14th✯ 

A thought entered my head. No one was giving me answers, and it seemed like the only way I could find out what was going on was to follow Dad to wherever he was going to meet this 'Mr. Yook', whoever he is. 

The possibilities of that happening was thin, like thin ice that was close to cracking. Still, I was willing to try, if this was my last chance to find out answers for myself, if no one was going to tell me anything. 

"I'm going out," Dad said after breakfast. He requested Mom to helped him with his neck tie and I questioned his getup. 

Out of curiosity, I asked Dad, "Where are you going wearing such a fancy suit, appa?"

Dad avoided my eyes as he replied, "Somewhere. We're having a meeting. Work and all."

"This early in the morning?" I questioned, pulling Daeul so he could sit on my lap. 

"Yes, it's, um, urgent." Dad was really bad in lying. He made everything look obvious, but because I was going to follow him out anyway, I pretended to believe in his words. 

Changing the subject, I asked Dad, "What did the person with Jeonghan oppa's phone say? Did he mention anything about where oppa is?"

Dad shook his head and fixed his collar. "No. They didn't say anything. I'm going to go now. I'll see you all later."

"Come back home safely, yeobo." Mom usually said that with a sweet tone but today, she sounded more worried.

Dad gave Mom a brief nod before he left the apartment with only the click of the closed door filling the silence that took over us. 

That was my cue to leave. Putting Daeul back in his high chair, I stood up and told Mom, "Eomma, I just remembered that I have to meet my friend right now. I'll be going now, okay?"

"Huh? Aerim, it's only ten—"

I couldn't even get to hear the end of what Mom was trying to say because I had already left the apartment with all my things. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out a black mask and put it on. Then I grabbed a hair tie and tied my hair really high up—a hairstyle my dad has never seen me in. 

Yup, I was pretty much going into spy mode right about now. This may be my only last chance to find out what's going on. I'm tired of being left confused. Plus, I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a walk in the park with my dad walking hastily that way. 

When Dad stopped in his tracks, I immediately slipped into the hallway next to me and hid there, with my back against the wall and keeping as quiet as I could. Since I had the opportunity, I took out thick, black rimmed glasses and slipped it on. I didn't look anything like Yoon Aerim. As of now, I was unidentified.

I continued moving when I heard my dad's footsteps continue and I immediately slipped out of my hiding spot and followed after him. He was walking so quickly I almost lost him once we were in the crowd after leaving the apartment lobby. 

Dad was really in a hurry and he seemed to be speed walking. With more people walking in the streets, it was almost impossible to keep up with Dad. I was just about to catch up to him when suddenly someone jumped out of nowhere. 

"Woah!" he said loudly, attracting almost everyone's attention in the crowd. 

I looked past his shoulders and noticed that Dad was long gone. Immediately, I started hitting his chest repeatedly. "Yah! Pabo! I was doing something!"

Rocky turned around and tiptoed to try to see if there was anything there. "What were you doing then?"

"That doesn't concern you! Aish," I said, about to walk away but Rocky grabbed onto my wrist to stop me. I didn't even notice we were standing in front of the entertainment right now. 

"Why are you wearing glasses and a mask?" Rocky asked, poking the side of my cheek that was covered with my mask. "Do you think you're a celebrity now because of you and Sanha's show? Aigoo, you cutie."

I wasn't in the mood for joking around because I may have just missed my only chance to find out answers and maybe even find Jeonghan. Feeling anger take over, I kicked the peddles nearby. 

"Yah, Yoon Aerim, is something wrong? Why are you so mad?" Rocky asked me. 

Snapping my head at his direction, I used my index finger to poke his chest. "It's your fault! You didn't have to interrupt me! Aish, I hate you!"

Rocky stared at me with confusion. "Huh? What were you doing?" 

I growled at him, "Don't ask. I'm going home. I don't have business with you or the members today because there's no filming."

As I was about to walk away, Rocky grabbed my wrist and turned me around. 

I hissed at him, "What?"

He didn't say a word—he only dragged me into the entertainment. We didn't go to any of the usual doors that we usually go to. Instead, he dragged me into the elevator and pressed on the highest number setting. 

I avoided his gaze and crossed my arms over my chest. If it weren't for Rocky, I would have seen what Dad was up to and all his words like past and job would have made sense. But, no, I missed my only opportunity and most likely my last. 

When the elevator door opened, I found myself staring at the entertainment's rooftop. Stepping out in a dreamy matter, I looked around before my attention faced Rocky. "Why are we here?"

"I don't know what I have interrupted you from, but I'm really sorry, Aerim. I didn't mean to. What is up with you these days, though? And your whole get up is scaring me," Rocky openly told me, taking a seat on the bench. "You should sit down. I heard from Sanha yesterday you weren't in your best condition."

They were both right. I don't even know what was up with me these days. It just happened. Whatever was happening, I just had to go with the flow. 

I sat next to Rocky and took in a deep breath, finally easing up in exchange to the suffocating feeling I was going through when I was rushing around to find answers to my unanswered questions. 

