“So, did you have fun?”

Jungkook glanced over at his sister behind the driver’s wheel and stifled a yawn. “It was okay.”

“The story was boring, right? When they showed –“Hyeri started to complain, but then she remembered something and immediately clammed shut.

Her brother side-eyed her, asking, “Noona, when did you watch it? The movie was just released today. Didn’t you have classes just now?”

“E-eh?” Hyeri stammered. “Yes, yes of course I did. Ah! I read the reviews and I watched the trailer,” she tried to keep on a straight face while the lies flowed out naturally. “I feel like it’s a total rip-off and a waste of money though.”

Jungkook studied her face begrudgingly, but didn’t say anything else. Instead, he switched on the car’s radio player and started humming along to the song being played.

Hyeri stole a quick glance at him as she took a right turn, before carefully asking, “Jungkook-ah, do you really like Yooyoung?”

“I do,” he answered without a moment of hesitation.

“Do you just like her or do you really, really like her?”

“I really, really like her.”

“Does she like you too?”

“I don’t know, noona. Why don’t you ask her?”

“Should I?” asked Hyeri eagerly.

“AH noona! Why are you being like this?”

“Why can’t I? Jungkook-ah, why don’t you ask her out for dinner and I can tag along? I’d love to meet her.”

“Why do you want to meet her?” Jungkook asked curiously.

Hyeri thought about it for a moment. “Just…because. Since you really like her, I figured it wouldn’t hurt getting to know my future sister-in-law?”

“Aish, noona seriously.”

“Ey, are you blushing?” Hyeri grinned teasingly. “Aw, are you embarrassed my little brother? Have you actually thought about things that far?”

“Noona, stop it!”

“Alright, fine! Geez, boys nowadays are getting more and more sensitive,” she grumbled.

“Why do you say that?”

Hyeri rolled her eyes. “Nothing. I just didn’t have such a good night like you did.”

“What happened?”

Her thoughts went back to the earlier part of the night, when she got into an argument with a random stranger in the movie theatre. She knew she was in the wrong, but she hated the fact that he had to be such a smartass about the whole thing and made her look like a fool.

Even so, as a guy, he should’ve given in to her.

Sighing out loud, she said, “Let’s not talk about it. My heart is still in pain.”

Both Yooyoung and Chanshik were greeted by Taemin’s wrath upon reaching home. The younger of the two quickly hid behind her brother as soon as she saw the infuriated expression on the eldest’s face.

“Where have the two of you been?”

“Out and about,” Chanshik replied nonchalantly. “Yooyoung-ah, why don’t you go ahead and clean up. It’s already late.”

“Oh, so you know it’s late?” Taemin rebuked. “Stop right there,” he turned to his sister who instantly froze in her tracks at his command. “The two of you are not going anywhere until I get an explanation.”

Jongin, who was sitting on the two-seater sofa playing his video game, looked up at Yooyoung and said in a sing-song voice, “You are in trouble.”

Yooyoung stuck out her tongue at him and resisted the urge to kick his leg. Instead, she plopped down on the empty space next to him and shot Chanshik a helpless look.

The latter simply sighed. “Explanation for what? Do I have to report to you about everything I do and everywhere I go?”

“This isn’t about you. But it’s the fact you’ve brought Yooyoung out till so late – “

“She was with me so I don’t see the problem – “

“Are you sure?”

“What?”

“Are you sure she was with you? The whole time?” Taemin pressed, as though he could see right through the surface.

Chanshik stared back at him evenly and opened his mouth to answer, but Yooyoung beat him to it. “Oppa, I thought you said you would tell Taemin op – “

“Tell me what?”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew still and quiet.

“What?” Taemin questioned again, his tone going an octave higher.

“We – “ Chanshik began.

“I went on a date!” Yooyoung blurted out at the same time, much to his surprise, and especially Taemin.

For a moment, everyone remained eerily silent. Yooyoung could practically hear her heart beating out loud, the grandfather clock ticking away behind them, the water dripping from the loose tap in the kitchen and the sound of Taemin’s heavy breathings as he tried to process the new information he had just learnt.

After a few long, deafening moments, he finally broke the silence by saying, “Um, I think my hearing is getting bad. What did you just say? I think I heard it wrongly.”

Chanshik was about to reply something but Jongin beat him to it. “Yooyoungie said she was out on a date!”

She took the nearest pillow and hurled it at the ignorant Jongin. He stuck out his tongue and elbowed her back in return.

“Cut it, the two of you,” Taemin’s serious tone put a halt to their bickering. “Chanshik,” he continued, directing his question at the second oldest. “Is it true? Was Yooyoung really out on a date?”

Pause. “Yes.”

“And you let her?”

“Why shouldn’t I?”

“Chanshik, we’ve discussed this before. Yooyoung is not to date anyone until she finishes high school.”

“What difference does it make, hyung?” the younger boy fired back. “Yooyoung’s all grown up. She’s not the 5-year old we should keep cooped up at home and control. Or did you not realise that?”

“So that makes it okay to leave her alone with some guy?”

“I didn’t exactly leave her alone," muttered Chanshik irritably.

Jongin’s ears perked up with sudden interest. “What do you mean, hyung? Did you follow Yooyoung around and spied on her?”

All of the attention was now shifted towards Chanshik. Taemin and Jongin were both peering on with much curiosity while Yooyoung only had betrayal and accusation imprinted on both of her childlike eyes. Chanshik shot her an apologetic look as he heaved a sigh and admitted, “Yeah. I followed her to the movies.”

Taemin raised an eyebrow. “Followed as in you left when she entered the cinema or followed…?

“I sat a few rows behind her in the theatre, okay? Is that what you want to hear?”

Taemin was about to say something else but was cut off by Yooyoung’s cry of disappointment. “Oppa! I can’t believe you actually spied on me!”

“Young-ah…” he started, taking a step closer but she only backed away further from him. “I’m sorry. I really am. But I was just trying to look out for you – “

“No,” she interrupted yet again, fresh tears stinging her eyes. “You simply do not trust me. All of you.” Her voice dripped with accusation as she turned to face her other two brothers. “Have I ever given you any reason not to trust me?”

“Yooyoung, don’t say that.” It was Jongin who spoke up, seeing how the older two were rendered speechless by their youngest sister sudden outburst. “It’s not that we don’t trust you but we are really just concerned about you.”

“Don’t try to act like you’re the saint one here,” she retaliated. “You’re no different too!”

Jongin’s eyes widened in bewilderment. “Why are you taking this out on me? I wasn’t the one who spied on you!”

“Shut up, Jongin,” both Chanshik and Taemin said in unison.

Yooyoung couldn’t stand being in the same room as her brothers for a second longer. She threw one last spiteful glare at Chanshik before retreating back to her room and slamming the door shut behind her.

The three of them could only watch her go helplessly. Taemin wanted to say something to her, but his pride wouldn’t let himself admit that he might’ve over-reacted and apologise to her. He was only trying to protect her and even though his ways might be suffocating, Taemin was sure Yooyoung would understand his true intentions.

Chanshik knew he might’ve stepped over the line that night, but he only had her interests at heart. Yooyoung was also his responsibility and he was also aware that if anything were to happen to her while she was out on his consent – Taemin and Jongin would put the whole blame on him and he’ll most likely never forgive himself too.

Jongin has never been good with words, and he was aware he wasn’t always the brightest among the bunch – but when it comes to his family, he knows that if one of them is mad at the other (or in this case all of them), the drought would probably last for a few days, and the thought of Yooyoung not talking to any one of them dreaded him the most.