Dara

 

"I picked the room furthest away from the boys." Chaerin admitted as she led me to the room down the hall.

 

The format of her room was built just like mine. The way Chaerin had personalized it made it different than mine. Her bed was pushed from the middle to the corner. By the bed, the bedside drawer was missing and the work desk had replaced it. Above the desk, there was a big window that had the view of the
backyard. Looking directly down, the pool was in sight. On her walls, pictures of family and friends and paintings of flowers were hung.

 

"I'll be right back." Chaerin said, walking into the bathroom. She came back a few minutes later with clothes in her hands.

 

"You can wear these for tonight. In the morning, you can pick anything out of my closet to change into."

 

 

"Thanks." I said, receiving the clothes. "I'll shower after you then."

 

"No, go ahead. I already showered."

 

I quickly washed and changed. When I was fully dressed, I looked in the mirror to see how the clothes fit me. The
oversized t-shirt was loose. It comfortably covered the red running short that hugged my bottom favorably. Walking out of the bathroom, I saw Chaerin holding pillows and a blanket.

 

 

Assuming that they were for me, I extended my arms out to grab hold of the items needed for slumber.

 

"You can take the bed, I'll be on the floor." Chaerin said as she moved the blanket out of my reach.

 

"No, no." I refused, "I'll take the floor. You can sleep on the bed."

 

 

"No, you can sleep on the bed, Dara."

 

"No, Chaerin. You're kind enough to let me sleep in your room. Let me take the floor."

 

"No, as a friend, I'm letting you take the bed."

 

 

"Okay, if we are friends, why can't we sleep on the bed together?" I asked for a compromise. Chaerin raised her eyebrow in suspicion.

 

 

"To be clear, I don't swing that way."

 

"I don't either." I said.

 

 

As we climbed into the bed, I remembered about my teenage years that consisted of sleepovers. Chaerin was first to get on
the bed. She took the left side, leaving the right side of the bed for me. I got under the covers and I laid down. Just as my
head hit the pillow, it hit something hard.

 

"Ow!" I yelped as I jolted up, rubbing my aching head.

 

"Oh! I forgot." Chaerin said. She lifted the pillow up and revealed a gun. "Sorry. I keep it there for emergencies."

 

She removed the gun from under my pillow to hers. I suddenly got nervous. Not only was I sleeping in a mansion filled with criminals who kill without a piece of mind, I was laying right next to one who had a loaded gun under her pillow.

 

 

"Goodnight." Chaerin said.

 

 

She clapped twice and the lights in her room went out. Then again, I can't complain about their luxurious lifestyle.

 

--

 

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I slowly sat upright on the bed. I repeatedly blinked in order for my eyes to adjust to the sunlight that seeped through the blinds. I yawned as I stretched my arms wide.

 

 

Looking down to my left, I saw that Chaerin was still sleeping. The clock that hung on the wall and the growl in my stomach told me it was breakfast time.

 

 

Careful not to wake Chaerin, I took long and slow movements to get out of the bed. I successfully maneuvered my way out of her room. I was eager to get to the kitchen but decided to stop at Jiyong's room. I knocked on his door, loud enough for him to hear and quiet enough not to disturb his neighboring housemates. I was expecting Jiyong, but it was Taeyang who answered the door.

 

"Did you guys end up having a sleepover of your own?" I asked, amused.

 

 

Taeyang was no longer wearing just his boxers. He had added an article of clothing from the when I last saw him.Taeyang had on a white shirt. Since it looked like he had just woke up, it looked like he never left Jiyong's room.

 

 

Jiyong appeared behind Taeyang. He was shirtless. His chest and torso were exposed as the grey sweatpants covered his lower body. Thinking hard, wasn't Jiyong wearing a white shirt last night?

 

"I was worried he'd try to break into Chaerin's room while you guys were asleep." Jiyong explained as he scratched his head, making his bed hair worse.

 

Taeyang's sleepy face was replaced with a smug look, "Don't use that excuse for why you tied me up last night."

 

My eyebrows shot up with Taeyang's bold statement.

 

 

"That did not happen." Jiyong clarified to me.

