"Shoot!"

"Come on Kookie! Shoot!" Shouts rang out across the empty shipyard docks.

Jimin kicked the ball, splashing up puddles of water. Jungkook's waiting feet deflected the ball and kicked it past Jimin, scoring the winning goal of their one-on-one soccer match.

"Woo!" Jungkook ran in circles around the docks, splashing up water beneath his boot-clad feet. "I win! You owe me food," the younger ran behind Jimin and jumped onto his shoulders. Their laughs rang in Izzy's ears, her own quiet laughter adding to the mix of voices.

The group sat around the ship yard eating and laughing loudly. Jimin and Jungkook collapsed beside Yoongi, breathing hard. Izzy sucked in a breath and took a look around. She sat in the middle of their group, in awe of the smiling faces that invaded her vision. These boys were a mystery to her. How is it that they accepted her so quickly? Not even two hours had passed and yet it felt as if she had known them all her life. Izzy didn't know what to make of this new friendship. She didn't even know if it could be classified as a friendship. She let out a sigh. For the first time in months the weight on her chest had been lifted. Izzy could definitely get used to having them around.

But it can't last can it?

"Guys," Yoongi called to the group. "Look," he pointed to the sun that was now sinking below the horizon, casting a golden glow across the water.

"Oh damn, it's sunset," Hoseok spoke. "We've gotta go."

The guys began to get up from their seats. Izzy didn't want to go back to Cassie's crappy apartment and have Jae stare at her with those drugged eyes again. Why did they have to leave so early? It's not like they would turn to sea foam when the sun goes down. Izzy continued to sit, eyes piercing the ground, face pouting.

"Hey, why the face?" Hoseok crouched in front of Izzy, turning his head practically upside down to get a better look at her.

Izzy immediately straightened her expression. She didn't want them to think that she was being clingy or something. As much as she wanted to be their friend she also didn't know where the boundary line was drawn. And to be frank, she wasn't sure how to make friends.

"Oh uh, nothing, I just don't really want to go home I guess," Izzy mumbled, barely loud enough to hear.

It was true. 'Home' now meant a crappy apartment with a noisy friend and her sleazy boyfriend with the wandering eyes. And she didn't want to go back to it.

"Well you could come with us," Jimin was quick to come to her rescue.

The other guys sent glares at him while Izzy looked up at him with wide eyes. "Really? You guys wouldn't mind that?" At the sound of her quiet, desperate tone the boys turned their eyes to Izzy, expressions now soft.

"Well, we have to go somewhere soon," Yoongi came forward, taking Izzy's hands and pulling her to her feet. "But we have to drop by our apartment first, so you can come with us," he offered her a soft smile, one that she gladly returned.

"Okay," Izzy's voice had found a bit of strength again.

Standing up had made her a bit lightheaded and she swayed on her feet. Her anxious fingers found the bend of her elbow and began to scratch at the leather sleeve of her jacket. That is until a heavy arm landed across her shoulders.

"You're walking with me this time. I'm not gonna let Taehyung keep you to himself." Jimin's adorable smile filled Izzy's vision. She noticed how his eyes crinkled when he smiled, she noticed just how genuinely happy he looked. And she admired the sight, even though she was envious of it.

Jimin began to steer her away from the docks. They walked as a group. Namjoon took the lead, Hoseok and Jin brought up the rear, and Izzy found herself in the dead center of the group with Jimin's protective arm slung around her.

The cheap neon signs of bars and clubs dissolved into expensive streetlights that were remarkably free of any graffiti. They had walked her into the Central city. It was odd. Izzy had grown so accustomed to the grimy streets of the low-end side of town that being in this elite neighborhood felt like she had swallowed a handful of those white pills. She looked around in disbelief. Did they really live here?

No. They couldn't. There was no way a bunch of twenty-something year olds with dyed hair and ripped jeans could afford an apartment in the heart of the city. And it seems she was right.

