A/N:

Longest chapter of the whole series ahead, sorry.

Warning: slut-shaming and name-calling.

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The Wise Monkey's POV:

Soojin finally makes it to the restaurant that she was representing just hours ago on live television. Sloth-like and particularly uninterested today because of multiple reasons, she still makes it. She wasn't ever the type to skip work just because she had the authority to(only legally; she'd still have to face her mother for being irresponsible like that). Workaholism is something that I found out is typically prevalent all through this country.

All the eyes are on her just as she enters, the customers, the staff with their smiling, bright faces. 

"Noona, you did amazing today! Congrats!" one of the serving staff tells her.

"A-Ahh, thanks," she quietly says before hurriedly rushing to the kitchen ignoring the eyes. The boy's words took her off-guard for a second there. As expected from Soojin, she had forgotten that this kind of treatment would be awaiting her.  It might amuse one how she forgot that when all she was showered through phone calls and texts were words of congratulations, from her professors, classmates, and friends. But there are things on her mind that make it easy to be distracted. Being exposed makes her uncomfortable, and that's exactly what happened this afternoon; she's scared of things going south. But that is what I'm here for, to take care that things definitely don't go down if not to a better course. Poor girl doesn't even know that I exist though.

"Ohh, you're here! Soojin-ah, you did very well today, everyone in my family watched the show together," the head cook, Mrs. Jang tells her.

"You'd have won the round if you represented us instead," Soojin plainly says taking the older woman tongue-tied for a few.

"Is that why you look so dull? Don't worry about that, this is a very good start, we all know that you'll win it. Cheer up."

Soojin nods hesitantly and gets to work. A few minutes later she hears Donghyuck's voice who seems to be asking for her. She exits the kitchen to see him holding a small cake box in his hand, his friend Jeno beside him.

Soojin boredly blinks his way. 

"I brought you cake, noona! Congr—" her cousin says.

She turns back on her heels and walks back into the kitchen folding her arms. "Why are y'all treating it like I won the whole show, I'm just placed at 3rd in round 1 for God's sake."

"But—"

"Hyuck, if you're here to celebrate anyway, why don't you do it by helping us at work. Sharing is caring, so share the work." Soojin throws two aprons their way. The boys catch it and get to their work helping to serve the tables; of course, Donghyuck had the cake he brought to look up to eating later and Jeno's incentive's the mere presence of Sooyoung.

After getting bored seeing the usual in the workplace for what always feels like to me very and utmostly tedious long hours of stirring and serving and savoring, I feel my magical indicator go off. And by that I mean I feel the presence of the other party I monitor nearing me. I didn't bother sticking around with Ateez much today because I knew of their schedule that wasn't going to be clear until— I look at the clock nearby— 40 minutes ago.

So I transport myself to their location and viola, I'm in their van.

"—won't be mad," I hear San finishing a sentence.

"Why would your friend be mad?" Their manager Jongsuk, who's driving the van, asks.

"I think it's going to be the closing time soon. We're a little late, aren't we? Seonghwa hyung, why did you want to go here in the first place?"

"If it's closing time, why bother? I can get you takeaway," Jongsuk offers.

Being out of context was no fun so I used this time to go back a few minutes in time into Seonghwa's head by my handy magical charms. Apparently, Seonghwa told the manager to take this route because he suggested eating dinner at Ahn's Restaurant. Odd request; usually they go directly to dorms to freshen up and order food, or get takeaway on their way home. And yeah, San's right, the restaurant's closing time is up soon, the crowd's already bare minimum in the place right now.

"Seonghwa hyung just wants to meet her," Yunho blurts out.

"Understandable, me too," Jongho says and Seonghwa meets his eye for a brief second before he averts it.

Jongsuk flashes a pointed look at the boys' way through the rearview mirror. "Is something going on that I don't know about?" he asks and Hongjoong immediately shakes his head.

"We all wanna congratulate her hyung, also she was exposed on TV as our friend because of us, we gotta talk to her about that, that's why Seonghwa suggested this, isn't it right, Seonghwa?" Hongjoong says. "And we're not exactly getting there at the very last minute, maybe they'll only offer takeaway at this time, but that's okay."