 

 

"Don't be ashamed of what we have, Jiyong."

 

"Don't call me that."

 

 

"Oh, right!" Taeyang said, rolling his eyes as he facepalmed himself, "You made me promise to call you Jiyongie."

 

 

"Taeyang, you got to stop joking aro-"

 

 

Taeyang slapped Jiyong's . The force sent Jiyong groaning in pain and stumbling a few steps forward. After Taeyang's hand came in contact with Jiyong's buttcheek, he bolted to his room.

 

 

"That motherer." Jiyong said as he rubbed his that had been wrongfully struck.

 

 

"Taeyang is something." I said.

 

 

I had never met a person with such a personality. He was definitely erted and has no problem showing it. So far, I
noticed that he like to ualize anything, anytime, and anywhere.

 

"He's hard to handle." He admitted. "Give me a minute to get ready and then we can go downstairs for breakfast."

 

 

"Okay."

 

Jiyong closed the door behind him after he went back inside his room. I heard shuffling as he got ready. Within a few minutes, Jiyong walked out of his room with a black shirt on and his hair combed and gelled.

 

 

"It's going to be awhile until Chaerin wakes up." Jiyong said as we walked down the stairs. "We can use that time for some training."

 

"Sure." I said at his suggestion.

 

As we got closer to the kitchen, the smell of freshly cooked breakfast got stronger. Walking into the empty dining room, my
heart dropped to my stomach. On the table, there were mountains of pancakes, breakfast burritos, and French toast.

 

 

"Actually, Jiyong." I said as I grabbed a plate, "I don't think we'll able to do any training after breakfast."

 

 

Jiyong chuckled, "Help yourself."

 

 

Jiyong

 

I sat across from Dara with my plate of French toast. As I ate, I occasionally glanced at Dara.

 

 

I've never seen someone look at food the way Dara did. I wondered how she kept her petite figure as she reached for her
third breakfast burrito. Dara must have held herself back at last night dinner.

 

 

"How come you didn't eat like that last night?"

 

 

Dara looked at me, embarrassed, and said,

 

 

"I'm a shy eater."

 

We were the only two eating breakfast in the dining room. Occasionally people would walk in, grab what they wanted to
munch on and return to their rooms to eat.

 

 

"I'm here," I said, challenging her.

 

 

She kept eye contact with me as she thought about what she was going to say.

 

 

"I guess I'm now comfortable around you."

 

 

Was she never comfortable with me? Saying that she was comfortable around me, was she implying that she trust me
that I wouldn't kill her?

 

 

Feeling the presence of someone standing behind me made me abandon my thoughts. I turn my head to see my grandmother scowling at me.

 

"Jiyong, stop the slouching." My grandma as she slapped my back. It caused me to cough up a piece of french toast that I had
decided to swallow as her hand come in contact with my back.

 

 

"Good morning, grandma." I said after my choking fit.

 

 

"That's debatable." She frowned as she sat in the seat next to me.

 

Dara

 

The old lady with the heavy Italian accent turned to face me.

 

 

"Hello." I greeted her.

 

"Hi, how are you settling in, dear?" She asked in a completely different tone that she used to speak to Jiyong. She sounded
genuinely concerned instead of annoyed.

 

"It's all new to me." I admitted.

 

"I would say that I'm sorry you're here in the mess we called YG, but you got what was coming."

 

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked, unsure of what she was implying.

 

"I'm just saying if you had never saved Jiyong, none of this would have happened to you."

"I've realized that I long time ago." I joked halfheartedly. Jiyong raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes at me. The old lady
caught Jiyong's action and frowned.

 

"Keep rolling your eyes, stupido." The lady said with dripping sarcasm, "Maybe you'll find a brain back there."

She looked back at me with a different look on her face. She looked grateful yet unhappy.

 

 

"Thank you for saving my grandson, unfortunately." With that, she got up from her seat. I watched her short and slightly
chubby figure walk out of the room before I spoke.

 

 

"Did your grandma basically said that I should have left you to die? Is she really sad about you being alive?"

