At the Kim's mansion

LATER THAT EVENING

Two purebred gumihos and the human, all sat in a circle, leaving a spot for the hybrid to join. A few minutes later, Hoseok stepped out of Namjoon's room, in a hoodie that he borrowed from Namjoon.

Hoseok went closer and sat on the empty spot between Y/n and Namjoon. Y/n smiled in his direction and so did Hoseok, while Namjoon proceeded to give them an eye roll, which was being witnessed by Jin.

After clearing his throat, SeokJin spoke, "So Mr. Hoseok, are we done with the introduction?"

"Yeah, I am Namjoon's friend and Y/n's-"

"Nah! Not that. You know what I'm trying to say," SeokJin said, cutting Hoseok in the middle of the sentence. He then glanced at Y/n and asked her the next question, "Little human, you trust your friend, right?"

Y/n nodded without hesitation.

"Then how do you think a human like him can intentionally land in a world like ours?"

"What are you trying to say Jin? And besides, how would I know?"

"Exactly. You only know what you've been told," Jin's eyes again drifted towards Hoseok and he continued, "Mr Jung, don't you think you gotta share some information with your friend? Only then we shall proceed further. "

The air between the four of them thickened. Hoseok hesitated to shift his eyes from SeokJin to Y/n who was already peering in his direction, anticipating a response.

Finally, with a long sigh, Hoseok glanced Y/n in her eyes and took her hands in his, "Y/n, there's something I've been hiding forever. But before I tell you, let me apologise to you. I sincerely hope that you'll-"

"OH COME ON! Where are we? In a theater? Cut this crap and tell her already," Namjoon exclaimed, to which Jin agreed while humming.

"What is it?" Y/n said while tightening her hold on Hoseok's hands.

Namjoon's eyes were fixed on the hand grip, as he tried to settle the annoyance building inside his stomach. While SeokJin was trying his best not to glance at it, and get jealous over a small thing.

"I am a... gumiho hybrid."

Y/n's eyes twitched before they widened. She slid her hand away from his grasp, while her eyes roamed from Hoseok's head to toe.

"I don't know how to take this. But weren't we close enough Hoseok."

"You're taking it wrong Y/n, I've always trusted you more but I was waiting fo--"

"Enough! Cause right now, we're waiting for both of you to end your emotional crap, right hyung?" Namjoon said while pointing towards SeokJin and himself.

"I cannot disagree, BUT IS THIS HOW YOU SPEAK AS THE HEAD OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT?" SeokJin spoke and glared at Namjoon.

"Y/n, I'd like you to stay calm for a few more minutes. I gotta clear somethings with Hoseok. You can talk later, alright?"

Y/n nodded before averting her saddened gaze away from Jin and settling them on the wooden floor.

"Hoseok, tell me everything about how you got here?" Jin continued with his interrogation of Hoseok, but Namjoon couldn't process a fact. His mind became focused on the girl sitting in front of him, continuously glancing at the floor while thinking about the deception she just received.

Namjoon felt a little pang in his heart while he stared at her quiet trance, which was so unlikely to him.

Y/n suddenly glanced up, and their eyes met making Namjoon a bit off guard. His eyes softened when he saw her beautiful chocolaty orbs filling with tears, threatening to fall anytime.

Y/n stared back, her eyes gave a look of sadness from Hoseok and anger for him, but this wasn't enough for her to avert her gaze away. Namjoon read the look in her eyes like an open book; only he knew how he was holding his urge to grasp her closer in his arms and willingly listen to her cursings.

"Namjoon."

"NAMJOON?!"

"Huh!?.. What?"

"Do you have any queries?" Jin irritatingly said and Namjoon shaked his head.

"Then let's leave them alone," Jin said and proceeded to take his steps towards the exit.

"Why? All alone?" Namjoon said as he stood up from his position.

"Namjoon-ah!" Jin growled in a low voice, his frowned brows and annoyed eyes signaling his sibling to follow him.

Taking the serious gesture from his brother, Namjoon followed, and both of them exited the room. Taking their steps towards their parent's quarters, Jin stopped in his tracks, making Namjoon almost collide with his back.

Jin eyed his brother for a few seconds and parted his lips to speak, but suddenly decided to ask something else instead.

"What bout your bead? Did you talk to her?"

"Not yet."

"Then, when!? Didn't you know that at this rate you're slowly moving towards degeneration?"

"I'll talk-"

"As soon as possible! Learn how to take quick actions, instead of meddling in your past."

Namjoon glanced directly into SeokJin's eyes and saw an unrecognizable look, which he never witnessed before. SeokJin took his steps away from his sibling. He tried, but couldn't forget the image of Namjoon and Y/n drowning in each other's eyes.

Namjoon stood there, frozen on his spot, figuring out the sudden change in his brother's behavior.

┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

In the marketplace

The marketplace bustled with activity, as vendors shouted their wares and customers haggled for the best deals. Among the chaos, one shop stood out - a small, mostly wooden establishment tucked in the middle, owned by Uncle Yeong.

He was a wiry man with a shifty gaze, watched each passersby with his calculating hazel orbs. From his youth till now; one thing that didn't change was his flavorful bean buns. He shifted in his sitting position and sighed while waiting for his most trusted worker to arrive, but instead, a mother and a toddler arrived at his shop.

Ordering the regular buns, the mother started conversing with him, while he happily packed their order, sharing a laugh in the middle. The little girl shifted closer towards her mother when Uncle Yeong gestured for her to take a candy.

The mother took the candy when her child shook her head and refused to take it. Soon the mother-daughter duo left, leaving Uncle Yeong in his small shop.

✧