"I wanted to dine there though," Wooyoung complains.

"We can do that some other day. Why are you whiny? I just want to go home and take a shower," Yeosang says.

"They serve chimaek, if you go for a dine-in you'll get the chicken hot and crispy and made with love."

"Ohh, maybe I can shower later then," Yeosang says gaining a few small laughs.

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The people who were sat on one of the last two occupied table finally makes their way out of the restaurant leaving only one trio of customers to finish up their food soon and hurry. All of the staff are settled in the dine-in room today. Usually, the serving staff and the main cook would take off when the workers all collectively assume it's the last few tables and make sure the still occupied customers won't need any other service anymore; then all that'd remain is for the last dishes to be washed which is always taken care of by the Ahns themselves. But today, everyone stays, the staff and the occasional helpers Donghyuck and Jeno. Why? They're all just enjoying the cake Donghyuck brought, it was a kinda celebratory atmosphere with cake slices offered for free to the last trio of customers as well.

The staff is planning to leave after finishing the cake. The boys would stay though, Donghyuck and Jeno obviously missed the dinner hours of their university dorms, so their food was boiling over in the kitchen.

"Thank you for the cake noona," says Jungwon, a serving staff.

"What are you thanking me for, boy?" Soojin asks. "This cake is good though," she says, the only one who's still stuffing the cake, very uglily. I guess it's the period cravings.

"Ahh, right, thank you to you then, Donghyuck hyung," says Heesung, the other serving staff.

"I paid for the cake though," Jeno complains and Sooyoung laughs out and the young boys apologize to Jeno. "Hyuck's always been a free-loader, it's no surprise," Soojin comments, attention still on the cake.

The elders just smile at the kids. "Okay then, unnie, I'm leaving," Mrs. Jang says to Soojin's mom and turns to Heesung and Jungwon. "Let's go boys."

They all grab their things and the last three customers also ascend from their seats. And it's then that the restaurant's gate flings open revealing a bunch of young men who suddenly become conscious seeing the many eyes inside fixated upon them.

"We're sorry, we're closed for the day," Mrs. Jang tells Ateez.

"Ohh, it's Soojin's friend Jongho, Mirae," Mrs. Ahn says. "He came here once, I told you, remember?"

"Daebak!" Donghyuck gasps and Jeno's eyes widen. Jungwon says something in Heesung's ears whose scrutinizing eyes become now that's full of recognition.

"Excuse me, can we pay?" the last customers say and Sooyoung rushes to the billing counter guiding them.

Yunho still stands holding the handle of the glass gate blocking the others, wondering if they should leave or not(since Soojin's invisible to them). Jongho's already inside.

"Imo, you are saying that noon—" Donghyuck screeches.

"They're Ateez!" Heesung says.

"Stop yelling, you rasca—" Soojin stops as she realizes she can't curse yet because of the elders.

"Come inside, guys. I mean since you're already here," Soojin says and Yunho moves forward, assuming she's speaking to them. It is when Mrs. Jang, Heesung, and Jungwon move apart that they see Soojin sitting on a table behind them eating cake boredly.

"Is this the rest of the friends you and Jongho said you both have?" Mrs. Ahn asks. "1..2....there's nine. You're friends with nine people now?"

"Shocking," Mrs. Jang says.

"Yeah, very..." goes Jungwon.

"...very shocking," Jeno continues.

"So cool," Heesung says. "Oh! Noona, were they there on the show because of you?"

"Wait a minute," Mrs. Ahn says, looking at the awkward guys, who bow to her in greeting, in suspicion. "I've seen some of you somewhere."

"That's because—" Jeno starts off.

"Because they're in the wall posters of your daughter's room!" Donghyuck screeches. "Imo, how are you so clueless! Oh my God!"

"What?"

"Everyone shut up, now!" Soojin says exasperatedly as she gets up dramatically. She finally got to do it now that the customers are gone after billing.

"Geez, you look high. Are you high of cake now?" Sooyoung comments.

