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chapter sixteen

"Hoseok hyung," Ahri breathes while staring at her group member.

He doesn't say anything as his eyes simply stay glazed on the girl, his mouth agape and eyes wide.

"Let's go outside, Seojun," Jaehyun states quietly while gazing at his co-worker.

Seojun is quick to shake his head in refusal, but Jaehyun drags him away from the kitchen so Ahri can talk alone with her friend.

After the door closes, Hoseok takes a few steps towards Ahri. "Why didn't you tell us?" He asks in a quiet tone, his eyebrows furrowed as he stares at the young girl.

No words seem to leave Yona's dry mouth. All she can do is keep her eyes on the floor in embarrassment.

Why can't I just keep a damn secret? I'm so incompetent.

"Ahri-ah," he raises his voice, startling the girl.

"When did you even start? Where do you know that boy from?" He bombards her with questions.

Yona gulps while trying to come up with an explanation. "I asked you a question, Kim Ahri!" He barks.

One thing that Ahri has never experienced is seeing Jung Hoseok mad.

He's deeply disappointed in his female member. She couldn't even tell them one small thing about her past.

"I-I started when I was 14," she gulps, "that boy who I was talking to is Seojun. He was in the same group as me."

"Why is he here?" He questions her, being utterly confused with the whole story.

He would've never guessed that the kind and nice Kim Ahri Yona would rap underground in a group.

Not that it's bad. It's just very... unexpected. Hoseok is more upset about the idea that she hid and lied so many times instead of simply telling the truth. He can't even fathom why she didn't just say it.

"I don't know," she shakes her low-hanging head.

"Whoa, this is just—" He's struggling to find the right words. "Wow. Never would've thought that you would rap underground." He laughs.

"Yeah..." Another shaky breath escapes her, embarrassed. "Please don't tell the others, though."

"Why not? Ahri, it's not as bad as you think. It's just important that they should know about it," he articulates, hands on his hips.

Knowing that she can do nothing to convince him otherwise, she tiredly nods her head, gaze on the floor.

"Explain everything when you're home. After you're done with your work, you immediately come to our dorm and we'll talk about it, okay?"

"Yes, hyung," she whispers.

But her deflated expression causes him to sigh. He walks over to her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to sound so harsh. It's just that... the group's dynamic crumbles with lies."

"You're right." Yona nods.

Sending her one last smile, he leaves. Ahri sighs as she finally looks up.

"Panda, are you okay?" Jaehyun asks in a quiet tone, rushing towards his friend.

She simply shakes her head while staring at the ground. Jaehyun looks at Ahri, debating what to do.

He wants to help her so bad, he just doesn't know how. In these past few weeks, Ahri really grew onto his heart. He can't explain why but he has a huge need to help and protect her.

"Nothing's going right. Once again," she whispers, looking up at Jaehyun with teary eyes.

The corners of his lips turn downwards as he gazes at her sad state. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Ahri-ah," he whispers to her.

Ahri stares at Jaehyun with big eyes and emotions start to play crazily in her body. She suddenly wraps her arms around his shoulders, surprising him.

Hesitatingly reaching out, he wraps his arms around her and hugs her back.

"Thank you for everything you've done for me," she whispers in his ear.

After Ahri finishes work, she heads home nervously. The thoughts are swirling and turning in her head once again.

The moment she arrives in the building she lives at, she knocks on the boys' dorm quietly. Biting her lip nervously, she waits for someone to open the door.

"Hello, Ahri," Jimin smiles but drops it as soon as he sees the state she's in, "is there something wrong?"

She shakes her head lightly. "Can I talk to you guys about something?" Ahri mumbles while playing with her fingers. 

"Yeah, of course," Jimin frowns and opens the door so she can enter their dorm.

The girl goes to the living room where all her members are already at.

"Nana!" Taehyung yells as he sits on the couch.

"Hello, guys," she mumbles while looking at the ground all the time.

The boys look at each other, trying to find the reason why she's acting like this.

Hoseok clears his throat awkwardly and wiggles in his seat on the couch.

"I need to tell you guys something," she states while standing in the middle of the room.

The whole group doesn't respond as they're simply waiting for her statement expectantly.

"I-I—" she stutters, her breathing shallow.

"I went to the cafe today to check up on Ahri since she works way too much lately. Entering the small shop, I heard fainted screams from her and went into the kitchen because I was worried that something happened," Hoseok helps her out as he tells the boys his side of the story.

