Taehyung:

           He looked around the study with a sort of pout on his lips. It was odd being back here. In his father’s study. He looked at all the pictures and smiled at seeing one with him and Sooyoung. The doors opened and he watched Namjoon—apparently his cousin—walking in. Taehyung groaned, grabbing his head in pain. This was the first time he was seeing Namjoon after finding out they were cousins.

“You know, you could have brought me down here like a civil person and I know I probably have a bump on my head.”

“Oh, shut up. I know you were awake through it all. Heck, you even intimidated one of the men. It’s also your damn fault; didn’t Kai tell you to duck?” Namjoon sat in his father’s chair while he shrugged.

One of the men, named Kai, had told him to duck. He did duck but he ducked too early that by the time he stood straight he hit his head on the doorframe of the car, hard. Taehyung sat in the seat he would always sit in. It was weird to think he wasn’t sitting on it now because he was in trouble but talking to the person, he didn’t know he was related to until recently. Namjoon slid a picture closer to him and he took it. He studied it and only recognized his father and Mr. Park. Wait, Mr. Park?

His face must have shown his confusion. “That’s your father, my father, and Mr. Park. They had business together. Well, more like Mr. Park had business with our grandfather before your father took over. This won’t be easy but Tae, your father is part of his world but not because he chose to be. It was handed to him when he inherited the company. I talked to him and he didn’t know until everything was legally given to him. This was before you were even three and later, he figured out a way to keep Joy safe.”

“What about your dad? Why didn’t I know I had an uncle?”

“My dad, well he was a cop. An undercover cop. He decided he didn’t want to work in the business world and pursued a degree in law. Ironically enough, his first assignment once he made his way up into the investigation’s unit was to go undercover and infiltrate the underground world of Daegu, which also meant Seoul and Busan. In a sense, it was good he had a father that was once part of it. Everything your father was trying to manage and not be part of at the same time, fell to him. You’re lucky Tae, you could have been the boss everyone is looking for.”

Taehyung narrowed his eyes. “Does that make you the boss? How did your father die?” he paused. “Sorry, that last one was insensitive.”

“No. It makes sense to want to know. Tae, you may not be the direct heir anymore, but you still have a say in things. Whether you like it or not. Yoongi and I were wrong. You and Joy are not that much different. My father, his last ‘assignment’ was to transfer Joy to Jeju when she was younger. The Oh’s had come into power in Seoul by the use of blood and threatened Park to give them his heir. No one knew about Joy. The daughter of his only legitimate daughter who was killed a year after giving birth. The Oh’s knew and it was because, from what I found out, they tortured his daughter and got that information out of her before killing her. Park had the most land. He did and when he gave Joy to my father to help protect, he gave up some of his land to him.”

Namjoon took out a map that had sections of Daegu all the way to Busan colored with two different colors. One was much larger than the other. Taehyung glanced at Namjoon. “Which one is technically yours?”

“Not mine. I’m not the heir either.” Taehyung gave him a weird look yet Namjoon ignored him. “The purple is ours. The yellow is what Park has power of.”

He noticed another color, pink that was a cross between Daegu and Seoul. It wasn’t as big as the other two but seemed like an incredible amount of land. He pointed at it. “This? Who’s is this?”

“Joy’s.”

“Holy , no wonder Sehun wants it.” he tightened his jaw and then looked up to his cousin. “I met him before, didn’t I?”

“Sehun?”

“Yeah, I remember meeting him and when I looked through some old pictures he was there. We were younger and it was at a business party. Do they know? Is that why my name popped up?”

“No. We’re still trying to figure out why your name was even said. I’m not surprised they would be at a business gathering. The whole time the Oh’s knew that a family of the surname Kim from the south knew where the Park’s princess was. They have been looking her for a while and only recently got closer. Park Gyuri is marrying one of Sehun’s friends and they drugged her once. She knew more than we thought. We thought her to be a bimbo and so—here we are.”

“This is too much to take in. Damn.”

Taehyung sat back, massaging his temples and letting out a deep sigh. All he wanted was to make it back to Seoul by that night. He was already gone for a day. He got a worried text from Sooyoung and then an annoyed text from Jimin telling him how worried Sooyoung was and that he was going to be a douche if he missed his birthday celebration. He needed to go back but seeing how things were, he was going to be in Daegu for another day. He knew he was.

“I’m sorry, Tae. I’m sorry you were dragged into all of this. Sungjae got fed your name and I think it may be a personal vendetta as to why you were dragged in. I talked to your dad—you weren’t supposed to be ever dragged in this world. Now that you are, well...”