"Heesung, Jungwon, you've school tomorrow, you were about to leave," she tells them and turns to Mrs. Jang. "And you, imo, you were leaving too, so bye, all of you."

"I'll fill you in tomorrow," Mrs. Ahn quietly says to Mrs. Jang and the three leaves. "And you all? Are you customers or are you Soojin's friends?" she asks Ateez.

"Both," Yunho says and smiles. He's lowkey scared, and so are the others.

"Well, then, what do you do?"

"Eomma, what are you? A detective?" Soojin asks. "They are my friends and you probably recognized them by now," she maliciously eyes Donghyuck and Jeno. "They're idols. They're the group members of Ateez. All of them, except for that clueless ahjussi there, he's their manager."

"Hello, my name's Kim Honjoong," the short boy introduces himself to the mother of his friend and so does each of the others following him.

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Soojin was exhausted. She was fatigued and the recurring mild cramps were getting to her, and there were the mood swings and cravings and the desperate need to lie down and sleep. She was convinced she'd finish the cake and make Sooyoung do all the last dishes before she'd finally rush home. But here she is, frying away pieces of chicken in the kitchen for her friends. Somehow, she ended up telling her friends to stay to eat and drink together like in the old days( I don't know what kind of mood swings these are). 'Since you guys came here looking for food anyway?' she reasoned.

After many minutes of vague and discreet explanations by Soojin of how she happened to meet Ateez one day suddenly, and after what felt like countless times of its repetition and confirmation by the eight friends themselves, who all added their own additions to the story, a little something to make it believable, Mrs. Ahn was convinced. But the woman did pull the boys aside to ask them in privacy if her daughter had stalked and blackmailed them into being friends with her. After Sooyoung's statement on how she'd known of the friendship herself and Donghyuck's on how he had sniffed on and assumed Soojin getting involved with new people for a while now too, Mrs. Ahn let the kids be and went home. Sooyoung stayed 'to help serve them' in her exact words. And for the other two boys, well Donghyuck was Donghyuck and he refused to leave. And Ateez's manager: the poor, hungry man was sent off with a promise to leave the van behind for the boys and that he finds some takeaway and then a cab for himself.

Soojin finishes the last batch of chicken and takes it to the dine-in room where the hungry idol boys are settled around a conjoined table, Sooyoung comfortably sitting amongst them and grilling pork and making wraps and sauces for the guys. And just in time, Dongyuck and Jeno, who were sent to get some instant ramen from the convenience store come back visibly muttering things to each other and nudging each other's shoulders as they look at Ateez.

"What is that?" Soojin asks as she keeps the chicken on their table. "What's with the whispers? You guys begged to stay back saying you wanted to serve and help, so you better do the job right, be respectful to the customers you fools!" she finishes off yelling, making Jeno flinch( yeah, it was no news how the boy always found Soojin very intimidating).

"Easy there unnie, you scared him again." 

Soojin looks at Sooyoung. "At least someone's doing their job right. I don't think the convenience store is that far away Hyuck, why are you so late?"

"Ha ha ha," he awkwardly starts. "I think we're just on time seeing you're just bringing the chicken. What matters is that we got the ramyeon."

Soojin keeps glaring at them.

"Geez, why are you cranky today? It's intolerable," Wooyoung says.

"We disturbed you with this visit, didn't we? You should've told us so, Soojin-ah," Hongjoong cautiously says.

"No, I just—" she huffs. "Look, I wanted this, alright? I missed this, I thought it was a good opportunity to reminisce and recreate. My offer for you to stay was genuine." The only problem is the extra people whose presence she finds it uncomfortable to talk freely with her friends. "Don't worry about that, Captain."

"You call Hongjoong sunbaenim 'captain'?" Donghyuck asks. Boy, you're making it worse.

"Shut up," Soojin says. "Guys, this idiot right here is my cousin Lee Donghyuck and that is Lee Jeno, his friend."

"Oh, hello," San says. "Do you guys work here?"

"No," Sooyoung answers. "They sometimes do the barter of helping around here to get free food."

"You called Hongjoong 'sunbae', do you work in the field? Trainee?" Seonghwa asks.