"There's just a lot going on. I feel so lost," I mumbled. I took out my phone from my coat and noticed the ID that was calling: Jeonghan. 

My eyes widened as I continued staring at the ID for who knows how long. Part of my mind was telling me to answer the phone, though the other half was telling me it wasn't Jeonghan at all. It was probable Mr. Yook who was calling anyway.

It seemed to me that the other half—the one that was telling me to answer—won my attention and I found myself answering the phone. Putting my phone near my ear, I asked in a tone that would have annoyed anyone, "Mwo?"

If it wasn't Jeonghan on the other line, why on earth would I use a respectful tone? I knew it wasn't going to be Jeonghan, so it was best to piss off the other person. After all, that has become my specialty ever since I met Astro. 

There was a deep chuckle on the other line and it sent chills down my back. "Well, now. Using a disrespectful tone?"

"Yah, don't you know? We shouldn't respect people who do wrong," I kept up with the act, somehow pleased with the way I was talking to whoever has Jeonghan's phone.

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk," the guy on the other line said. "Don't you know? If you do something bad, a consequence will happen. Don't you want to hear your oppa?"

My eyes widened at the mention of Jeonghan. "Y-yah! What have you done with him? What's your problem!"

The guy on the other end chuckled once again, as if to rub in my face that he has won over my attention so easily at the mention of my oppa. "Is that where your weakness is? Your older brother? Do you love him that much?"

Trying to keep up my flippant attitude, I said, "As if you know the meaning of love, dumb butt."

There was a loud groan in the background, which startled me even if I wasn't there in the same place as whoever was on the phone. Mostly likely this Mr. Yook dude Dad spoke to last night. If he made Dad angry, then he's no friend of mine. 

"Tsk, tsk. The more you disrespect me, the more your brother gets it, Aerim."

The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine. At the very same time, there was this feeling telling me this wasn't the first time he's called me with my name. I just couldn't pinpoint when and where it happened before. 

"What are you talking about?" I asked, deadpanned, in hope it would disinterest him. 

"Don't you know?" he asked on the other line, leaving just as much suspense as possible. 

"If I had known, wouldn't I have been smart about it?" I was trying to act smart, but I didn't think it was working out very well. 

The other guy on the other line chuckled. Man, he loved to chuckle. 

"I guess you're right. You're only smart with things you know of—most of time."

Was that an insult? I will seriously put him in baby stroller and push him down a cliff if he kept provoking me this way. 

"Okay, whatever the guy who thinks he's smart says," I said back. It was called give-and-take. 

I heard him grit his teeth on the other line, which made me grin with satisfaction. 

"Look, I'm a nice girl until you piss me off. And if you take my brother away from me, then don't expect rainbows and unicorns," I told the guy on the other line before I ended the call and drop the phone onto my thighs. 

Rocky was still sitting there and quite possibly listening to the entire conversation the entire time. "Is... is that why you're not yourself these days? Because of your oppa? Who were you talking to a moment ago? Aerim, what's really going on these days?"

Well, since he already heard it all, might as well tell him all about it. 

Inhaling a deep breath, I started, "Okay, so ever since Sanha and I started filming this show, things have been happening. I don't know what they are—I'm not going to specify them—but basically, things. It's stupid to face them alone, but at least let me try it."

Rocky's confused, blank face then changed into a concerned face. Before he could even blurt out words, he pulled me into a tight hug. "Yah, pabo. You handled all those things alone? Didn't it hurt? Didn't you feel scared?"

That was when I began to wonder if there was a certain type of emotion I was supposed to feel. So many things continued to run, like a person multi-tasking, it was almost hard to keep up and concentrate on everything at once. 

In Rocky's arms, I felt safe, for once. All this while, I've been running away, alone. Then only I realized, I should have been running. But not away. Instead, into someone's warm embrace to comfort me when all the monsters wake up and chase me. 

"Komawo, Rocky," I said in a whisper, leaning steadily on his chest. 

"What are you thanking me for? I didn't help you in anything. I don't even know what you're dealing with. I feel useless to you, so don't be thankful."

I half-smiled. "That's where you're wrong, Minhyuk oppa. You've done a lot of things already. You probably just forgot all about it. You being here for me is already something I'm thankful for, pabo. There's so many more to thank you about but you should find out what they are yourself."

Rocky smiled and patted the top of my head. "Keurae? Komawo, Aerim. It's nice to know that you're thankful to me."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Rocky." 

Even if I received a message from most possibly Mr. Yook or whoever he really was, I didn't bother to check it. Because just like that, it felt like escaping the scary things that started to follow me in this life was slowly melting away—at least, that's what it felt like. 

✯~✯ ~ ✯

I reread the message as many times as I could to make sure I wasn't seeing things or imaging it. 

Jeonghan: the more you be disrespectful, the more your brother is going to get it, yoon aerim.

Below the text, there was a picture of Jeonghan beaten up with bruises and cuts all over his face. Some wounds were newly opened while the others were probably healing on its own—probably a week old or so. 

