Sejeong:

“What are you doing?”

There was no reply. She simply took the axe and threw it at the target—hitting dead center once again. Today was the day. Today was the day of the wedding and of course, she wasn’t invited. Apparently neither was Baekhyun who decided to come annoy her as she let out her frustrations. She was mad. She was mad because she was tired of being second best. She was always second best. Never first. Never the first option—the last option. The one who was just there.

Sejeong dropped the other axe she was holding. The tears were streaming down her face and she knew Baekhyun could see her. He stepped up to her, drying her tears with his handkerchief. “You know, you could have told him it wasn’t fine.”

“And what? Force him to stay with me?” she shook her head and pushed him away. “I don’t know why I even fell for him. I wasn't supposed to, but he was charming, and I should have known Jisoo caught his eye. I saw the way he looked at her or would look at her. Seen the way she looked at him. I didn’t think she would like him. So, when I allowed her to see him I just—I’m never first.”

“I’m going to have to ask, is this about RM or Sehun?” Baekhyun had gone over to the target and taken the axe, smiling as he threw it up and would catch it by the handle once more. He was too casual about the fact that one wrong calculation and he would be holding the blade in his palm.

Sejeong turned around. She didn’t want to think about Sehun. She went to him when they were younger, in a moment of despair. The same day she found out she was adopted was the same day she lost her ity to Sehun. She gave it to him because he called her beautiful and told her how strong she was. She always liked him. Always had been attracted to his stoic-ness and cold demeanor. She broke through that. She would see his gentle smile and she was done for the moment she did. She was in love with Oh Sehun and she should have never fallen for him.

“Does it matter?”

“You know it does, Sejeong. I’m all for your happiness but you know he’s changed. His father’s death changed him. Out of everyone—he saw everything his whole life. His mother dying in front of him. How would you react? And then his father. You can’t fix him. No one can, but it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love.”

“Who’s willing to love me? That Kim Taehyung?” she growled, angry.

“Ha, no. That’s the last person you would want to look for love from. Sejeong, maybe they’ve always been there patiently waiting. Or maybe, they know you would never love anyone like Sehun. I can see you staying with him. In fact, I know why you’re mad. It’s the wedding. He may find his Sooyoung and Irene has been sold to him. Isn’t it great? You’re not number one. You’re not even number two. That’s what you’re thinking isn’t it?”

“Shut up!”

Sejeong turned around to slap him but Baekhyun gripped her arm and pulled her towards him by the waist. She stopped breathing as he loomed over her with his height and how their lips were inches apart. What was he doing? Why was he like this? If he knew, why?

“Sejeong, you’re not the only masochist among us."”

She couldn’t breathe when he kissed her. It was rough and needy. She made attempts to push him back, but she wasn’t trying. She was allowing this. She was okay with this and soon she was kissing him back. Just for today. Just for a moment. She was going to allow him to kiss her and love her. Because she wasn’t stupid. Byun Baekhyun wasn’t really in love with her. No. He never was going to get over his dead fiancée, just like her brother. But Byun Baekhyun had a soft spot for her, and she knew it. She always knew and for once—someone was putting her first. Even if it was just for a few hours.

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

Taehyung:

“These are the ones you’re going to be submitting then?”

Taehyung curtly nodded to Minho. Minho was looking at the pictures in his lap. He studied them, making him nervous that maybe he didn’t pick the correct ones. He did do it in a rush—remembering the teacher would only allow him to submit them that weekend. His mind was still back in the night he was with Sooyoung. How he realized that evening, just how much he liked kissing her and how much he liked her saying she loved him over and over again. She was precious to him. They stayed well past midnight, to the point she had fallen asleep in the comfortable chairs and he watched her for a good hour. Sooyoung, was too breathtakingly beautiful. The thing about her was just how intriguing her eyes were. Asleep she looked so innocent and peaceful. Awake, she held so many emotions. With her eyes alone he would transfix and enchanted, lured in with a smile and a seductive look.

“I think you’ll win. Has anyone asked you if you’re in love with the model? Because I’ve seen all the pictures for the project. This is Park Joy, right?”

“She’s a hometown friend.” he saw Minho give him he a look. “And yes, she’s the girl I’m in love with.”

“I can tell. Anyway, I’ll let the teacher know you brought in your work. The teachers not happy with you. You missed two days this week, but you are one of their favorites. You have a job today, right? Hope you do a good job.”

