Tae was getting dressed at Jin's since he didn't really own a suit or anything and Jin had in abundance.
Meanwhile, I was getting a meltdown, because I hadn't really thought about the dance at all and only now realized: I had nothing to wear.
I was rummaging and stomping around until my sister barged in.
"What the hell is that noise? And-" she looked around my room in horror. "What in the seven hells happened in here?"
I stood in the middle of my messy room with a desperate sigh.
"Please tell me you own a pretty dress."
Jisoo looked from me to the mess and then back to me.
"Come with me, right now," my older sister said and I could have hugged her stupid.
___
Namjoon drove us to the dance while Jin and the other's were already there.
"You know," he now said to me as he eyed me from the driver's seat.
"I'm not sure I want to let you go out like that. Why did you think it was a good idea to ask Jisoo to help you dress?"
I rolled my eyes.
The dress wasn't that bad.
It was golden-black, with a low V-neck end a long skirt.
Not even that scandalous- if it weren't for the slit that started at my waist and went all the way to the ground, revealing a lot of my leg.
"I'm just glad you're not going with any guy- just the boys."
"They're guys too," I pointed out, but he only laughed it off.
"It's more like sharing my responsibilities as a brother with six others. Anyone looks at you the wrong way, and I can count on them to protect you.
And who was going to protect me from the tall, black haired one who would most likely love to just take that dress off an fuck me against a wall?
But of course I didn't say as much
I only grinned as I got out the car.
"Wow" I heard the moment I stepped around it and came face to face with six incredibly handsome dressed boys.
Jimin and Jungkook were holding hands, looking dapper in black and white.
Hoseok went for purple while the other three kept it simple with black.
Jin might no longer be a high school student, but he looked no older than one while Yoongi looked positively badass in his suit.
And then there was Taehyung.
My words left me, as did my breath.
He was wearing all black, his hair styled back, revealing his forehead.
His lips looked softer, his skin smoother and his eyes bore into mine with such intensity, it nearly knocked me back.
"Okay, you gotta tell us what's going on! Seriously!"
Our heads snapped to Namjoon.
When had he gotten out of the car?
And why was everybody looking at us?
Yoongi cleared his throat.
"You two are acting strange. Last week you barley spoke and now you were staring at each other for like five minutes, not even realizing we were talking to you."
I didn't know what to say as the blood shot into my face, but Tae did.
"What are you talking about? She looks great, am I not allowed to look? We had a little disagreement last week. It happens."
He really did sound reasonable.
I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.
They didn't look totally convinced but dropped the matter.
The dance was already going strong as we entered.
People were swinging and laughing, the music loud and reaching to all corners of the large open baseball field.
And yes- there was definitely alcohol somewhere, because more than one student crossed us who was no longer able to walk a straight line and mumbled nonsense.
People's head turned as we walked to the dance floor.
We had a kind of reputation.
When we entered the party, the fun really started.
And you should see us dance.
Hoseok popped off to the beat and so did Jungkook and Jimin, yelling happy and free as they showed their moves.
Jin and Namjoon got the drinks, while Yoongie made his way over to the DJ's desk.
There was no one who owned sicker beats or had better taste. When he played music, the masses freaked.
Tae took my hand and lead me into the dance. He knew how to swing his hips.
But even better, he knew how much I could.
He'd watched me dance so many times, he knew my limits better than I did.
I laughed and let go, trusting Taehyung completely.
At one point he pulled me close, my body colliding with his.
"Do you have any idea how crazy you make me in that dress?"
He pushed me away and into a swirl before I could answer, then pulled me close again in the rhythm of the beat.
His breath was hot on my ear, his voice throaty and thick with desire.
"I was one step away from ripping it off you earlier. I probably would have if Namjoon hadn't interrupted."
My face was on fire, my body oversensitive.
I felt every touch; every stroke of his hands against my skin.
We danced like there was no tomorrow until we were so out of breath, Taehyung pulled us aside to get something to drink.
We were all smiles as we drank, looking for the others.
We saw them at the edge of the dance field, huddled together around a fire, waving us over.
We liked to mingle, but also kept to ourselves.
We almost made it over when we heard the shout.
"YOU!"
Both our heads snapped to the side at the same time.
And then my heart sank.
It was none other than my Ex: Chung-Ho.
And he was drunk.
His face was red, his nose runny and his eyes unfocused as he stumbled closer, a bottle with hard liquor spilling from his shaky grip.
We were far enough from the party to be out of earshot- but our group wasn't.