"No, we sing and create music on Youtube, for now at least. We've got a whole team. We're social media singers," Jeno answers.

Sooyoung goes to bring the bottles of Soju and beer.

"Wah! You never let me have drinks here, noona!" Donghyuck exclaims. "The you I knew was a boring introvert and miser, what happened to you all of a sudden?"

"What do you mean? She's still a miser," Sooyoung says and laughs.

"Wow, it's good that I decided to stay for this," Donghyuck says. "But we won't intrude this table if you don't want that."

"Nah, you should join us," Wooyoung says and the two boys are quick to seat themselves. Soojin glares at her cousin and feels a tug at her hand. She sees it's Jongho sitting near where she stands. "Relax, noona, you should sit."  As she's about to sit on the floor on Jongho's left, Seonghwa speaks.

"You can sit here, Soojin," Seonghwa, who's on Jongho's right, says. And Soojin quietly sits between the two pursing her lips. It'd look like that both these guys chose to sit next to each other knowing that each of them would ask the girl to sit beside them. And I can assure you that's exactly what had happened.

Poor Soojin! I feel her frustration. She not only has to refrain from being her usually friendly self in front of the intruders and now there's also this love triangle going on that she definitely doesn't want Donghyuck or even Sooyoung to learn about.

"So we meet again, don't we, Youngie number 2?" Wooyoung says to Sooyoung. Everyone pours themselves a drink, the pork sizzling, noodles boiling, and chicken sitting crispy on the table full of other side dishes.

"Excuse me, I'm the one she started calling that name before, I'm rightfully no.1," Sooyoung replies.

"I was born before, I'm the no.1, sorry you were late," argues Wooyoung.

"How lame are you to be jealous of this?" Yeosang comments. San is busy chatting with the two new faces and Yunho and Mingi intently listen.

The bickering of Youngie vs. Youngie keeps continuing and while Soojin tries to ignore it she can't. "Can you stop, Youngie?" she says frustratedly. And they both turn to face her in response.

Soojin grabs her head and Seonghwa is quick to pat her back gently. "It's okay, everyone's loud, just don't focus on them, tell me how your week was?" he softly says and the loudness suddenly halts. Soojin can already feel all the eyes their way even when hers are on Seonghwa's, a subtle blush rising to her cheeks.

She never really texted Seonghwa after that vague and suggestive message from him that once. It kept her thinking. But the man didn't stop though. He'd still send her all sorts of sweet messages every day, just like the time when they dated. And that was nerve-wracking for her.

Soojin suddenly sees a hand offering food near her mouth. "Say aaah," Jongho says. "I made you a wrap."

"Huh?" To say she is taken aback by this really foreign situation is an understatement. She's only had a few shots but she feels dizzy, and maybe that is because of this situation. Whatever, I'm having the time of my life watching this.

"Say aahh, noona, open your mouth," the boy lovingly says, stealing all the spotlight Seonghwa previously built. Soojin reluctantly let him feed her the wrap.

"Thank you, Jongho," she says between the bites.

"Jongho?" he pouts.

"S-Sweetie."

Seonghwa's hand gently lands on Soojin's forehead. "Why are you stuttering?" he gasps. "Are you sick?"

"No. Why are you being so dramatic?"

"Sorry," Seonghwa says disheartened, staring at the table.

"Aish, why do you seem sad now?" she lifts his chin and makes him face her. "Are you a child?" and he looks at her blankly. "Shit, did I make it worse? You look cute, okay? You're adorable, oppa. Now cheer up."

"If it's a complimenting festival, do mine next," Jongho says and Soojin turns to face him with pursed lips and an awkward face. 'Why are they being like this?' she keeps asking in her head. She ruffles his hair with a smile nonetheless, forced at first but when he pouts his pink lips, and her attention goes there for a split second, she smiles wider. And then suddenly retraces her hand as soon as she remembers herself wanting to kiss him from the last time. And it is this second that she's free from attending to both the guys that she sees the others looking at her, Donghyuck especially with his big, wide eyes watching as if it's some big revelation.

"Why are those three like this, sunbae?" he quietly asks Yunho next to him. "And why are you guys all not much surprised?"