Taehyung bowed out and walked out the doors. The moment he came back from Daegu he met with Irene who was standing outside his apartment building in the cold. He treated her nicely and with caution due to what Namjoon had told him. He was weary of her and when she apologized for her actions, he forgave her and said that after all, they were friends first. She only had nodded and told him how she wasn’t going to give up, she would just wait. He didn’t want her to wait. There was nothing to wait for. He was with Sooyoung and he was happy. In her mind—she was sure Sooyoung was going to go to Jin. It ticked a nerve, he dealt with it.

Today, it wasn’t that he was expecting to see her. He was just more curious about her whereabouts when Sooyoung said she had not seen her. In reality he was glad she wasn’t anywhere on campus that Saturday. Seeing the project, she turned in, he sighed. She did like him—a lot. He could tell with the pictures she picked to put in the portfolio. He almost forgot their project was on something they admire or love. He should have noticed earlier and tried to save her feelings. He should have just told her earlier about his own feelings to not give her false hope. He would have been ecstatic had it been at the beginning of the semester. Now, he didn’t care. He was touched—but nothing more.

Walking outside, the sun hit him as it shone brightly. A great contrast to the crisp air. It was the wedding day. His mind kept going back to what Namjoon had told him. How it was important to keep a relative distance from Sooyoung but not too much if he felt he needed to be closer and to also somehow get her to run into Park and have them meet. If Park recognizes his granddaughter before anyone finds out she’s that Sooyoung being looked for—it was to their advantage. He needed to know the will. He needed to know what it was that needed to be done for Sooyoung to own that land specifically for her, along with everything else.

“Hey, where are you going?”

Jungkook was coming his way, waving him down.

“I have a job. I’m shooting a wedding. Wait, why are you here on a weekend? Studying?”

“Me, studying on the weekend? Ha!”

“So, why are you here?”

“For her.” Jungkook pointed behind him to Yeri who was walking out holding books in her arms.

“Didn’t you have a date with her last night? It went well, I take it?”

Another person who called him when he was still in Daegu, was Jungkook. So had Jimin but he purposely ignored those knowing his friend was going to be mad at him for missing his birthday—he was but apparently Seulgi did a good job making him forget. Jimin only remembered when he apologized through a text that morning. Jungkook had only called him for one thing. It was just to tell him that he beat him again. He got a girlfriend before him. Taehyung faked not knowing he could possibly have feelings for Yeri. Jungkook had told him to shut up but thanked him. Because his words had made him think back to all their interactions and his general reaction of what Taeyong almost did was what helped him sort all that confusion. He took sole credit for getting the two together and told Jungkook he did. Thirty minutes later he received a text from Sooyoung saying she helped too, and he couldn’t take all the credit because had she not rejected him; he would still be pinning for her.

Still, Jungkook was wrong about one thing. He didn’t beat him in getting a girlfriend.

“She’s so cute. She gets shy about everything. She turned this bright red when I told the waiter who was flirting with her, that she was my girlfriend and that I didn’t appreciate him being so open about flirting with her. Ah, she’s so cute, my little midget. Yerim!!”

Jungkook ran past him with a smitten look on his face. He ran towards Yeri who stopped walking, looking around until her eyes landed on his running figure. She smiled but then made a move to hit him when he took her cheeks in his hands and kissed her. Taehyung watched as Jungkook take her books from her and walked away talking.

Shaking his head at them, he looked forward and frowned upon seeing Chanyeol. His feet seemed heavier. There was still something about Chanyeol he didn’t quite like and just being in his presence made him weary. Namjoon told him how everyone in the underground world, relatively knew the importance of Sooyoung. She would play a critical role in crashing some of the most prominent figures in the underground world, or she could help build it to a point where it could not be maintained, and corruption would take over. He wondered where Yoongi was and if Jin knew the truth of what he was to this world they all somehow belonged to.

“You ready, for the big day?” Chanyeol raised his brows at him. “Remember, avoid the real Sooyoung. She’s only going so they aren’t suspicious of her. They purposely invited nine Park Sooyoung’s knowing the real one may not show up.”

“How will we divert their attention?” Taehyung placed his things in the car, noticing a tux for him to wear, playing along with what Chanyeol said when Yoongi had previously called earlier to tell him how since Namjoon filled him in on everything and he knows about him and Sooyoung, that he needed to be flirty with her. He was confused for half a second since Namjoon had told him otherwise, but he liked Yoongi’s option better. He needed to be close to her in one way or another. She wasn’t supposed to know anyone. If she knew him—she was less suspicious.