"Y-Yeah, um," she clears her throat, "I was talking to an old 'friend' of mine. He came back from Daegu and used to be in the same group as me."

"Wait, you were in a K-Pop group already?" Seokjin asks, being utterly confused with the whole story his members are telling.

"N-No," she denies while shaking her head, "the reason why I know how to rap is because I used to rap underground and that boy was in the same group as me."

All of the boys are left shocked as they stare at her with agape mouths and wide eyes.

"Wow." Jungkook exclaims with pried eyes.

"And why didn't you tell us?" Yoongi asks critically, being pissed that she lied to them once again.

"I didn't want you guys to know," she replies as she's frozen on the floor.

"How can that be your articulation for every damn thing? We know nothing about your life, all you do is lie!" Yoongi raises his voice while standing up and taking many strides towards his female member.

"Calm down, Yoongi," Jin scolds the younger one as he stands up as well, "why didn't you want us to know, Ahri?" he asks her in a calmer tone.

"Explain the whole story," Namjoon asks while standing beside Jin. Soon, the whole group stands opposite of her.

"Don't lie to us this time," Yoongi declares lowly.

Seokjin slaps the back of Yoongi's head. "Let the girl talk," he scolds him.

Taking in a deep breath, she exhales and tries to control her rapid heartbeat.

"I was struggling with money problems since I came to Korea. I asked an older girl at my school if she knows where I could work and she brought me to this garage looking building where some underground rappers are. Short after, I got to meet Seojun, the boy I was arguing with today," she looks up at Hoseok and he nods slowly, processing the news.

Sighing loudly, she continues, "Seojun informed me that they could use one rapper and he accepted me right away because of my 'attitude'," she holds her hands up as quotation marks around the last word.

It's quite hard for the boys to understand her, since she mixes up many languages. Still, they appreciate that she's trying her best, no matter how nervous she is.

"I rapped in Daegu as well, why don't I know you then?" Yoongi asks since he still thinks that his member is lying.

"I was wearing a mask all the time so that people outside rap wouldn't recognise me," she nods her head slowly.

"Wait, are you—" Yoongi's eyes widen.

"Arquero," she finishes his sentence while staring at the ground in embarrassment.

"That's why your stage name is Yves," Namjoon nods his head, putting the pieces together.

"It has a different meaning for myself though," she remarks.

"And why are you embarrassed about that?" Taehyung asks her.

"It's my past and has a lot to do with my old friend Seojun," she bites the inner parts of her cheek.

"What happened to Seojun and why is he in Seoul?" Jungkook asks curiously.

"Seojun did me wrong many times," she tells him, gritting her teeth just by thinking about the things he has done to her.

"I don't know why that snake is back, though. He even works with me from now on," she sighs out exasperatedly.

"You don't have to be embarrassed about that, Nana. Two of us did the same as you," Taehyung smiles at her and tries to lighten her mood up.

"Yeah, me and Yoongi hyung rapped underground as well. You're not alone," Namjoon encourages her and lays a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"We understand everything you go through. You're not alone," Jimin states, "but please don't lie to us anymore."

"I can't promise that, Jiminie," she shakes her head lightly, her head hanging down.

"I'm just glad that I don't have to pretend to be mad at you," Hoseok exclaims, clapping his hands happily.

All of them wear understanding and happy faces because they finally know something about Ahri's past and her true self, but Yoongi stares at her with narrowed eyes.

"Let's eat now," Jin announces and the group storms into the kitchen.

Before Yoongi can leave, Ahri takes his wrist in her hand to stop him. "Can we talk?" She asks him in a small voice.

He scoffs but nods his head nevertheless. "Be quick, I'm hungry," he murmurs.

"I'm sorry for lying to you guys all the time. There are just some things I don't want people to know and that I want to forget about myself," she nods her head swiftly while explaining herself.

After staring at her for some time, he sighs. "We won't judge you, we all did and will do mistakes. You don't have to tell us everything, just know that we will gladly help you," he declares.

"Thank you," she whispers as her eyes are still focused down on the floor.

Yoongi puts two of his fingers under her chin and pulls her head up softly. "Keep your head up, Yves."

BONUS SCENE

"Do you really think I'll find a job here?" I ask the older girl from my school while my eyes roam over the abandoned street we're walking through.

"Yes, of course. You rap, right?" She asks me now.

"Yeah, I do," I shrug my shoulders, "how much money would they give me?"