"Uh—"

Before Yunho could mess, San speaks. "We have no idea too."

"Yeah, I don't know. It's natural, we're all very friendly, she's like that to us too," Yunho says.

Back on the other end of the table, Jongho and Seonghwa keep doing stuff to get Soojin's attention. "Ugh, can you stop with the PDA?" Yeosang says to the three. "There's disgustingly too much romance in the air."

Dongyuck and Jeno's attention goes that way. 

"Uh, Yeosang-ah!" San calls out to him. "Why don't you eat the chicken? It's nice." His voice stressing and jaws set in a forced, tight smile to convey the hidden message.

"I'm eating the chicken right now, you idiot," Yeosang says. The boy had always been bad at catching clues.

"I could guess about Seonghwa oppa but had no idea about Jongho oppa, Youngie Older," Sooyoung whispers to Wooyoung.

"It's more weird and complicated than what you see, Youngie Younger," he says back to her. Jeno sourly watches them from the other corner like all the other previous interactions he saw of Wooyoung and Sooyoung.

"I feel bad for unnie," Sooyoung sighs.

"If you are done, can I speak about why we're here today," Hongjoong annoyedly says looking at the love trio, a bit too loud so that his voice doesn't get lost among the loud others'. Everyone stops talking and looks his way.

"You okay, hyung? You sound jealous," Yunho says.

"Yah!" San tells Yunho and then mouths inaudibly. "Not now."

"Why would I be jealous?" Hongjoong asks chuckling, the only one doing so and fake and awkward at that. He sees eight eyes blankly staring at him with sober faces. "I'm n-not jealous. Quit staring at me!"

Soojin still doesn't take her eyes off of him. Being under her scrutiny makes Hongjoong nervous but when she gives him a small smile and nod with crinkling eyes before she averts it, he can't help but not do the same. He stays still with his eyes fondly on hers like a malfunctioned, frozen robot for a few. And when he does take his eyes off of the female, he meets that of his friend who looks at him with a slightly pained look in his eyes. Seonghwa and Hongjoong then look away immediately.

Soojin noticing the weird exchange between the oldest two says, "By the end of this night, you'll see me throwing up somewhere."

"So you ARE sick?" Seonghwa is quick to grab her shoulder and ask her.

"Stop it," she wriggles away. "You're only making me more nauseous, not to offend you." She leans in to whisper in his ears. "If you deal with me overly sweetly one more time in front of everyone, I'm punching your shin." She pulls back and makes an instant apologizing and innocent face. "I'm sorry oppa, I have no choice," she pouts. That's the mood swings speaking, I bet.

And then she finds the unhappy-looking Jongho who's way too quiet. "God!" she frustratedly mutters under her breath.

"Umm... You said you guys are here for a reason?" Donghyuck suddenly says clearing his throat. "So why are you here?" he asks inhaling the food like it's a once-in-a-lifetime meal, with his drunk and curious eyes still on Ateez.

This time Sooyoung glares at him but he just eats like he did nothing unusual. "For God's sake, learn some social cues. It's not your business to ask them. Can't you see unnie is already bothered by your presence?" she says. Nah, Soojin is actually thankful to him for diverting the topic.

"Since when did you learn about social politeness and stuff?"

"Since when I found out the person I like appreciates sober and quiet people, probably wise and introverted like himself," she replies taking Soojin by amazement. The sister she knew wouldn't ever say that in front of Jeno and she's sober(only because she's underage). Does she think Jeno's too drunk to remember the next day or she wanted to let him know purposefully? But Jeno does end up surprised and visibly hurt in this present. He looks Wooyoung's way, deep in thoughts, already knowing that Wooyoung is never the introverted type. Wooyoung who notices his gaze raises his brows at him in question.

"Please speak before they keep stealing the chance. Just... please," Soojin pleads to Hongjoong. The poor introvert is really getting suffocated among this loud bunch of people!

"Funny how you were excited to meet her," Hongjoong eyes Jongho and Seonghwa first and then looks at the others. "but none of you congratulated her yet."

"Ahh, congrats for placing third on the show, Soojin-ah," Mingi says. And more words from others follow.

