A/N: I'm sorry, I know that it is quite a bit shorter than my normal chapters but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

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Last night had been rough, and I am still exhausted as I approach the kitchen, yawning the entire way. I'm surprised to find that Jin is nowhere to be seen.

"Maybe I slept in?" I murmur to myself quietly.

But the time on the stove tells me otherwise. I know the boys will be awake soon, and it is entirely unlike Jin to wake up late. He must be sick, I surmise. It's the only possibility. I decide to check on Jin later, once I've made breakfast for the boys. Even if Jin isn't sick I'm certain that he can use the extra rest.

Two hours and twenty eggs later I present to the boys something that looks a lot like scrambled eggs. However, the boys are convinced that it is not scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs don't smell the way my scrambled eggs do after all. Yoongi, the bravest of them all, is the first and last to take a bite. The sound of retching followed by the sound of shuffling and disappointment can be heard all around as the boys resolve themselves to cereal.

"Yah! Emmy-ah! Haven't we been good to you?" Jimin asks dramatically as he pours milk into his cereal of choice. "Why are you trying to kill us?"

Hobi, who had been inclined against the counter waiting for the milk, now leans into Jimin's space as he playfully tells the mochi, "Maybe she finally decided that she wants Yoongi all to herself!"

"Yoongi-hyung would have eaten it too, though!" Jimin exclaims. "Actually, he did eat a little didn't he? Is hyung gonna die?" He throws his head back, hand upon his forehead as he wails dramatically.

The two then look at me expectantly, awaiting a reaction that does not come. Instead, my eyes are glued to my feet and my expression is somber. "I'm sorry guys, I didn't realize my cooking was that bad..." I trail off morosely.

Yoongi doesn't know what's wrong, but he does know that he doesn't like the gloom currently surrounding me. The events of yesterday and last night's nightmares are too fresh in his mind. He abandons his seat in favor of wrapping his arms around my dejected form.

"Jagi, it's okay. Lucky for you I can cook, no worries," he tells me sweetly. Even Yoongi can't resist the opportunity to rib me though. "Otherwise we might be doomed to a future of take-out and delivery pizza!" He sticks his tongue out at me playfully.

The whole thing brings a small smile to my face. It is fragile and timid, and the effort that it takes to support it is clear, but none of that matters. Because at least I am smiling. My boyfriend places a chaste kiss upon my nose, which I scrunch up in return.

"Aww, my jagi is so adorable!" he coos as he enjoys the flush that takes over my face.

The tension between the two of us permeates the air as Yoongi leans down to slant his lips over my own. The kiss is slow and languid, but it causes me to forget about the world around me. Noise erupts all around us, the majority of which are catcalls, snapping me back into reality. Now I am not the only one who is blushing, this time Yoongi is bright red as well. There is a hint of satisfaction that swells within me at the sight of my boyfriend getting a taste of his own medicine. I don't even attempt to hide my grin.

"Aish! Get a room you two! Before you corrupt our poor Jungkookie!" Jimin yells as he attempts to cover the maknae's eyes.

Said maknae is struggling to release himself from Jimin's grasp as I splutter and cough awkwardly. "It's not like we were actually doing anything indecent!" I say in defense of myself.

"Yeah right! If we weren't here you and Yoongi probably would have started fuc-" Jimin is interrupted by an elbow to his ribs, courtesy of a very bright red Yoongi. "Ow! That hurt!" he whines as he rubs his ribcage indignantly.

The sudden sound of a rather alarmingly loud crack catches everyone's attention and they all turn to the source. There in front of the fridge stands Namjoon, who is holding a single detached fridge handle. The sheepish confusion on his face as he looks between the handle and the fridge door is utterly hilarious, and before long everyone is laughing at the poor man. The laughter turns out to be just what I needed. By the time everyone is piling out of the door on their way to work everyone is still giggling over Namjoon and his emancipation of the fridge from its door handle.

After they are all gone I head back inside. Checking on Jin is my first priority, and so, I arm myself with a mask and a thermometer and head to his bedroom. Poor Jin is still passed out as I enter. Gently, I sit upon the edge of his bed and push his hair off of his forehead. A quick scan of his temperature tells me that I was indeed correct: he is sick. While I am debating on whether or not I should call someone to take him to the hospital he rolls over and suddenly there are fingers wrapped around my wrist.

"It's just a cold Emmy-ah. There's no need to worry too much. So long as I get plenty of rest and plenty of liquids, I'll be just fine." His voice is ragged and nasally. It is a result, no doubt, of the stuffy nose and cough he appears to be suffering from. Not even a second after the words had left his mouth he begins to cough miserably and I am very nearly convinced that his body is attempting to force out an entire lung.