The doors to the study opened and his mother came in, carrying a tray of cookies with a smile. She walked up to him, pulling his head back and looking at his bump she had put a bandage on the evening before. He smiled. “You’re always getting hurt when you’re not supposed to.”

“I did duck!”

“I know. We saw. Your father and me. I will say we have never seen D.O laugh so much, let alone see him crack a smile. You cracked Byun’s men with your antic.”

“I don’t find it funny.” he pouted, and his mom passed him a cookie.

“Joonie, did you tell him?”

“I did.” Namjoon answered, already eating a cookie.

“Taehyung, I have one question. What is your relationship with our Joy?” she asked, smiling at him but he felt if he said one wrong word, she would slice him with a hidden knife she held behind her back.

“Well, no one knows this yet,” he glared at Namjoon as if telling him to be quiet, “but I love her and she's my girlfriend.”

It seemed like it was the right answer because his mother smiled. “Good. Because she’s in your care and safest with you.”

“What?”

“That’s the thing Tae, we’re not sure everything about Park’s will but in that will nothing is given to Joy if a specific set of instructions aren’t met. Oh thinks that since she was promised to him that means he will automatically get her inheritance and then her grandfather’s inheritance. This pink land is untouchable. Not even accessible to Joy.”

“But why am I the safest for her?” he questioned, looking at his mother who only pulled his hair back before kissing his forehead like she used to when she would put him to sleep as a little boy.

“Because the only thing we know for sure is that the name Kim is associated with how Joy can get her inheritance and well, ultimately marry.”

“How is that me? Aren’t you a Kim too?”

“Sweetie, there are men out there that hear you are the son of Kim Dongwan and if you are in danger, will drop anything to keep you safe. The moment your name came out. Tae, Taecyeon and Chansung are not just police officers—they are men looking out for you from us. Rumor has it, Joy is yours and well, she’s safe because if one of your little hairs is harmed, blood bath.”

Taehyung felt chills run down his spine at the way his mother ran a strand of his hair through her fingers. Her face was serious. The mere fact his sweet mother could say such things without getting phased—made his spine tingle. He looked to Namjoon. “What if I’m not that Kim? Who else if not you?”

“Oh sweetie, you’re not going to like this.” his mother whispered.

Already, he felt dread and when Namjoon spoke he groaned, running his hands through his face in annoyance.

“Kim Seokjin is my brother Tae. The heir to the Kim clan.”

Of course. Of course, it was Jin. He looked up, giving Namjoon an “are you serious” face to which he shrugged. He then turned to his mother who only patted his shoulder.

“I just recently found out Jin took interest in Joy. Your father and I never thought of him. We only thought it would be between you or Namjoon here. Jin didn’t even meet her and I guess fate has a different story.”

“Doesn’t this make Jin more powerful than me?” he asked, worried they would tell him to just give up what he had just gained.

“Well,” Namjoon started, “Jin is safe as a doctor and is kind of already involved but the Bae’s think they own him. I already know what he is planning, sort of. I have no clue what is going through his mind. We spoke not that long ago, and he asked to meet because like you he pieced things together. As a doctor he is safe but as a boss, we don’t know the laws well enough. Either way, Joy wouldn’t be safe with a boss who’s wanted dead.”

He didn’t know if he should be relieved or feel bad for Jin. That meant, Jin was also his cousin. Then another name finally made it up to his brain and he leaned forward and stood. “Bae?”

“Ah,” the man in front of him bit his finger. Was he not supposed to have said that name? “Yes. Bae.”

“As in Bae Joohyun? Irene?”

“Tae be careful with her. She may do something drastic. Her father is indebted to the Oh’s and well ... we’re not sure what she is capable of.”

Anxiety built and coursed through him. He excused himself. The first thing he did was take his phone out and dial Sooyoung. He just needed to know she was safe. He needed to know nothing had happened to her. He didn’t think Irene would be a factor but now he knows he needs to be nice to her and hide the fact he is dating Sooyoung from her. As long as she didn’t know, the better, he guessed. His phone rang for a solid minute and he was thinking the worst when she hadn’t picked up.

“Tae?”

He let out a sigh and smiled. “Hey baby,” there was a pause and he could visibly picture her blushing at his pet name, “You like that, don’t you?”

“Shut up! ... I miss you.”

“Me too baby girl, I miss you too.” he heard her giggle.

“When are you coming back?” there was a whine and he could also picture her cute pout.

“I should be there tomorrow; I can’t make it tonight. Can you pacify Jimin for me?”