"And also we're sorry for showing up at the studio, it was my fault," Yunho says. "I know Top Taste didn't specify who we were cheering for and it's no use because fans already connected the dots. And the show we were recording kinda captured you already while you were running to the studio and they recorded more while in the studio. We're sorry, we know you never wanted that."

Soojin chugs the soju. "It's whatever. I kept pacing the whole afternoon worrying about it. But I shouldn't care, I'm not a scaredy-cat. It's okay, don't apologize for it."

After the few moments of quiescence that follow, the chats start filling the air again. And this time Soojin is thankful for her cousin for bringing up topics to chat about drunkenly; it seems he got along with her friends quite well. Everybody continues to eat without worries, a drunken heartbroken boy and a tense Sooyoung who has been way too busy on her phone for a while as exceptions.

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Soojin's POV:

We all see Youngie suddenly standing up, her eyes still on her phone. "I'll just be back," she says.

"Oh, did you order something?" I ask.

"Huh?" she responds. She seems shocked, but it sounded more absent-minded. Something's wrong. "No why do you say that?" she meekly says as she rushes to the outside. The others all look at me and I take that as they all felt that too.

I shrug. "I thought she ordered food or something. Because she was so into her phone when she stood up  to go."

We all just go back to lazy talking when we hear loud voices from outside. An aggressive argument between two people and the voice of one I realize is Sooyoung's. I swiftly get up and so does Jeno, Hyuck follows too.

"You fucking slut! You're that scared of your family knowing? I'm telling them now!" I see a man, probably in his 30s, yelling at my sister when we reach the backside of the restaurant.

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU!" I yell out to that bastard. He's got his hands on her elbow. All I see is red, but I do hear the running footsteps behind me and know the others are all here. I swat that man's hand away and push him back a little as I secure Youngie behind me. "What do you think you're doing! YOU LOOK OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GRAB A MINOR LIKE THAT! AND SLUT-SHAMING A TEEN? WOW!"

"Soojin-ah," I hear Seonghwa oppa's voice. They seem cautious and scared. I'm kinda scared too, this dude looks very rich with his suit and all. He angrily advances towards me, trying to intimidate me with his towering height and kinda muscled body. But then the guys come forward, the biggest ones, Yunho and Mingi on either side. They have a composed look as they stare at him, but isn't that scarier, that kind of passive and composed aggression. He stops advancing.

He scoffs. "Is this your sister?" he looks at Sooyoung. "So the whole family whores around? You can't attend to me but you and your noble sister are having a private meeting with a dozen dudes in a closed restaurant in the middle of the night? Such fucking slu—"

"You! How dare you say that about my noona and dongsaeng, you...!" Donghyuck comes forward yelling furiously, posture ready to fight. Immature kid! He has trouble controlling yellings and gets physical when he's really angry, and that's scary for a lot. But he's a child. I stop him with my arm before he could hit chests with that bastard. I plead to Jeno with my eyes to hold this kid back for a moment. He drags him back, sending furious glances to the outsider's way.

The man sneers. "So you're their brother who allows them to whore around with that many men? But what do I expect from this slut who comes easy with a few bucks thro—"

"You better stop!" I say raising my finger at him. And even when I forbade the others to cross the distance, I advance dangerously close to him, my brain overriding with rage.

"Soojin!" I hear and feel many protective hands tugging me from behind. 

"So you're the popular one? Let's see—" the man says and tilts my chin up with his finger. 

"What the hell, mister!" Mingi tries to push his hand away still trying to control himself from going aggressive on this dude.

"—you're ugly. You must fuck good then." I am shell shocked by that man's disgusting words. "Why else will these dudes—" I push him hard in the stomach with all my power to get his disgusting fingers off my chin. But then, like a flash, in the very next second, he slaps me across the face harshly. "You filthy—"

He gets cut off by three different people; Mingi who slams a punch to his gut and Seonghwa oppa who growls in pure rage instantly followed by Jongho who grabs the man's right hand and pull it behind his back to contain him but it looks as if he also is intentionally adding pain to it by the looks of the man's face.

