For the past few days, he indeed had gotten a lot more comfortable having her around, since he really didn't have anything to do. It seemed like coming into this city, it had completely normalized his lifestyle. Right now, he didn't need to worry about anything and simply being lazy around, without having to work, fight, deal. 

"I am handing in my final copy today, in the morning, briefly explain to the teacher before the presentation in the afternoon." Rose said and it drove Hansung out of his thoughts. 

"Do you need me to drive you?" Asked Jimin who will be heading out soon and Rose shook her head. Right, Hansung have been a driver too, since he really won't get out of the house if he didn't need to drive Rose. The brother turned to Hansung. "Since you're the one with the most free time on hands, how about you get the priviledge to drive my sister, who had gotten you so much help." He said and V lifted up his cup to him, as if it was a glass of wine.

"Should I drive you too?" He asked and Jimin squinted his eyes but didn't feel anything at all. He didn't hate Taehyung, but for now, he could be trusted. After all, he did have some potential in him that Jimin sensed from their first encounter 2 weeks ago.

Once everyone were gone, only leaving Hansung and Rose in the house, the young lady simply rested her chin on her arms at the counter, sighing. Indeed, there was something bothering her, and it was now written all over her face. Hansung just got changed into his usual style of attire, a shirt, a tie and a sweater on top, finishing the look with a pair of glasses, and noticed Chaeyoung completely bothered by something.

"I thought you said you were fine to your friend and brother earlier." He said and Chaeyoung turned to him.

"Hansung-shi you're right... I thought I would be fine." She said in exhaustion.

"What is it that is making you this way?" He asked and Rose froze on the spot, in silence, but quickly straightened her back after. 

"You're right. Let's go." She said and V silently watched her walking to the door with her backpack with his hands in his pockets. She turned to him after she wore her shoes, and waited for him to do the same. He didn’t let his doubts affect him too much and headed to where she was. 

During the drive to school, Rose kept on bitting her nails and moving on her seat. ‘Something is definitely not right.’ He thought to himself, but didn’t want to bother her again with questions that she won’t want to answer. They arrived nearby the school, and there she finally spoke.

”You can drop me off here, if you continue this way you’re going to enter the parking lot.” She said and unbuckled her seatbelt, but V continued driving and didn’t bother to stop the car. Chaeyoung looked at him in confusion.

”I’m not going back alone, I’m not a driver really.” He said and parked his car. “It’s been decades since I stepped inside a school, let me enjoy my time.” He said. “I won’t bother you.”

”I won’t really be able to show you around...”

”I can walk myself.” He said and got out of the car. Chaeyoung, who usually gets out pretty quick herself, took a little longer. It seemed like she was dragging herself to go in there. And of course, Kim Taehyung wouldn’t let this go, she helped him and now he was going to do the same and find out what the heck is bothering her so much, it had to be more than her introvert personality. He took out a lollipop and held it to Rose. “You want one?” He asked and Rose shook her head. He shrugged and enjoyed it himself. 

The school was definitely different than any schools in Seoul, the other side. The building gave out this vintage sort of vibe but the inside was nothing old or rusty. All white polished interior, with clean ahining glass used as fences to block out the edges of the hallways (also suicide preventive) made it look fairly nice. 

“I will head to the teacher’s office then.” Rose said and Hansung nodded nonchalantly. He watched her walk away and followed her from far. He watched her while paying attention to everything Rose did. Like she usually did, she kept her eyes in a focal point and won’t bother too much looking around her. The teachers’ offices were located in a further wing, where the walls were now covered in red bricks, with floors still whitely polished and huge windows that let in the natural daylight. 

He waited a several metres away, grabbing a magazine to read, while he leaned against a wall, near where Rose was waiting. And really like she said, the meeting wasn’t long. It took around 15 minutes to be done. Now there weren't many students at this time of the semester, for almost every students were studying for their finals except for students who are to hand in projects and paper as their finals. And in this section of the school, it was nearly vacant. Hansung was completely unbothered with everything around him, until he overheard a conversation between two students who were passing by in front of him.

"Did Chaeyoung go in?" Asked a male's voice and a student looked up a list on her phone, and confirmed it to him. "Great, how long is the meeting?" He asked.

"I am next, so it should be done anytime soon." She replied and the guy nodded. V lifted up his eyes from his magazine and put it away, glancing towards the direction of the voices. "Sunbae," The girl called the guy, "Are you perhaps interested in Chaeyoung?" She asked and to V's sudden annoyance, the guy simply let out a faint chuckle, putting a finger on his lips.

"What is that? If you like someone just freaking admit it." He said to himself and really, that guy wasn't that good looking. 'Can't believe the girl actually have some fan boys.' He thought and turned to his rigt at the sound of a door opening, the door leading to the hall in which Chaeyoung entered. It was her coming out, looking like the presentation to her teacher went well. 'So what was it that bothered her?' He asked and then an annoying voice made him more annoyed than he already was.

"Chaeyoung." The guy called out and the girl student greeted her fellow classmate before heading to submit her project. Rose's bright smile suddenly was replaced with a duller smiler.