The boys led her through the rich-asshole part of town and into the grimy South side. Though the South side was obviously less prestigious, Izzy felt more comfortable there. The boys weaved among the drunk college kids and the kicked-over trash cans with expertise, maneuvering Izzy along with them, careful to make certain that she was never at the edge of their circle.

A multitude of red lights occupied the traffic tunnel that Namjoon was leading them into. She cast a curious glance around the group. All the boys looked perfectly calm. Jungkook and Taehyung were wrestling with each other as they walked. Hoseok was laughing loudly at something that Jin had just said; his laugh resonated through the tunnel and the happy sound made Izzy smile. Yoongi was talking quietly with Namjoon at the head of the group. And Jimin was walking silently, arm around Izzy, a lazy smile on his face. Everything was calm until they noticed the stagnant lines of cars in the traffic tunnel. A red glow from the brake lights was cast across their smirking faces. Taehyung cast a devilish smile at the others, which they eagerly returned.

They stood in an immovable line, their bodies creating a fortress between Izzy and the fleet of cars. Then the strangest thing happened and it made Izzy's eyes go wide in shock.

They screamed. Loud, guttural shouts pierced the atmosphere and clashed against the tunnel walls. The boys charged at the immobile cars, weaving and ducking between vehicles.

Izzy stood frozen. Was she on a trip?

They ran screaming through the tunnel. What was left of Jimin's soda was dumped out on an SUV. Taehyung jumped onto a windshield. Izzy saw the terrified faces of the couple inside. The boys tore through the traffic tunnel, laughing and shouting as they went.

Jungkook turned backwards and his eyes found an immobile Izzy at the head of the tunnel. He smiled and the weight on her chest lifted.

"Come on Izzy!" Her feet which had been rooted to the asphalt broke free. And suddenly her legs were moving on their own. She was following the trail of chaos that the boys had left in their wake.

Angry faces glared at her through their windshields. People came out of their cars in a fit of fury to yell at the passing group. Fear and shock registered on a few faces that hid within the safety of their cars. But Izzy didn't care about any of them. She ran as fast as her legs could take her and it felt like the world was dissolving around her as the air whipped at her face. It was a strangely liberating feeling. For the first time in months she felt free.

Izzy came skidding up to them. She had slightly overshot her target of where the boys were waiting for her and couldn't stop her legs on time. Just as she thought she would barrel past the boys a pair of strong arms jerked her to a stop.

Her breathing was ragged and her lungs were on fire. Her legs felt like jello but there was a smile on her face. She let out an airy laugh, leaning her head back. Izzy didn't anticipate that her head would fall back onto a shoulder. And she cast a surprised glance at the person behind her.

Jimin's grinning face met her vision. His strong arms tightened just a fraction around her waist. Izzy gave him a smile, her head still resting on his shoulder.

"Having fun there Izz?" He chuckled at her breathless state.

Izzy's smile grew even wider. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Come on love birds! We've got places to be," Yoongi called.

Izzy snapped out of her trance and quickly jerked her eyes away from Jimin. Her cheeks heated at the smirks and suggestive faces of the other boys. She cleared her throat and gently pried Jimin's arms from around her waist.

"Alright, let's go," Namjoon led them out of the other side of the tunnel. The group now walked calmly, leaving the angry shouts and the honking cars behind as if nothing at all had happened.

Izzy was still in a state of awe. She couldn't believe that they had just done that. But she couldn't deny how exhilarating it was. They had taken to walking in their previous positions: Namjoon leading, Jin and Hoseok at the tail, and Izzy sandwiched in the middle, Jimin at her side. Soon enough they came to a stretch of run down apartments. Jin pulled out a set of keys and tossed them to Namjoon who was searching through his pockets. The door swung open and a light flickered on.

Fairy lights were strung messily across one wall. Pictures hung crookedly in their frames. Spray paint adorned the walls and sparse furniture littered the room. The apartment was run down but Izzy loved it. Because unlike Cassie's cold and uncomfortable dorm that reeked of marijuana, this place felt like home.