"M-Mingi!" I begin, trying hard to contain my voice and blink away any oncoming tears. "Why did you do that! Jongho, release him!" I relay the panic in my voice. They really can't get into fights and cause scandals. None of us can, as idols or social media stars, or television show participants.

Jongho hesitantly releases him. "If you still want to get physically aggressive, you must know you're severely outnumbered. And just as you now experienced, they are strong. Want to settle this the civil way?" I ask the man. Behind me, Sooyoung is sobbing as Jeno and Wooyoung comfort her. "Tell me what your problem with my sister is?"

"No," Sooyoung yells. "Please leave!" she seems to direct that to the man.

He sneers evilly. "Now that all this has happened, and because you hate to let your family know about it, I'm definitely telling this bitch, my slutty little angel."

"Did you not understand at once?" I say, voice getting temperamental. "Stop your name-callings or we're calling the police!"

"Why give that option? I'm dialing the police," Captain says as he fishes out his phone.

"Oh, I have the money to get away with that," he cockily says and looks at Sooyoung. "Wouldn't know about you though. So you're still a minor, you lying cunt?"

"No, don't call the police!" Sooyoung says. "Please."

"Youngie, what the hell is going on," Hyuck asks.

"Oh, I'll tell you," the man says. "Your sister is my sugar baby and countless other big shots'. Who knows how many people she's whoring around with for money? Pretty little sis wasn't picking my calls and attending to my messages, even when I paid her so much in the past. You can't end things with me so fast, if I pay for stuff, I know how to make use of it. I'm leaving for now, but this isn't over," he says to her and looks at each of us. "And for the way I was treated today, expect something your way, you'll pay for it." He says and walks away from our sight.

"Lock the place and go home with Hyuck and Jeno, Ahn Sooyoung," I say harshly ignoring all her cries. "And you guys should go back. We'll talk tomorrow." I say before I walk out into the dark, lonely street. My head needs to chill, and I need some air and solitude.

"Soojin-ah," Captain weekly mutters but he lets me be.

I walk for a few, keeping solemn about the fact that I have noticed footsteps behind me as soon as I started. These footsteps are keeping me from clearing my mind. I only kept quiet so far because I didn't feel like talking but no more...

"What are you? My bodyguard?" I suddenly stop and turn behind, and even though I was unsure who exactly was, or who were, behind me, I know now. "Bodyguards. Don't you guys have work tomorrow or something? Get back to your dorms."

"We're at a safe and polite distance behind you. You can carry on," Jongho says. "Pretend we're not here."

"That's stalker mentality."

"Soojin-ah," Seonghwa oppa says. "It's just we want to be sure that man isn't trailing after you or something. Please let us do this. We'll stay very quiet."

I turn around and start walking again. "It's not the same if I am aware you guys are behind me. I can't clear my mind."

"Maybe talking about it can help. Give it a try, noona."

I sigh. After a few seconds of silent deciding, I begin, "You know, Sooyoung's the maknae of our house. She was very spoilt by our appa. A real dad's princess, she'd accompany him everywhere, she'd go to the restaurant and help serve people and interact with them, she's very social. To this date, it's the same, I'm only taking care of the business and cooking stuff, she's always the one serving and interacting with customers, everyone's favourite." I don't hear any audible response but I know they're intently listening.

"So after his demise, my mother and I took that role in his stead: to spoil and get her everything. Eomma gradually became more financially restrictive but I'd still get her the things she'd want if it was affordable. It's become a habit. I don't mind spending money on her, maybe I even find joy in it.  But lately, she doesn't want me to, she won't let me and somehow she still seems to take care of her expenses.... She's a pretty girl, always had guys hovering around her, and I know she's actively into that by how many guys she's had dated, honestly, those were all decent guys of her age. So why is she getting herself sugar-daddies? For the money? I mean it could be because of the sexual thrill but with a toxic, abusive older man? No, that's not Sooyoung. It has got to be for the money, right?" I turn to look at them. They don't say anything.

Shit, what am I doing?

I clutch my head, "Oh no! I wasn't supposed to... You weren't supposed to hear that..."