"Jungkook Sunbae-nim." She greeted back with a light bow of her head. 

'What is that. The girl's being too polite, if it makes you uncomfortable, you should chase him away.' He thought to himself in frustration. He crossed his arms on his chest, huffed out some air, then asked himself suddenly, 'Why am I worked up. What the hell.' He said to himself but his attention quickly went back to the guy. 

"Chaeyoung-ah, I told you to drop any honorifics and call me by my name." He said and came up to her, leaning closer to her, "Since you're done with school, how about we hang out together after your presentation?" He asked and Rose couldn't find a way to decline the offer. She simply blinked and was starting to feel bad about not being able to tell him clearly. She didn't have to worry for too long, because Kim Jungkook's being pulled away from his junior suddenly, by the collar. 

"Look here..." Hansung said in a menacing voice, glancing the guy from head to toe unimpressed. "You better get going before I get you out of here." He said and Jungkook glared back at Hansung. 

"And who are you to meddle into this business?" He asked. "Last time I checked, Chaeyoung didn't have another brother nor have a boyfriend." 

V turned to her in disbelief, That girl couldn't even lie for the sake of herself, goodness. He thought and took a step forward, leaning towards the guy, making Jungkook step back. "Listen properly from here, if you're going to go after her, you better get rid of this idea out of your damned head right now. I don't usually like other people looking at, nor thinking about, nor even dare to stand too close or wish about anything concerning Park Chaeyoung. I don't do well with rivals." He turned back and walked up to Rose who simply forgot about her entire existence. "Jungkook is that right? Get going, before I kick you out." He said and passed an arm around Chaeyoung's shoulders, and led her away. Jungkook stood there watching the guy walking away. 

"Thank you.. I really was so worried for the last few days. I didn't know how to tell him that I prefer staying friends." Rose commented and V released her and turned towards her. 

"You were freaking out because someone confessed to you?" He asked and she nodded. He let out a scoffed. "I can't believe you." He ruffled her hair. He realized what he was doing and cleared his throat before retreating his hand from her soft hair. He looked away but Chaeyoung smiled at him.

"Thank you Hansung-shi." She said. "Oh. By the way," She paused. "You look good when you smile like this." She told him and continued her way to the classroom in which presentations will be starting in around 20 minutes. V watched her walk away. There was a strange tingling feeling in his stomach which wasn't uncomfortable but new to him. And it actually was a warm feeling.

I am definitely going crazy. He warned himself and chased all the strange and weird feelings and thoughts away before he caught up to Rose. 

The presentation went fairly well for Rose, before it was her turn, Taehyung suddenly had the urge to just go in and sat at the back of the agora-style classroom, where desks were on floors. And he found himself smiling at the end of the presentation when she brightly smiled to the class when everyone were quite pleased with her idea. She bowed and her eyes found Hansung in the back of the classroom. 

The sky was quite dark, and looked like it was about to rain any seconds now. After the teacher congratulated the students for their hard work up until now, she turned to the back when the class was dismissed and found that Hansung wasn't in the back of the classroom anymore. She walked out of the classroom and Hansung was waiting by the hall, leaning against the wall. "Well, seems like Park Chaeyoung had done fairly well in her presentation." 

"Hansung-shi." She called. "You know you're the other person other than family that ever helped me so much, one day I will return this favor to you." She told him and he nodded in approval. 

"Don't forget about what you said, I will make good use of the favour you're owing me." He said and laughed at her confused expression. The conversation was put to an end when Lisa called Rose’s phone to ask about the presentation. With everything now done, she proudly told her about the experience. Their call lasted for a bit until Lisa was called to do something.

As they walked out of the building, the rain started to pour down. Again. “Do you have an umbrella?” Asked Chaeyoung and V looked at her. 

“I should be the one asking. You’re the one holding a bag here.” Rose let out an embarrassed laugh and shook her head. 

“I don’t have one.” She said and snapped her fingers. “Give me your keys for a bit.” She said and V handed her the keys nonchalantly. 

“What do you want to do?” He asked.

”You stay here, I am going to get the car.” She said putting on her hoodie and held onto her bag which held her laptop, and ran out into the rain. She completely forgot to check the weather broadcast today and it didn’t seem like the rain would stop pouring anytime soon. They couldn’t wait the whole day just to have the rain stop. Someone will have to come out and get the car. 

“Yah, Cotton.” V called out and Rose turned to see Hansung coming up to her and also wondering why she had gotten a new nickname. “Let’s just go together, what’s the point of leaving one there.” He said.

”But you’re gonna get sick.” She warned him. 

”And that is why you’re gonna have to hurry.” He said and held onto her wrist before pulling her with him into a quick run, to her surprise. She had trouble keeping up with the pace at the beginning but she wuickly caught on. When they arrived to the car, Rose could simply let out a laugh. 

“It’s been ages since I ran under the rain. I’m all soaked now.” She said and Hansung looked at her. 

“You’re really a cotton.” He said and the heater, and started to drive back to the penthouse.