Bangtan's Baby | 18+

twenty-eight≪ °❈° ≫manipulation

Namjoon's POV

I arrive home after work, locking the front door behind me and tucking my keys into my pocket.

I head to the stairs, humming to myself as I reminisce over everything I completed today in the studio. I breezed through a few beat samples, adding a few touches before sending them out to interested parties, and I worked on the lyricism for an upcoming song.

Feeling accomplished, I take a final sip of my iced coffee before tossing it in the trash, glancing at the time on my wristwatch as I do. I conclude 6 PM would be a decent time to start dinner, and I board the stairs to my room to shower.

Out of routine, my steps lull outside of Li's room. She should be home, and upon hearing slight commotion within her room, I let my knuckles rap gently against her door.

The commotion comes to a halt.

"Hey, baby," I call. "Want to open the door for me?"

Silence.

I knock again. "It's Joon, baby."

More silence. When I'm thinking she didn't hear me, her footsteps approach the door. I shove my hands into my pockets while I wait, but my pleasant humming comes to a halt when she opens the door.

Everything that makes up her room is gone. No more bedsheets, no more cardigans over her bedpost, no more of her cherry blossom lamp, and the drawers are open to reveal their vacancy.

Confused and slightly alarmed, I step into her room. "Where is everything?"

She shakes her head quickly. Her voice is strained. "It's gone."

"I can see that." I look around her room. "Where did they go?"

"Boxes."

"Boxes?"

She trades her head shaking for quick nodding. "Boxes."

I breathe deeply as I take this in. "Why are all of your belongings in boxes?"

"I have—I am—I have to go." She shuffles back, averting her eyes. Quieter, she adds, "I have to go."

"Go where?" When she doesn't respond, I press, "Is this a work thing? Are you staying overnight at a hotel somewhere? If you are, I don't think you need to take all of this with you."

No response.

"Li?"

She blurts, "I have to go. I just—I didn't realize."

"Realize what? Baby, you're—" I shake my head, tugging my hand through my hair. "You're not making any sense."

"I don't have to make sense," she spits out. "I just have to go."

Whirling around, she opens her bedside table and yanks out her Kindle. She looks at it for a moment before her facial muscles twitch, and she tosses it into her bag.

I say her name slowly, watching her continually avoid eye contact. "What's going on?"

"I already told you that I have to go."

"Baby, come here."

"No," she refutes heatedly. "I won't."

"Why won't you come here?"

"Because!" she exclaims, lifting her eyes to mine, allowing me to see how they quiver. "It would be better for everyone if I just left—then you can all go and get your own girlfriends.

My brows knit together. "Our own girlfriends?"

She nods, her features set resolutely.

"Why?" I question incredulously. "Why would we need anyone else when we have you?"