"Is that Chung-Ho?" I heard Yoongi ask as he stood a little straighter.
My stomach churned.
I turned to the drunken boy.
"Chung-Ho. You're drunk. How about you'll go back to the party?"
He ignored me, so I put myself in his way.
I was nothing but a hinderance to him as he pushed me to the side, harder than he probably intended in his state.
I fell to the ground, hitting the floor hard.
There were six angry shouts.
Chung-Ho ignored them, stepping closer.
"You fucking asshole!"
It's like I wasn't even there for him when he stepped around me.
He only had eyes for Tae- the only one who had said nothing.
But his expression had darkened.
No- it was downright murderous.
"You pushed her."
His voice was only a whisper, his hands balled to fists at his side as he stood, still as a statue.
Only his chest heaved with heavy breaths, ringing for control.
This was not going to end well- for none of us.
"So what?! You did worse to me you fuckin psycho!"
"Chung-Ho, stop it!" I shouted, trying to somehow save this situation, but I immediately knew it was of no use.
Taehyung was furious, shaking all over and Chung-Ho was too drunk to even hear me.
"You're only pretending to be her friend, aren't you? But you just want her for yourself! That's why you beat me up! That's why you told me to break up with her!
You probably did that to her other boyfriends as well!"
I had no time to see the reaction of the others when Chung-Ho suddenly turned and looked at me on the floor.
It's like he only now realized I was there.
He bend down, grabbing me by my arms.
"You saw what he did to me, Y/N! It was him! He even threatened my sister!"
He shook me, hard enough to hurt.
And then he was gone.
Something black hurled himself at him and sent Chung-Ho flying.
There was a crunch.
Probably a nose breaking.
I looked up in time to see Tae on top of him, Chung-Ho lying in the grass, already bleeding as Taehyung punched him again.
"I should have fucking killed you! You don't get to touch her! She's mine!" he snapped and went for another punch.
I saw the same mindless rage in his eyes as I did when we were in that alley a few days ago.
"No. Tae, stop, please."
He didn't hear me, his face a mask of pure rage and violence.
But the punch never landed as strong hands grabbed him.
Jungkook and Namjoon pulled him off Chung-Ho, who turned, spitting blood.
Taehyung struggled like a wild animal, his eyes still on the bleeding boy on the ground, snarling.
Jungkook held on to Tae tight, taking both his hands and bending them behind him while Namjoon positioned himself directly in front of him, grabbing his shoulders to make him look at him.
"Stop it, Tae!" Namjoon yelled at him, his voice loud and strong and it finally managed to get through to him.
The shadow that had laid over him faded away.
He stopped struggling, growing quiet.
Realization set in and his eyes widened.
"Shit." He breathed as he turned his eyes away from Chung-Ho and found mine.
I had already gotten up from the floor and stood on shaky legs.
It's like watching a wall crumble as he shook his head in disbelieve.
And then all strength left his body and he fell to his knees, breathing heavily while looking at his hands.
There was blood on them again.
And again, I was the reason.
I really did bring out the worst in him.
My heart broke.
This wasn't his fault.
Violence was what he had grown up with- the only thing his father and brothers ever taught him.
It wasn't something he had chosen and I saw how much he despised it.
How much he hated himself for being like this.
I couldn't look away from him even as a heavily cursing Chung-Ho got to his feet.
That is until I felt his hands on my shoulders turning me.
His lip was bleeding and the alcohol bottle had broken and cut the skin on his hands.
"Y/N! You don't know. You don't know what he did. He's a fucking psycho."
"Let her go."
The voice was not Taehyung's, but the cold rage in it almost the same.
I turned to see Jimin at my side.
He might be the smallest of the group, but when Jimin was mad, I would choose to fight anyone else.
He was downright scary.
His boyfriend might be intimidating because of his muscles and built, but Jimin could stop someone in their tracks with only a look.
Even Chung-Ho in his drunk state backed off a little at seeing Jimin's expression.
"But- But she needs to know what he did!"
"All you need to do is let her go and walk away right now."
There was no room for arguing in his demand.
There was no sign of the usually smiley, funny guy as Jimin stared him down coldly.
Chung-Ho looked back at me for a moment, but then decided to do the smart thing and back off.
But not before he yelled: "Taehyung is a monster, Y/N. You should stay far away from him!"
I let out a long, shuddery breath.
"You okay?"
I felt Jimin's comforting hand at my shoulder and turned my head to meet his eyes.
There was only concern and worry left in them.
I nodded, seeping in the strength of his touch.
Then I turned and dealt with the mess Chung-Ho created.