"Make yourself at home Izzy," Jin smiled at her. "Come on boys, we've gotta get ready." He clapped his hands together and led the boys through a doorway. One by one they disappeared through the doorway. As the last to leave the room, Jimin shot Izzy a smile as he followed the others. Izzy let out a sigh and spun around, taking in the view of the apartment. She caught sight of the couch and collapsed down on it. She let her eyes droop and shut, now realizing just how exhausted she was.

Just as she was giving way to sleep, Izzy felt a gentle poke on her cheek.

Poke. Poke. Poke. Poke— her eyes pried open.

Taehyungs cute smile took up every corner of her view. "Sleepy?" He chuckled at her.

Izzys face flushed red. "A little," she mumbled. Sitting up, Izzy noticed the other boys. And damn it if they didn't look good.

Nicely fitted suits adorned their bodies. There was no doubt that those suits had cost a fortune; money well spent in Izzy's eyes. She couldn't believe that these were the same men who were shouting and ransacking a traffic tunnel not thirty minutes ago. Taehyung stood from his crouched position by the couch and joined the other boys in the center of the room. They looked ready for a red carpet or a Met gala. Not things you could find on the South side.

"What's with the fancy suits?" She asked out of pure curiosity.

"You like?" Hoseok smiled at her, his grey suit looking immaculate.

"Actually yes," Izzy smirked, shocking the boys.

"Well it seems that our little Izzy isn't as shy as she looks," Yoongi snickered. Izzy laughed at that; a real, genuine laugh that filled the room and made the boys smile.

"So seriously, where are you guys going all dressed up?"

"We've got an event to attend." Jungkook''s answer was oddly vague.

"And what's the event?" Izzy wasn't meaning to pry, she was just curious.

"Think of it as work." Namjoon gave the final answer. It didn't make a whole lot of sense but Izzy accepted it, not wanting to push them on it.

"We're heading out Izz," Jimin spoke, walking towards her. Izzy pushed herself off the couch, mentally preparing for her walk home; alone. "What are you doing?" Jimin's head cocked to the side. He genuinely looked confused.

"Well you guys are leaving so I should probably go home now," she mumbled.

Jimin shook his head from side to side. The other boys seemed to agree with his discontent at her leaving.

"Nope. No way. The city is dangerous at night and we're not letting you go out there by yourself." His tone didn't leave any room for argument. And secretly, Izzy was happy that she didn't have to go back to Cassie's place.

"You can sleep here. Make yourself at home, we'll be back late, or early depending on how you look at the time," he cast her another cute smile.

"Okay. Uh have fun I guess, I don't know how fun 'work' is but—" Izzy's awkward babbling was cut off by their laughs.

"Thanks Izzy, sleep well." Namjoon smiled at her and made his way out of the front door. Taehyung, Yoongi, and Jin waved and followed him out. Izzy was shocked when Hoseok pulled her into a warm hug before leaving.

"Bye Izzy!" Jungkook smiled cutely and waved, following the boys out the door.

And then Izzy and Jimin were left by themselves. He looked incredible in his solid black suit. Izzy's hands reached forward of their own accord.

"Your tie is crooked," she tightened the knot and smoothed the fabric across his chest. Just before her hands could fall back to her sides Jimin's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close.

He was warm and Izzy could feel the firm, wiry muscles through his suit, not to mention that he smelled amazing. Izzy allowed her arms to wind around his neck, returning the hug. She didn't know how long it lasted and she didn't care because standing there with Jimin's arms around her felt incredibly nice.

"Sleep well, Izzy," his soft voice whispered into her ear before he pulled away. Jimin gave her a soft smile and walked out the front door, making sure it was locked behind him.

Izzy stood in the middle of their living room, replaying the moment in her mind. She decided that she liked these boys. And that she really liked Jimin's smile.