Pandora's Hope

Stubborn

"How-"

"I have to go."

Just as mysteriously as he arrived, the mystery man walks away leaving Hoseok conflicted and confused. He gets back in his car and sits there thinking a while. He should go home. He knows if Leo tries to attack him Nari would be beyond upset. She's already been struggling to keep her food down because her anxiety is at a constant high, and she gets little to no sleep which is written all over her face. He just wants to see her for 5 minutes.

He pulls out of the parking lot cursing everything. He tries to peek through the window as he drives by but all he can make out is her blurry figure standing at the bar. He wants to run in there so bad but he can't. For her he can't.

At home he vents his frustrations to both Taebin and Jin through text. All they can do is let him get it all out then offer their support. There's not much any of them can do at this point, and while it's safer for Nari to be with Hoseok they all know Leo could do anything if she didn't go back.

It isn't until Taebin comes up with a good idea to at least give Hoseok a chance to see Nari outside of the bar and without Leo. She suggested setting up a craft date between her and Minnie. Taebin offers up her apartment for the girls to craft and Hoseok could come by and see her in a place that's more relaxed and safe. Jin and Hoseok love the idea but aren't sure Leo would buy the story. All they can do is try and hope it works.

Hoseok hates the routes they have to go through to avoid triggering Leo and putting Nari in more danger. Trying to text her is harder than it's ever been. Her responses become shorter and more scarce and they're only able to get the date set up with her and Minnie by having Taebin text her instead.

They choose Sunday afternoon to get together and Hoseok is surprised Leo even allowed it, but he's not letting his guard down. He gets to Taebin's place early finding a spot with a good view of the parking lot entrance. He waits there making sure when Nari arrives she's alone.

Shortly after he sees Jin and Minnie arrive, he sees Nari's car pulling into the lot. He waits another 10 minutes after she enters the apartment to make sure no one is following her. Then he finally goes to Taebin's apartment feeling anxious just from the thought of getting to hold Nari again.

As soon as the door opens she nearly tackles him to the ground. She wraps her arms tightly around his neck and squeezes her eyes closed in attempt to keep tears from falling.

"I missed you," she says into his neck. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too," he says returning her squeeze.

When they're finally able to release their hold on each other, he instantly begins inspecting her head to toe. Asking what she's been eating and when she last ate, if she's feeling nauseous still and if she's taking medicine for it. He asks her how she's sleeping and tells her she should take a nap there before she leaves. Jin finally has to step in telling Hoseok to let her breathe.

Minnie is excited with her tie dye and keychain making kits that Jin bought for her, so Nari gets right to work sitting on the floor with her to begin walking her through the steps. Meanwhile, everyone else chats discussing Leo, the raid, and the mystery man.

What everyone seems to be interested in is the fact that the mystery man isn't the one who told police about the karaoke bar. There could be someone else helping them get Leo taken down and that gives them a glimmer of hope. Hoseok is still feeling very impatient but he's trying to hold on strong until it's all over.

Nari had no idea Leo was working out of a karaoke bar, he never told her anything about it. She mentioned that she did learn something though. She suspects the owner of the Drunken Whale, her employer, may possibly owe Leo money. She had a brief moment of freedom and went searching through some of his things. She wants things to move faster just as much as Hoseok does, so despite trying to stay far away from Leo's things typically, she wanted to find anything she can to get him taken away quicker.