𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫. | BTS |

chapter 96 ~ 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒋𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒚

       Footsteps shuffled up behind me and as a plate lowered to the empty space to my left, I felt a hand slip along the back of my shoulders. Looking up, I was met by Namjoon's alluring gaze. His sudden presence startled me and I couldn't help but scoot away out of fear.

      "What-"

      "Look, I know we didn't start off on good terms, Yumin-"

       "Damn, straight." 

       Namjoon glanced up as Seokjin interrupted him, the eldest clearing his throat as he took another bite of his food and urged him to continue speaking. With an exasperated sigh and the roll of his coffee-colored eyes, he turned back down to me and offered up the first smile I'd ever seen painted on his face.

       "But, I want to thank you."

       "For what?"

       "For what you did to help Jungkook and the others. I know I wouldn't have been able to put myself in your shoes, even though I love them. What you did took guts." He gave me a slight punch on my shoulder and sat down in the empty seat beside me. "Good to know you're a fighter and not a-"

        "Not a what?" I bit, but someone's foot gently tapping mine from beneath the table made me hold my tongue. "Thanks, I guess."

        He offered a curt nod, one with slight hesitation as my tone dipped before turning his attention to his plate. Jungkook and Hoseok came to the table seconds after, the youngest pecking a kiss atop my head before settling down to eat. He thanked me for the meal, as did the others, and for once, we sat together as a normal family without the stress and the bickering. A smile ghosted over my face for a moment at the thought, but it quickly disappeared as I lifted my head to ask but another question. 

      "Where're Tae and Yoongi?"

       "Asleep." Hoseok bit down on his silver fork and kept it in place between his pearly white teeth, mumbling around it as he continued speaking. "Tae normally sleeps in latest, but I guess you already knew that."

      I chuckled half-heartedly. "Yeah."

      "Yoongi... I knocked on his door but didn't get an answer. So, either he's asleep or-"

      "I'm right here."

      We looked up at the sound of Yoongi's husky voice to find the brunet turning the corner into the kitchen. He eyed the two remaining plates on the island before walking closer to my seat. "Check your phone," he murmured, his already clutched in his hand. "Chanyoung said you didn't pick up after you left him a message this morning."

      "He called?"

      A nod. I slipped my phone out of the front pocket of my sweats and sure enough, I had several missed calls and texts from my lawyer, Freya, Kiana, and my mom. I checked the ones from my mom out of habit first, replying quickly and then clicking over to Chanyoung's contact. Pressing my phone to my ear, I lowered the volume to keep the voicemail's contents between myself and him before pressing play with my thumb.

      "Hi, Yumin. I called Yura this morning, but he didn't pick up. Don't worry; I left a message. We're bumping his court hearing to next Thursday at eleven. That's as soon as I could schedule, but at least it'll give you and the others some time to prepare."

       A sigh of both relief and panic slipped from my lips as my gaze blurred before me. 

      "I'd still be careful, Yumin. Yura's known to be manipulative and although the judge should know better, I don't have full faith in his ability to deem him guilty and put him behind bars. The most we might be able to get is about...five years?"