 

 

"It's a love-hate relationship." Jiyong said, shrugging his shoulders.

 

--

Jiyong

 

 

I was done with my breakfast before Dara. Scrolling through the notifications on my phone, I waited for her to finish. I noticed
that she ate slower than she had at the beginning. Dara must be getting full.

 

 

One of the notification alerted me that I had missed a text message around 4 in the morning. It was concerning Dara's room. After reading it, I decided to tell Dara of the good news.

 

 

"You're room is done," I told her after she finished the last bite of her breakfast burrito.

 

 

"Already?" She asked in shock.

 

 

"I had them clean it over the night," I said, hoping to show off the power I had around here. I leaned forward, propping my elbows on the table waiting for her impresses response. Her reply was far from what I expected.

 

"You made them clean it last night? It must have taken hours to finish." She said, frowning.

 

"I am the one paying them." I defended.

 

"Still. They could have done it today. It's not like I'm going to be in there the whole day." Dara scowled at me.

 

 

I frowned and leaned back in my chair. My attempt to impress her had failed.

 

"Do you want to see it or not?" I asked, trying to get rid of the guilt Dara made me feel.

 

Dara

 

Going up the stairs was a struggle after eating so many burritos. Nevertheless, with much effort, I made it to my room with Jiyong.

 

I grabbed the doorknob and tried turning it but found out it was jammed. I looked at Jiyong for help. He smirked as he removed his right hand from his pocket, dangling a key in front of my face.

 

"There's a lock, just like you asked." He said.

 

I moved out of the way for Jiyong to unlock the door. I walked to the center of the room as Jiyong stayed in the doorway. It looked like Jooyeon never destroyed my room.

 

 

"They did a good job." I said. Jiyong walked to my side and handed me the key to the room.

 

 

"Thanks." I told him as I pocketed it.

 

After locking the door behind us, we bumped into Chaerin at the stairs. She was still in her sleepwear. It was noticeable that she just woke up and walked out of her room. Her hair was all
tangled up and she was missing a sock on her right foot.

 

"You're awake early." Jiyong said. He looked down at his wrist to check the time, "It's only ten."

 

It was clear that Chaerin was not an early bird.

 

"There are some things you have to sacrifice for a new pair of shoes."

 

Chaerin said, ending with a yawn.

 

"You're planning to go right now?" Jiyong asked.

 

 

"Yes, that means we have only eight hours to shop."

 

"Wait... what?" I asked, wondering if I had heard right.

 

 

"I promise to have her home by six." She told Jiyong, completely ignoring my question.

 

 

"Seriously? Eight hours?" I asked.

 

 

"But first we have to change." Chaerin said, disregarding what I had asked once again. She grabbed my hand and dragged me up the stairs to her room on the floor above. I looked at Jiyong for help but he just waved and walked down the stairs in the opposite direction.

 

 

We got to her room and she threw clothes at me to change. She gave me high-waisted jean shorts in the color of light blue and a pastel yellow baseball shirt that was missing the bottom half.
Clearly, it was cropped to meet the high-waisted jeans.

 

 

Chaerin transformed from her sleepy mess within seven minutes. Changed out of her sleepwear, Chaerin wore a black,
tight-fitting shirt and black, ripped skinny jeans. I saw her slip something metal into her bra and decided not to ask her about
it.

I was almost done tying the matching pastel yellow high top converse when impatient Chaerin grabbed my elbow and dragged me out of her room and down the stairs.

 

"Chaerin!" I yelled for her to stop walking down so fast as she hauled me behind her.

 

 

I tried to avoid stepping on the shoelaces that could eventually lead me to my death. Unfortunately, I wasn't successful. We nearly made it to the first floor when Chaerin finally decided to let go of me. I didn't see that coming and the next thing I knew, I tripped and was flying down the few last steps of the stairs.

 

 

"Ahhh!" I screamed as I closed my eyes.

 

I felt someone catch me, but the force of me coming down took both of us to the floor. Fortunately, the person broke my fall and I landed in their arms, on top of them.

 

Opening my eyes after I felt everything went still, I was met with familiar black eyes. Seeing his face so close to mine caused my breath to hitch. The concerned face turned smug.

