"So when are you planning on coming home?" Jin asks Jeonguk.

The latter has the former on the phone, speaker phone no less.

"I don't know hyung, " Jeonguk replies casually.

I smile, glad that he is no longer antagonistic towards his elder brother. After yesterday's activities, it seems that all of his worries in regards to his brother have dissipated. We sit together on the couch, cuddled up while we watch a movie.

It's been a lazy sort of day so far.

"We miss you, " Jin says.

"I know hyung, I miss you guys too. Maybe I'll come over and visit soon."

"Why not today?" I ask, turning around to look at Jeonguk. "It's not like we really have anything planned today."

"Sure we do, " Jeonguk replies cheekily, "at least, I do."

He winks at me suggestively, and I laugh, pushing playfully at his shoulder.

"Absolutely not, I'm still far too sore for another round. Go see your brothers!"

"Am I on speaker phone?" Jin asks, voice suddenly sounding wary. 

"Mhm, " Jeonguk replies lazily.

"Please take me off of speaker phone."

Guk fumbles with his phone one handed, his other arm is wrapped tightly around my waist. 

"There, " he announces. "You're off speaker phone."

He looks at me with exasperation written clearly on his face, but I stand, and shoo him away. I get the feeling that Jin probably wants to speak to Guk in private, so I flash him a reassuring and encouraging smile. 

"You can step out into the stairwell, " I tell him softly. "It'll give me a chance to take a shower before dinner anyway."

"Why can't you just go take a shower while I talk to hyung here in the living room?"

Guk's face is twisted in confusion, and I giggle in amusement.

"Because, " I explain, "everytime I try to get undressed you start... Stuff..."

I can't believe that I actually stammer and blush. Jeonguk's response, a salacious grin that makes my stomach flip-flop, makes me wonder where all of his shyness went.

Sometimes, I wonder if this is even the same man standing before me that I met back then, the one with severe social anxiety and so shy that he couldn't even look me in the eye.

I flee towards the bathroom, still blushing bright red and cursing inwardly to myself. What am I, twelve? 

I lock the door behind me, hoping to bar Jeonguk from entering. Most of the time lately I am all game, any time he wants me, which is quite often. But today...

Today it seems that he really needs to talk to his brother. In fact, I think it'd be entirely wise for him to go and visit. From the tone of Seokjin's voice, and the way our last encounter had gone, I think it's safe to assume that Jin doesn't like me.

Though he liked me enough to try to kiss me, so I really can't be blamed for being confused as hell.

None of that really matter though, because at the end of the day, I love Jeonguk. And they are his family. Before my arrival, it seems that they were actually a rather close-knit family too, and I can't help but feel a little guilty.

I peel away my clothes, and step into the shower. Fiddling with the knobs, I manage to get the temperature just right, and sigh as the hot water washes down upon me. 

The truth is, I understand where Seokjin is coming from, and I honestly don't think his dislike for me is anything truly personal. If I were the betting sort, I'd be willing to stake all I own that he simply doesn't wish to see Jeonguk get hurt.

Relationships are funny things. There are no guarantees, no matter how much we might wish otherwise. And I too had my reservations as to whether or not Jeonguk and I could even work out, considering his debilitating shyness and the trauma of his parents death.

Even I initially believed that he might see me as a stand in for his mother.

But the more time we spend together, the more hopeful I am. He's opened up so beautifully in such a short time after all.

I'd be lying if I said that I'm not bothered by Jin and his dissaproval. It feels like a rock in my stomach, heavy and sharp, everytime I think about it. But I also don't want to let that stand in our way.

I don't want to give up on Jeonguk so easily.

Filled with a new sense of determination, I finish my shower quickly. My muscles ache in protest, clearly overused in the last few days due to Jeonguk's arduous attentions. I should have known he would have more stamina than most, not that I'm truly complaining.

For someone who was a virgin only a short time ago, he's rather impressive. What he lacks in experience he has more than made up for, being the quick study that he is.

By the time I leave the bathroom, steam curling around the edges of the doorframe as I shut the door, Jeonguk is already off the phone. I smile, ready to send him to his brother, and determined to have faith in us.

But the face that he is wearing is grim, and it wipes the smile right off of my face.

"My hyung, Tae... He needs me, " he whimpers, eyes wide and clearly frightened.

But there is something else there too.

Shame.

"What's wrong?" I ask, worry causing the knot in my stomach to return. "You look really scared, is everything okay?"

He shakes his head, golden hair shining with that pinkish tint that I love so much as the force of his movements causes it to shift and move against his forehead.

I reach forward to brush the fringe from his brows, heart breaking as I take in their furrowed state.

With a strangled cry, he grabs me, and pulls me forward into a crushing embrace.

"I love you noona, " he whispers, voice cracking beneath the strain of his emotions. "I promise, I'll be back as soon as I can, and I'll explain everything to you then. Okay?"

Startled, I wonder just what it is that he can't tell me now, but nod my head in agreement nonetheless.

"Okay Guk, I love you too, and I trust you. Just please make sure to call me if you need anything, okay?"

"I promise noona, " he replies, squeezing me all the more tightly.