I gently rub his back as he comes down from a particularly nasty cough. "I'm going to run to the store and grab some medicine for you okay? Please call me if you need me to rush back for any reason." My attempt to stand is met with resistance as Jin grabs my wrist, forcing me to look back at him.

"Emmy-ah please be careful, okay? And take my card. Don't use your money on me."

I shake my head as I respond. "I will definitely be careful because my favorite big brother is waiting for me to come back and take care of him right? But I'm not taking your card. It's okay, I want to take care of you on my own."

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The cab that I call takes me to the pharmacy nearest the condo, and as I pace the aisles I am immensely grateful once again for my continued studies in Korean. Because of them, I am able to confidently pick out the medicine that Jin needs without assistance. There is something off, however, and I am on edge. I can't help but feel as if someone is watching me. Every so often I spot a masculine build draped in a midnight black trench coat, but his hat makes it rather difficult to ascertain his facial features. Who wears a trench coat in this weather anyway? It's been rather warm lately, and though this is not evidence enough of evil intentions it is still suspicious enough to have me worried. I push the panic aside with what I believe to be reason. Surely I am just being paranoid.

I can no longer tell myself that, however, when the man seemingly follows me into the feminine products aisle. Maybe I really am just being paranoid, and hopefully that's the case, but it can't hurt to be safe. Especially since the man that kidnapped me is still at large. It could be nothing, but that doesn't mean I have to take any chances. My paranoia increases when I pay for the medicine, after the realization that the man I assumed to be following me steps outside and stands to the side as if waiting. My mind's made; I am not taking any chances.

I pull out my cell phone and call Yoongi. I'm relieved when he picks up.

"Hey jagi, I miss you! How are you holding up?" his voice is strained and tired.

"I'm okay right now, but I might have a bit of a problem." I tell him quietly. I don't want to catch anyone's attention so I figure it is best to keep my voice down.

"What's going on?" Yoongi asks me with worry.

"I think I'm being followed. I went to the pharmacy to pick up medication for Jin, but there's this guy in a black trench coat that kept following me through the aisles. He's standing outside right now, and I don't think it's a wise idea for me to waltz out of here on my own. Could you possibly get someone to come pick me up?" I fiddle with the hem of my shirt nervously, awaiting his reply.

"You were right to call me, thank you for keeping your eyes sharp. Send me the address and I'll come get you myself," he tells me. His voice is suddenly very tense and alert. I can tell that he must be worried even with the lack of body language.

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"Yah! Jiminie, I'm going to go pick up Emmy!" Yoongi shouts through the door to the dance studio. He doesn't bother to peer inside. "She might be being followed. Let the other's know where I've gone ok?"

"Sure thing!" Jimin yells out in response, but his voice is strained.

"Are you okay in there?" Yoongi asks as he attempts to open the door wider only to be met with resistance.

"I'm fine Hyung," Jimin groans "just go get Emmy-ah!"

There is a slight hesitation on Yoongi's part to leave Jimin without checking on him. On the one hand, Jimin has been known to push himself too far. But on the other, his girlfriend is possibly in very real danger. Yoongi decides to send a text to Hobi, asking him to check up on Jimin in his stead.

"Okay, I'll see you later!" Yoongi shouts as he puts his phone back into his pocket. Then he is sprinting towards the lobby.

"Sarah, if you don't stop I'm gonna-ungh," Jimin is unable to finish the sentence as the pleasure overtakes him. "We almost got caught!" he pants as he comes down from his high. "Next time, we need to do this somewhere more private." Jimin pulls his pants up quickly, grateful that today he is wearing sweats.

"We can always go to my apartment," Sarah replies as she stands from her kneeling position. There is a slight drawl to her voice and her words flow out of her mouth like honey, sweet. And just like honey Jimin was soon to be in a rather sticky situation.

The poor boy has made a full return to mochi mode as the heat between the two settles down. The change is marked by the arrival of a light flush upon his cheeks as he looks down, shoe scraping against the floor absentmindedly. "Actually Sarah, there's something I've been wanting to ask you..." he trails off, afraid of rejection despite the situation he has found himself in. Ironically it is the words that Emmy had told him that gives him the courage to proceed. "I was wondering if you'd like to maybe be my girlfriend?" There is a brilliant smile on his face when she responds.

"Absolutely!" Her matching smile is much less innocent.

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Yoongi is frantic as he sprints down the street to the pharmacy Emelia is currently waiting in. Upon arrival, he notices the man she had described and is tempted to pick a fight, but Bang PD's words are still clear in his mind.

"Besides," he decides, "she needs me right now. Emmy must be scared out of her wits."

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He dashes inside, and after a frenetic perusal of the store, he locates me. When I spot him I rush to him, arms wide in preparation for the embrace I know he will not refuse. Once his arms are wrapped around my trembling frame I finally feel safe once more.