"Depends how good you are," she tells me as we turn a left, "how did you even get into rap or when did you start?"

"I don't know, it just kind of happened. Notorious B.I.G was on the radio every day and I kind of memorized everything and started rapping along with him," I inform her and she nods.

"We're here," she states and knocks on a metallic door which is located on the big garage. It looks like a hidden place that no one should know about.

Am I stupid? This is literally a scene that happens in a thriller.

"I don't think I want this," I mumble while crossing my arms because it's cold.

Suddenly the door opens and a man in his late twenties stares at us intensely. "Name?"

"Choi Harin and this is my friend Kim Ahri Yona," she declares, radiating confidence.

He simply nods and opens the door. After we've entered the building, he closes the door immediately.

The place has some lights, but it looks pretty dark all in all. Some couches are placed in the corner and there's a big stage right next to us.

This looks so ugly and disgusting. I cringe, holding in my sneezes.

"Harin, long time no see!" A boy approaches us and engulfs her in a hug.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was occupied with some things," she responds while hugging him back.

The young man smirks at Harin and takes his hand in hers.

He whispers something in her ear and she starts giggling in a high-pitched voice.

Oh, my God. I could feel my eyes widening. I'm too young for this shit.

Scrunching my face in disgust, I watch them as they carelessly walk away and leave me alone.

Great. Lesson learned. Never trust no fake bitch.

Sighing loudly, I debate what to do.

I'll just go, I shouldn't be here in the first place.

"Why are you going so early, sweeheart?"

Gritting my teeth, I slowly turn around to find a middle-aged man staring at me seductively.

Again, ew.

"Don't you want to stay a little longer? I could make it worth it," he takes many strides towards me until he's right in front of me.

"Go to sleep, grandpa," I mumble as I cross my arms protectively.

Anger seems to build within him because he clenches his jaw and swiftly takes my arm in his. Hissing at the sudden contact, I stare at him fiercely.

I hold a gag in due to his stinking breath. "Look at retiring houses instead of arguing with a kid."

"That's not how you should talk to elders, you stupid—"

"Let go of her."

The old man releases his hold on me as soon as the boy speaks up while laying a firm hand on his shoulder.

The grey-haired man simply scoffs and walks away.

He turns around and I gaze at dark, almost black, eyes. Patting the dirt off of my body, I mumble, "I could've handled him myself."

"Didn't look like it," he smirks and takes a few steps towards me.

He's wearing ripped black jeans with a black shirt and a leather jacket on top of that. His ink-like hair is styled back and many earrings are occupying his ears.

"Well, I would have if you weren't there!" I reason.

He chuckles deeply and locks his eyes with mine. "Such a rude girl, can't even say thank you," he mumbles and says a few 'tsk's'

Rolling my eyes, I step away and walk towards the door to finally go home.

Before I can go though, he lightly takes my arm in his hand and turns me around. "And where do you think you're going?" He whispers dangerously near.

"First of all, don't touch me," I roughly release myself from his hold, "and second of all, home."

"Aren't you Kim Ahri?" He asks while putting his hands inside the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Who wants to know?" I question him as I cross my arms.

"Lee Seojun," he smirks, "as much as I know, you're another member of our group. Heard you rap pretty well."

"Which group?" I ask him with narrowed eyes.

"The Santos," he nods his head, "we need someone with a good flow and Harin said you would do it."

"Most definitely not with your ass," I mumble and walk away once again.

"You'll get $200 per gig," he tells loud enough for me to hear.

Stopping in my tracks, I debate if I should do it or not.

My mind wanders to all the times I had no money, no money to buy anything.

While other people were eating outside with their friends and were having fun, I couldn't even buy ice cream.

To be honest, I could have if I asked my grandmother but I know that she needs the money herself and is still paying debts.

I don't want to be a burden to her.

Turning around slowly, I walk towards him and offer my hand.

He pulls his hand out of his jacket and shakes mine. "Welcome in Santos. I'll introduce you to the other's later."

"Wait, I'm already in? I didn't even rap yet?" A frown builds on my forehead.

"By your feisty nature, I can already tell that you can spit bars, Arquero."

"Arquero?" My frown deepens, perplexity taking over my brain.

"You're as uneducated as I thought. Arquero means archer," he shakes his head while rolling his eyes. "We'll need to teach you Spanish."

"But what's up with that name?" I ask him.

"It fits you," he simply states, a smirk painted on his perfectly sculpted face.