I wanted to reply the message with curses but had to keep it all to myself. If not, my brother was going to be the one who would pay the consequences and I definitely didn't want that to happen. 

One thing's clear for sure; Mr. Yook, or whoever he really was, was the bad guy and he kidnapped Jeonghan. For what reason? I was still trying to find out. I wasn't connecting dots at all. I was given more dots to connect and that made me even more confused. 

"Yah! Yoon Aerim! You didn't tell me you came to visit!" 

I turned around after immediately shoving my phone into my pocket in such a frantic manner and saw Sanha rushing up to me with his toothy grin that was covered with his braces. 

"Wae? You look drained. Are you tired again? You really don't look so good these days," Sanha noted. 

"Gee... thanks for stating the obvious, Yoon Sanha," I said in reply, my hand still holding onto my phone in my pocket. 

I wanted to tell Mom and Dad about it, at the same time, I was afraid of what would happen if I did. The more important question was what happened if I didn't show it to them. I didn't want my brother to die this way. 

"I have to go back home, Yoon Sanha. See you during our next filming," I immediately dismissed him, turning around. 

Sanha fought his way and grabbed onto my wrist, turning me around and putting a hand over my forehead. "Yah, neo gwaenchana? You're worrying me a lot these days, you know? What's up with you?"

Letting go of my phone in my pocket, I loosened up and pulled Sanha's hand down from my forehead. "Yoon Sanha, you're my friend, aren't you?"

Sanha was confused by the question, as resulted, he scratched the back of his head. "Huh? Yeah, of course! You know that."

"Then, please, do me a favor. Stop asking me questions like that when you can see the answer from my face."

Without another word to say to him, I turned around and walked away from Sanha. This wasn't like sailing into calm waters. It was as if I'm going to get attacked by eddies anytime soon. 

I stopped in my tracks when I found out that rain started pelting down from the sky. If I were to run home now in the rain, I'd get sick. I wasn't up on getting sick now that I found out that Jeonghan was being held captive somewhere. I didn't know where. I wanted to know, but how would that happen? After all, I was only a fifteen-year-old girl. 

I stomped on the puddles that formed in front of the entertainment and prayed that Sanha wasn't going after me at this moment. When I checked, I let out a relieved sigh. He wasn't, that was good. 

As I continued playing with the puddles, I accidentally glanced up when my eyes caught a familiar colour of clothing from the reflection of the clear rain puddles. My eyes locked on him and he seemed to be looking at me as well, but with a cryptic expression I wasn't sure I should be worried about. In a normal scenario, I should be. 

It was him—the guy with the red scarf once again. 

~Author's Notes~

Ah, it's sad to see me only update once a week, isn't it? Oh, well. It's still better than nothing, kekeke~ 

I've been tagged by bejeweledMe to do this tag (a.k.a a really hard but fun tag kekeke) 

Bias Tag! 

Jeon Wonwoo! Ever since the Pretty U comeback, he's been on my mind all day—all night! I'm falling for him deeper than his voice can go kekeke~ I just can't handle him sometimes, but I love him all at the same time, hehe :)

Kwon Hoshi! Before Wonwoo stole the limelight, Hoshi has always been on the top. Idk how Wonwoo was able to steal the top spot, but all these times, Hoshi has always been my no. 1 kekeke~ I still love him, of course <3

Jeno oppa! Actually, for some odd reason, I regard him as my boyfriend, like legit, real boyfriend. So I get really possessive when it comes to him because I get really jealous when girls like him and just hearing him speak already sends me fangirling. It's hard to explain fully, but when I fangirl over him, there's a different set of feelings for when I fangirl over my other biases so yeah :)

Who doesn't love this adorable cutie? I know I'm not one of those people <3333 I really love him to death and I think he's my second bias from when I was really new to K-pop. Hehe :) 

This adorable Baozi boy here is my first official K-pop bias, ever! <3333 Thanks to him and the EXO members, I was able to fall deeper into K-pop. If I hadn't fallen into K-pop because of these boys, would my fanfictions exist? Obviously not. I wonder what would have happened then, hmmm

Since it's an Astro fanfiction, of course, we can't leave out my biases from this! :) So, here's our cutie madhyung (oldest hyung) kekeke MJ oppa! 

And Rocky oppa! <333

I'm going to leave the list short, since I might end up making this author's notes really long, keke~ I hope you've enjoyed this chapter of MPB! :) I also realized that this f.f is slowly turning in a mystery genre, idk whether it's good or not, but I'm trying out new things hehe *^^* I might suck, but I'm hoping I'd improve as the chapters go on :)

I'll see you guys in the next update! Hopefully a sooner one, as well *^^* 

Happy birthday Baekhyun oppa and Hwanhee oppa! <333 Hwaiting to both EXO and UP10TION <3333 Love you both <333

Also, I'm officially 15 today :) 

And thank you so much for 1K followers! This has to be the best birthday in my life! <3 Also, thanks for all the support for MPB <333 You guys are amazing and lovely, asdfghjkl I'll continue working hard to be an author you'll love :)

xoxo

Byun Sang Kyung