"Are you okay, jagi? He didn't try anything, did he?" Yoongi asks as he runs his fingers through my copper curls. It is an attempt to soothe me and it is working.

"I'm fine. Much better now that you're here." I nestle my face into his chest as I hold him tighter, almost as if I was afraid he would disappear any minute. "I'm sorry that I bothered you while you were working. It's probably nothing, but I was so scared." My diminutive whimper tugs heavily at his heartstrings.

Yoongi places a finger beneath my chin, lifting it so that my eyes meet his own. "Hey, none of that. You don't have anything to be sorry for. It's my job to look after you, I'm glad you called me. I saw him standing out there and your instincts are probably right. Even if they aren't I'd rather you be safe, there's nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution."

He wipes the tears that stream down my face. He chalks it up to the stress of the situation, after all, haven't women been known to cry for less? But I know that it is more than that. I am so relieved and grateful, not to mention thoroughly touched by his care and devotion to me. Each tear that he wipes away seems to multiply and before I know it I am sobbing into his chest, staining his clothes with my tears.

Once my tears have abated I rub my eyes gingerly. And then, simply because I want to, I transfer my weight onto the balls of my toes. I grab his face with my hands and angle his head down and reach for a kiss. His lips meet mine and they are soft, oh so soft, and I am intrinsically lost in the kiss. As it always does, time stands still as his lips glide over my own and the world around me becomes muted.

The two of us are already parting for air when a familiar voice cuts through the mist surrounding the moment. "What the hell? What are you doing, Yoongi-oppa?"

Before us stands an enraged SoonMi. If looks could kill, I would be a pile of ash right now.

"SoonMi, it's been a while. How have you been?" I ask politely.

Though I had hoped I'd never have to deal with SoonMi again I see no reason to be antagonistic towards the girl. She holds an important place in Yoongi's life, whether he cares for her or not thanks to their parent's friendship, and I understand that. I also know that if I want to be with Yoongi, it is something I have to understand, something I must accept.

"I saw you running down the street oppa..." she trails off. Her mood has shifted and I wonder whether it is genuine or forced. At least I did, until I spot the genuine hurt displayed clearly in her eyes. Despite how awful to me she had been, I feel a twinge of pity for the girl.

"I wanted to ask you why you haven't been responding to my messages." The fire within her eyes is back and in full force as she continues. "But you're here sucking face with the American whore you pity hired?" SoonMi's fists are clenched at her sides and her entire posture is rigid, as is mine.

"You will not speak about my girlfriend like that," Yoongi says with a fire of his own displayed in his eyes. In this moment his eyes are like mirrors, the kind that magnifies and makes everything larger. The fire in SoonMi's eyes are reflected and magnified within his own until I am afraid. Someone is going to get burned.

"Girlfriend?" she scoffs. "Did you forget that our parents promised us to each other? You're supposed to be my husband! Did you forget about that? Your parents have already promised you to me!"

"And you have always known full well that I never intended to keep that promise. Face it SoonMi, I was never going to marry you, whether Emelia entered my life or not." His face softens a fraction at the pain his statement causes her. It is not enough to stop him from continuing, however.

"You've been living in a fantasy world SoonMi. I've never cared for you in that manner, and that's never going to change. Give it up, please." It almost seems as if the last word physically hurts him to say, his jaw tensing with the effort it appears to take to remain cordial.

The pixie with the caramel hair begins to legitimately shake, the effect intensifying with every word from Min Yoongi's mouth. "You don't know what you're saying," she replies. So adamantly in denial is she, that she does what all who face denial do. "This is all her fault!" She screams as she points at me. "If that whore had never met you, we would've been together by now!"

SoonMi all but launches herself at me. Her attack is thwarted, however, by Yoongi who steps between me and the incoming midget. I stand behind him as he acts as a barrier between me and the lunatic as she attempts to claw her way through Yoongi to reach me.

"Mark my words Min Yoongi," she spits as she relents her struggle "you will be mine. Whatever it takes."

"Not in this lifetime or any thereafter," he replies with a note of almost cruel finality.

As the two of them leave neither notices that the mysterious man had moved. The confrontation with SoonMi had taken the entirety of their attention, giving him just the opportunity he'd needed to slip back into the small shop undetected. He'd witnessed the whole thing. Daehyun was not a man who missed an opportunity once it presented itself. He approached the still fuming SoonMi with caution, fully aware of the finesse generally required in gaining an ally.

"If you really want your man back, I know of a way to make that American hussy disappear for good," he tells her. He is careful to keep his voice low, unwilling to garner attention. "If you decide you'd like to see that happen, call me." He extends to her a simple business card.

She takes it, curiosity and desire peaked as she looks it over. "Daehyun, huh? And you can really make her disappear?"

"Not alone, I can't," he replies as he walks away. His figure is blended into the shadows before SoonMi can even contemplate his offer.