Nearly an entire week has passed and I have still yet to see hide nor hair of Yoongi, despite his insistence that I am not allowed to leave until he has the entire story. However, this time has allowed me to somewhat get to know the remaining members of Taehyung's family and a certain sense of peace has begun to overtake me. I'm not entirely sure if I like it.

The calm before the storm, many would call it. And it leaves me more on edge than anything else I've ever experienced. Not to mention, spending this much time with Tae is nothing if not detrimental to my mental health.

Every day I find another reason to be attracted to him and a million more reasons as to why I shouldn't. And right now, as I watch him prance about the kitchen on the heels of his feet inciting laughter from all around, all I can think about is what an extraordinary person he is. I truly wish that circumstances were different, from the bottom of my worn and terrified heart.

"Hyung, tell Chloe about the time Yoongi hyung nearly went to jail for public indecency!" Tae says to Jin, whose laughing eyes crinkle up in even further mirth as a result of this particular request.

"Right," Jin begins. "So we were all a little shocked to hear that Yoongi was joining the force because not even a week prior he was nearly arrested due to a dispute with an elderly lady at the market."

Snickers erupt all around me as each of the boys recall the incident.

"Yeah! She made some kind of comment about his balls not having dropped yet, so he dropped his pants to prove a point," Jimin states between chuckles.

"Let's not forget that he made some pretty rude comments regarding whether or not her dentures come out when she blows her husband," quips Jungkook.

"What were they even fighting over?" I ask incredulously. Yet somehow, despite not knowing the man very well, I am less surprised than I should be.

"That's the thing," Jin tells me, voice oozing with conspiracy. "None of us really know. All we know is that he narrowly avoided being arrested somehow, and then the next thing we know, he's off to police academy."

The tiniest of smiles alights upon my face, causing Tae to grin even more widely than before. He takes my hand in his, thumb rubbing soothing circles into the back of hand absentmindedly. For a moment I marvel at how natural it feels.

My smile grows as he continues to grace me with his megawatt smile, as does my blush, and Hoseok coos beside us as I bury the burgeoning flush of my cheeks into the pinstripe pattern of his t-shirt.

"I think she likes you Tae," he says mockingly, making kissing noises at our general direction.

"Of course she does," Tae replies, seemingly completely oblivious to his brothers teasing. "What's not to like?"

Again, laughter echoes through the Kim family kitchen, bouncing off the walls in a glorious and riotous fashion. The sound is shortly joined by the shrieking of the kitchen timer, alerting all of us to the completion of the very thing that has us all crowded in the kitchen in the first place. Brownies.

"Not to toot my own horn or anything," Jin says "but I'm an amazing cook. Somebody had to keep all of us fed, and it kinda fell to me as the only man in this house with any appreciation for fine food whatsoever. These heathens would probably eat ramen day in and day out if it wasn't for me."

I smile at that. Aside from Yoongi, the Kim family seems to be a kind one. Jin and Taehyung most of all.

The smell is the first thing to hit me as Jin removes the baking pan from the oven. Heavenly, that's the only word to describe such a scent. Warm and chocolatey, it fills the kitchen and envelopes my senses entirely. I sigh, salivating in my eagerness to consume the treats now resting upon a rack in the center of the oven.

"Is that brownies I smell?"

Seven sets of eyes turn to the direction of the voice to find none other than Yoongi himself looking unabashedly excited at such a prospect. I blush, recalling our earlier conversation against all reason.

"Damn hyung, you really know how to spoil me," Yoongi tells Jin as he walks around the counter, making his way to the brownies eagerly.

But as he reaches for a knife with which to cut into the chocolatey goodness, his expression sours quickly as a result of the swat of Jin's hand against his own.

"These are not for you!" Jin hollers. "They're for Chloe, hands off!"

"Yah!" Yoongi replies. "How many brownies can one girl eat? Honestly! You're gonna fatten her up! She won't be so thankful then!"

A cacophony of laughter erupts from the youngest of Taehyung's siblings, but it is quickly quieted by Jin's stern glare.

"It isn't as if Chloe couldn't use the extra weight, she's positively malnourished!" Jin exclaims. I love the man just that little bit more for the supportive comment.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Yoongi replies in obvious irritation. He then turns to me before saying, "but when you start to look like a beached whale remember that I was the one who tried to save you."

"Yoongi!" Jin exclaims, appalled at his brother's obvious lack of social skills. Or perhaps it's simply a lack of care.

"To be honest, she could probably be four hundred plus pounds and Tae would still probably pork her." The blaisé way in which Namjoon says this leaves everyone more than a little shell-shocked.