There was noise and it seemed she moved somewhere as she closed the door. “I’ll try. You know how he is. He’ll whine about it for days. Where are you? Also, I met your friends today.”

“Friends?” he was getting scared again.

“Yeah. I saw them watching me and I found it out. It was kind of funny when they noticed I saw them because they tried to hide. Taecyeon and Chansung. They said they were an old family friend to you and thought you were at school.”

Again, he sighed. He smiled, knowing now that Taecyeon and Chansung weren’t just watching him. It made sense why they never stopped him from going to Sooyoung like he thought they would. “I’m in Daegu, visiting my mother. She missed me.”

“Oh, tell her I miss her too and visit my parents!”

“Okay, I’ll do that.” he let some silence pass. “Soo, do you have time tomorrow to see me?”

“I’d see you tonight if I could.” she was whining again.

“Meet me in the astronomy room. I’ll text you later. Stay safe, okay baby?”

“You too, I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“Wow, this world is too damn small and was that Joy? You and Joy finally decided to stop running circles around each other and confess?”

Taehyung scowled. He knew that voice. He had heard that voice. He had once liked that voice. He grew to hate it with all his being. That voice nagged him and was the reason he almost lost Sooyoung in the first place. He slowly turned, still scowling as he came face to face with Kim Jisoo. What was she even doing in his home? Not even when they were dating did, he ever really bring her over to his house. Maybe once, and then she was kind of banned by his mother. Why would he bring over anyway? Sooyoung lived next door and Jisoo hated her for just breathing.

“What the ? Why are you here in my house?” he wondered why his mother even allowed her in.

“I see we’re amicable as ever. I’m here because I was brought here. I didn’t question it. I didn’t even know this was your house Taehyung. Or do you still go by V and rather me call you that?”

“Seriously Jisoo, who brought you here?” he asked, no longer playing her game of taunting she was so good at.

“RM or well, Namjoon.”

He lowered his gaze not knowing if he believed her or not but seeing the slight pink tinge on her cheeks made him sneer. No. His life was that messed up that Jisoo and Namjoon? Out of all the people in the world? How? Why? When? So many questions were running through his mind as Namjoon walked out to see where he had gone.

“Oh, Tae I see you have met Jisoo. Jisoo is my—”

Taehyung lifted his hand to stop him. “Don’t you dare say it! I think you need to know Joon. I know Jisoo. I know Jisoo pretty well. Remember when I stopped talking to Sooyoung and how everyone hated the reason I stopped talking to her? Over my girlfriend?” Namjoon nodded. “Kim Namjoon, meet my ex-Jisoo ... the reason Sooyoung and I almost stopped being friends.”

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

Jungkook:

He was hoping she would come. He was anticipating she would come. Yerim took avoidance and ignoring to a whole new level. She didn’t answer any of his text. If he called out to her in school, she would pretend not to hear and pick up her walking pace to the point she once ran away from him. He did everything. Everything humanly possible to have her just give him a chance to explain, to just talk. She wouldn’t budge.

Two days. For two days he just wanted to talk to her. So, last night he went to her apartment. She probably had not expected him because in her surprise she slammed the door on his face. It more than just hurt his pride—it hurt his nose. Yerim managed to give him a bloody nose. He did the best he could with making sure not to drip blood on her doorstep as he walked away. His nose didn’t hurt as much as his bleeding heart.

Then there was that new guy who popped out of nowhere. Wasn’t it enough to always see her with Jaehyun but now this Kim Hanbin just shows up? Who was he anyway? She seemed so relaxed around him and friendly. It irritated him. It irritated him so much. He knew he was jealous and the moment he did he realize that all this while he despised Taeyong giving her attention because he had ultimately been jealous. Way more than he ever cared for Joy being with Jin or Taehyung.

Sighing, he was the only one sitting in a chair by the table as they all, one by one, gathered for Jimin’s birthday. They would be watching a movie and then going out to eat. He was glaring at his friends. Glaring at Jimin and Seulgi who couldn’t seem to keep their hands off of each other. They had to be touching one way or another. If they weren’t holding hands, they had their arms wrapped around each other. If not, then Seulgi would wrap her arms around his. It was sickening because he wanted that. He wanted to turn and have Yerim there, close enough he would only have to lean down and pucker to get her to kiss him. Just like Jimin had when he turned his face and wordlessly asked for a kiss from Seulgi who obliged.

The chair next to him scraped and he quickly watched Joy sit down before he went back to just playing with his empty water bottle. “You sure bring a lot of happines