TaeHyung could not find the words to say. Standing by the door, he fiddled with the knob for a while, unable to look at HaYeon before he sighed. “Just stay here for the night. We have room for you.” He breathed out before opening the door, responding to his overheard conversation between HaYeon and Mrs Jung.

He did not quite understand what HaYeon meant when she said that Kai killed her but the hurt she wore in her eyes as it twinkled with tears when she confessed made TaeHyung want to keep her by his side for just one night. To make sure that she was alright and that she does not feel alone.  
Ignoring her rejection, he then ushered in to the house before shutting the door tight. “It’s just one night. It’s better than sleeping in a park.” 

The atmosphere in the house was still bright as the boys gathered in the living room, JungKook dozing off on Jimin’s shoulders as the rest joked and laughed among themselves, as though not bothered by the return of the duo. 

“Yah TaeHyung! Quickly sit down!” Jin rushed as he put a cup down on an empty spot beside him and filled it with soda and a tinge of alcohol. TaeHyung went over without hesitation and planted himself close to Jin. Signalling for her to come closer, TaeHyung patted the spot beside and told her to join in as though the previous did not even happen. Instinctively, NamJoon handed her a cup and was about to fill it up when TaeHyung threw the cup back at NamJoon with a vexed expression at his friend’s lack of sense. “Yah you crazy bastard don’t ask her to drink.” 

NamJoon chuckled at his friend as he pretended to be shocked. “Yah I just got called a crazy bastard by someone younger than me. Wah… what a world we live in.” He rolled his eyes before filling the cup that TaeHyung threw at him with soda till it was almost full. “I wasn’t going to ask her to drink! I just wanted to offer her some soda you son of a .” He laughed, along with the rest of the boys as TaeHyung eyed him with doubt and snickered at his friend’s attempt to save himself. 

HaYeon laughed a little at that sight but leaned in closer to TaeHyung as she received the drink from NamJoon gratefully. “Do you guys always speak with such… passion?” 

TaeHyung’s face lit up with a small smile. “N-N-Not often! Well kind of. Sometimes. All the time... ” He laughed, unsure of what HaYeon thinks of them now. 
HaYeon nodded. “I like it.” 

“What?” TaeHyung could not understand it. 

But before any explanation could happen, they were disrupted by the rowdy boys. 

“Today,” HoSeok started, Jin Hyung and I were walking to the convenience store and this group of stupid young guys came up to us and tried to get us to help them buy drugs from the black market. And when we refused they threatened to beat us up or something. But as soon as Jin hyung punched one of the boys they ran far away. Are kids nowadays all playing like this? They must be crazy throwing themselves like this at people. They really have no sense!” HoSeok exaggerated at the last part as though telling a joke as the boys laughed. 

“Exactly. Yah next time if you meet these boys again just tell them that you are the cops. Aren’t you the best at these sort of things? ing these young kids. You don’t even have to move a fist.” YoonGi added. 

The rest of the boys unanimously agreed. “Jung HoSeok is the best at lying.” The boys teased but nonetheless supporting him on his case that gangs nowadays are full of talk and no action. The sharing session immediately came to an end as Jin then suggested a game and the boys enthusiastically agreed. 

HaYeon smiled. She likes it. Everything that she sees in this room. Especially the boy beside her. The way they lived their life so freely. Vulgarities, underage drinking etc. Not that she thought it was appropriate, but to her, their spirit of freedom was of envy. As she immersed herself in the cheerful vibes the boys were spreading, she could not help but realize how she had been living in prison her whole life. 
Everything that she said or did were controlled and structured, as though she was a puppet. She wondered as she observed the happy expressions on the boys’ faces, if she would ever have this sort of happiness in her lifetime too. She knew they had it tough, but so has she. She could not contain her feelings of jealousy at the contrast between them. 

“YAH ONE SHOT!” The boys roared at TaeHyung as he lost the game. Shaking his head, TaeHyung then lifted up his cup again, his sixth tha