“One Park Sooyoung is studying abroad. They don’t know. We made it seem she got the invite. Attention will go to her. Don’t worry, we’re not putting anyone else in danger.”

He also knew this. He knew this too well from before. Also, about the other in Jeju. He sighed, nodding and watched Chanyeol drive them. Was it him? Was it him, who brought his name up? Did he not know, or did he want him gone? Something about Park Chanyeol, did not sit well with him at all.

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

Sooyoung:

She felt really awkward going into the wedding hall. She had seen Yoongi but before she could say hi, he put a finger to his lips. She understood. She didn’t know much but Yoongi had come over to her apartment earlier in the they day and lightly briefed her on her appearance to the wedding. She was to avoid the best man as best she could. She was to talk to the least amount of people and if she needed an escape, she would find one by just looking and being sneaky. He mainly told her, to stay away from getting too friendly with any of the other Park Sooyoung’s and to not say their names. He was Suga, she was Joy and someone else also should be called by their nickname.

Yoongi had been really vague but the moment she was seated, she had run into another Park Sooyoung who was her age. They greeted each other and she introduced herself as Joy. She watched the decorations, admiring how everything was so well put. As she looked around, she felt a pair of eyes on her. She turned and met a serious man. He was watching her intently and it scared her, leaving her exposed under his gaze. Who was he and why was he looking at her like that?

Sooyoung sharply turned back and tried to focus on the announcer of the wedding. Someone was taking a picture of them. She watched them with a smile because they reminded her of Taehyung. Even their hair was similar. She watched them stand back up straight and look at the picture before shaking the hair out of their face. He slightly turned and fell. It was Taehyung! He was there, in a tux and he looked so good she felt herself blush. Her face was already plastered with this goofy grin as she looked, watching her man work the wedding. Was this who Yoongi was pertaining to? She sure hoped so. Did that mean, Yoongi knew about them?

“Oh my, that photographer is so handsome!”

The Park Sooyoung beside her whispered to her. Other females around her also noticed. Even some with dates were gawking at him.

“He could totally be a celebrity with that face.”

“The gods blessed him, he’s so beautiful.”

“He’s giving Sehun a run for his money in the looks department. I wonder if he’s single.”

Sooyoung started to pout. She always knew Taehyung was a looker but hearing it be affirmed by thirsty females around her made her, self-conscious. Then she recalled how he called her gorgeous and seeing all those pictures he had of her in his portfolio. Yeah, there really wasn’t much competition when the man everyone was gawking at was in love with her. She did turn to the Sooyoung by her and quietly asked.

“Who’s Sehun?”

The Sooyoung beside her smiled. “He’s the best man and he’s just as attractive but in a more broody and dangerous way.”

She felt stared at again. She looked back to where she had seen the man before, he was gone. She turned her head at the same time she heard a faint shutter sound. It was Taehyung. He lowered the camera, looking right at her with his innocent boxy smile. The females around her squealed in delight as he threw her a wink. She was red. She knew she was red but seeing Taehyung surprised her. Then she remembered what Yoongi had said. Was she to call him V?

⇤〜⑉⑅﹎⑅〜⑉⇥

There was nothing more than she wanted to do but get out of the wedding hall and into a more comfortable dress for her date with Jin—which she had been anticipating with dread knowing tonight was the night she would break his heart. She was pushing her way thru and was stopped by the man with a burning gaze again. His name was Oh Sehun, she didn’t know him, and he didn’t know her, but he found her beautiful and took an interest in her. When he had approached her earlier to introduce himself, she mentally apologized to Yoongi. He was called away not that long after and she got a chance to see both Yoongi and Taehyung staring at Sehun’s back as he walked away from her. Taehyung seemed to be burning holes in the back of his head. Yoongi was more interested in the development.

She tried to swerve past him, but he held her elbow in place.

“Where are you heading, beautiful?”

“I have another appointment to make. It was a beautiful wedding and a pleasure to meet you.”

“Joy, what’s your real name?”

The words Yoongi said played loudly in her mind. She shouldn’t give anyone her name. She tried to think of a name and was staring blankly at him. It was in her favor that the man in front of her had an enormous ego because he spoke again.

“I know you can’t take your ey