"Noona, we're your friends, we're here to help. You can and should share things with us."

"No, it isn't even my stuff to tell you. You weren't supposed to see what you did today. She didn't even want me to know." Is that one of the reasons she was crying so hard? "No no no..."

Before I go into a crisis, Seonghwa oppa engulfs me in a hug. "It's okay, calm down. You're going to be alright. Everything's going to be alright. Relax." He rubs my back. "Tell me how you feel, Soojin. Don't tell me what you got out of the situation, tell me how you feel."

"I..." I'm not sure if I should say. "I know I shouldn't be like this, not like a controlling parent, but I can't help but get mad. I hated to know that information and I am mad at her. I have no right to, it's her life after all. But I can't be not mad at her recklessness. I'm hurt by her."

He hums, still patting me. "Is that all? That was all you feel because of her. Is there anything you feel for yourself?"

"I'm scared... That guy was scary, he seemed rich and influential. I'm scared for my sister, my family, and myself."

"Hmm. Anything else?"

I face him. "And my pride was hurt." My eyes tear up. "I tried and won at keeping my tears back when he slapped me but it was hard. It hurt, my pride, my cheek. It stung." And like a broken damn, all the rebelling tears roll down. He pulls me tighter to his body and I rest my crying face on his chest.

"I'm sorry I didn't do much to prevent it or put the guy in his place," he says sadly. "I wanted to beat the shit out of him."

"No, I wouldn't have let you. It's okay."

"Nothing about that was okay, you hear me? You deserved none of that pain and humiliation, he is the one who totally deserves all the bad things his way. That disgusting rascal."

I pull back from the hug. "I'm alright now. You shouldn't be seen like this with me."

"I don't care. There's no one here. I did all kinds of daring, risky PDA when I was with Hyunji."

"But she was your girlfriend."

"You were too," he says softly, looking me in the eyes fondly.

"Were."

He clears his throat and looks around, and it's now that I do too. What we see is Jongho's back as he is walking back to where we started from, he's very far from us already, so far we can only tell it's him because we knew what he wore. That digs a hole in my heart. I did not like seeing him walk away from me like that. I long for a goodnight hug from him at least.

"Since we're talking about it anyway, I'll tell you," I'm brought back to attention by oppa, but my mind is still on Jongho. "I know this isn't the best time for it, but I'm saying it anyway. Just take it casually if you want that way. I like you, Soojin. I still like you more than a friend." And that immediately brings my focus back.

"What!"

"I just had to tell you. You don't need to give any answer if you don't want to. But if it's a clear no, tell me. Otherwise, just let us be friends, even though I like you. Just needed to let you know that. I just don't want our friendship ruined."

This is exactly what Jongho did too. I am frozen inside, my capability to respond has gone. But I nod weekly.

"This time I confessed first," he smiles. "Last time it was you. Now we're even."

"O-Oh..."

"You aren't offended, right?" he asks.

"No, no. I...was just processing that. I'll keep that info in mind, and don't mind it but I'm taking your suggestion to take the news casually for now," I say and clear my dry throat. "Okay, you should go now."

"No, you canno—"

"I'm no weak person that can't fight a difficult situation my way. And physical fights aren't the only way to save yourself from harm, you could get away with this too," I point at my head. "I have safety apps on my phone, and you and Captain are saved in the emergency list. Now don't butcher my ego and please go, I can take it from here. I will text you when I reach home."

"Are you sure?"

I glare at him. "Just go," I say.

"Okay." He gives me a hug. "Stay safe and be healthy, alright? I'll call you tomorrow. Bye."

He finally walks away and yet I'm unable to move. And somehow, as if I just processed what happened, my heart starts beating so fast, heat rising to my face. 

So this time I have two confessions before I get to choose?

"Just keeping going already! You haven't even moved!" Seonghwa oppa yells from the distance. 

And I walk back home with even more things to wonder and worry over now.

A/N:

Sry 4 this looong boring chapter:( 

Romance books are boring tho, I don't even like the genre and def can't understand why I write them. I just happen to have an active romantic imagination abt my idols and there has to be some manifestation of that ig, so the fanfics🤷‍♀️