 

"Comfortable?" Jiyong asked as his lips formed a smirk. I felt his hands on my waist tightened a bit.

 

 

I opened my mouth to say something sarcastic when Top appeared in the dining room doorway.

 

 

"I came, thinking that someone was yelling because they were hurt or something. I guess it was a different type of scream." He obliviously said as he looked the compromising position Jiyong
and I was in. "Shouldn't they get a room for that?"

 

 

"Dara fell." Chaerin said, explaining the situation.

 

 

"Fell?" Top asked, caught off guard. "Dara fell in love with Jiyong?"

 

"Jiyong caught -"

 

"Feelings?" He asked, attempting to finish her sentence. "He caught feelings?"

 

Jiyong cleared his throat, straying my concentration away from Top and Chaerin who continued to bickering. I looked back down at Jiyong, wondering why he wanted my attention. Suddenly, I remembered that I was still laying on top of him.

 

 

Quickly, I got up, muttering 'thank you' and 'sorry' as I did.
Instead of getting up with me, Jiyong sat up on the ground next to my feet. He grabbed my shoelaces and proceeded to tie them.

 

"Thank you." I said after he was done.

 

"It's whatever." said Jiyong as he stood up.

 

"Seeing that Dara didn't break anything, let's get going." Chaerin said, walking over.

 

 

She stopped in front of Jiyong and held her hand out, waiting. Jiyong, as if he knew this was going to happen, was already opening his leather wallet. In her palms, Jiyong placed a black card. She grasped the card and smiled.

 

If it didn't come across yet, Chaerin must love shopping.

 

 

"Take it easy."

 

"I'll try." Chaerin said, making no promises. She grabbed my hand and began dragging me to the front door. I realized that neither Taeyang or Jiyong was following behind us.

 

 

"Wait, you guys aren't coming with?" I asked, worried for my sake. I almost broke an arm because Chaerin was so eager to go to the mall.

 

"I rather have Seunghoon punch me in the liver." Taeyang stated. Jiyong nodded his head in agreement. Before I could ask why, I was pulled out of the door.

 

--

 

I figured out why. Chaerin shopped like it was a sport. She had swiped Jiyong's black card so many times in the span of five hours. I'm surprised it hasn't broken yet.

 

Before going to our fourth shopping mall in Seoul, I suggested taking a break and go eat somewhere.

 

 

"How do you like your life of crime?" Chaerin asked me before sipping the sparkling water she ordered.

 

 

"I haven't done anything illegal yet."

 

 

"There is going to be a meet in a few week."

 

 

"A meet?"

 

"It's exactly what it is. People meeting at a place for some dealing." Chaerin explained. "A little group who claim to be a small mafia wants to take part as one of our suppliers. We want to check out what they can provide for us."

 

"I rather not." I declined the offer, but my curiously spiked up.

 

"It'll be fun."

 

"It'll be dangerous." I corrected her.

 

"You need to loosen up. Take a break, you know?"

 

"A break?" I asked her, my eyebrow raised up, "A break from the law?"

 

"Sounds ridiculous but that could be my point." Chaerin said, "Being in the mafia, you do whatever whenever. Well, depending on rank, but you made it to the top without having to struggle at the bottom. Of course, we know there are consequences, but we don't receive them unless we get caught. That part is easy. The police fear us."

 

Chaerin stopped talking as the waiter approached us with our ordered food. He set down my lasagna in front of me and placed Chaerin's burger in front her. Making sure that the waiter was far
enough that he couldn't hear her, she started to speak again.

 

 

"Look, I just bought you two million dollars worth of clothing."

 

I gasped, "Two million? Are you out of your mind."

 

"That's the thing. You don't have to worry. The money that is backing up the card isn't even real."

 

 

"Two million fake dollars?" I whispered with solidity as I freaked out.

 

"You can consider this as your first act of criminality." She smiled as if she was proud of me.

 

 

"Technically, I didn't do anything but hold the bags. You were the one swiping the card." I defended myself.

 

 

--

That was looong, right?