───── No One's POV ─────
Ki Chul rang the doorbell, and it was immediately opened by Taehyun.
"Hey"
"Hi, Chul. Come in" Taehyun stepped aside for Ki Chul to walk in before closing the door.
"We're still about to wrap-up, but I was wondering; would you like to see our lair?"
"Lair?"
"Yeah, come on"
Taehyun led her to a door, and when he opened it, there was a staircase that led down.
"Its underground?!"
He chuckled before leading the way. By the end of the stairs, there was a huge vault door wherein Taehyun had to input a passcode in its keypad. It opened and they walked in.
"Woah"
It was huge. In the middle, there was what seemed like a boxing rink where Beomgyu and Kai are training each other with hand-in-hand combat. At the near left corner, there were equipment and tools organized in shelves, and at the farther left corner of the room was a hanging punching bag with rubber mats under it.
On the right side, there was a large table at its center where Soobin is analyzing some papers that are sprawled out. On the sides, there were weapons and more tools organized in every possible way.
"Hey, hyung" Taehyun waved to Soobin as they walked towards him.
"Hey. Oh, you brought Ki Chul with you" he looked up before going back to his work.
"What are you looking at?" Ki Chul asked.
"You really should stop looking at those for once, hyung" Ki Chul flinched when she suddenly felt an arm wrapped around her shoulders. She turns her head to see Beomgyu smiling at her. She quickly looks front again, hoping that he didn't see her red cheeks.
"I just can't stop thinking about what the KDs meant"
Ki Chul took a peek at the papers, and they were pictures of what Taehyun told her earlier. The word 'SOON' spray-painted in red on the wall. Another shiver makes its way to her spine. It felt scarier looking at it compared to just thinking about it.
"I'm with Gyu on this one, Soobin" Ki Chul said. "From what Tae told me, you've been stressing out since this morning. How about you take a break?"
Soobin sighed. "I guess you're right..."
"hmm..." Ki Chul thought of a way to cheer them up. "Why don't I make some snacks for us upstairs while you guys wrap-up?"
"Yay! Noona's making us snacks!" Kai jumped from behind, making Ki Chul flinch again.
"That would be nice, Ki Chul" Soobin said before slowly clearing out the table with Taehyun's help.
Ki Chul smiled. "I better start then". She started walking towards the vault door when a different door caught her eye.
"What's over here?" she curiously asked.
"Don't!" Beomgyu stopped her just when she was about to hold the doorknob. "That leads to a small field outside where Yeonjun-hyung is practicing shooting right now. I'm not sure if you'd like to go there after your... uhmm... trauma"
"Oh, right. Well, I better go and destroy your kitchen now"
"Please do"
Ki Chul chuckled before rushing upstairs and going straight to the kitchen. She took out a few packs of ramen she found from the cupboards, and started boiling some water in a pot. She looked into the fridge to find some veggies, and luckily, there were some green onions, mushrooms, and bok choy. She sliced those into pieces before placing the sliced bok choy and mushrooms in the nearly boiling water. She added in the ramen flavoring, adjusting the soup's flavor to her taste. Lastly, she added in the noodles before covering the pot to let it simmer.
She was about to clean up the other tools she used when suddenly-
"Woah"
"Oh my- Gyu! You scared me!"
Beomgyu chuckled before rushing over to the cooking pot.
"Yah, yah! Its not yet done"
He pouted like a child who was just scolded, making Ki Chul coo internally. "It smells so good". He then went to her side. "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"Hmm... Could you prepare some bowls and utensils, and bring them to the living room while I wash these? Oh, and some glasses too since I will be making some iced tea in a while"
"Yes, ma'am"
While he was transferring some silverware in a tray, it was the only time Ki Chul took in Beomgyu's appearance. His hair was a bit messy and damp probably from taking a shower, and his bangs limped to his forehead in a way that didn't cover his eyes. He was just wearing grey joggers and a loose white shirt. It was so simple yet he looked so fine in Ki Chul's eyes.
However, Beomgyu seemed to notice this. "You can keep staring, you know? But I suggest turning off the faucet first so that our house won't flood"
Ki Chul immediately snapped out of her trance, and actually started washing the dishes. She didn't even realize that she turned on the faucet earlier. She cleared her throat, "I wasn't staring"
"Uh huh. Keep telling yourself that 'cause red looks good on you"
Ki Chul held up her heating cheeks as Beomgyu exited the kitchen with his tray.
'Gosh, since when did he become such a flirt. Snap out of it, Chul. Must calm thy self'
Beomgyu entered the living room and placed the tray on the coffee table. He then saw Yeonjun at one of the armchairs, staring off to space.
"Hyung, you okay?"
"Huh?" Yeonjun snapped out of his trance. "Yeah. I'm fine"
Beomgyu didn't believe him for one bit. "What's with you and Soobin-hyung? You two have been distant with each other ever since that time in the garden. Did something happen there?"
Yeonjun stiffened at that, making Beomgyu raise a brow. "What do you mean? We're totally fine. Its not like I'm completely ignoring him. No, never. I wouldn't do that."
Beomgyu was about to say something but stopped himself when they saw Soobin, Taehyun, and Kai coming down the stairs.
"We'll talk about this later" he mumbled loud enough for Yeonjun to hear before going back to the kitchen to help out Ki Chul again.
"I really don't want to" he whispered to himself before taking out his phone to distract himself.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
"I got it" Taehyun volunteered since he was the nearest to the door. When he opened it, he was surprised to see his stepmom at their doorstep.
"Mom!" he happily embraced her while the others hurried to the door to greet her. Taehyun pulled away and invited her in.
"What brings you here, mom? You should've told us you were coming"
"I just wanted to pay you guys a little visit, and... I have some news for your unit"
"Oh? What is it, auntie?" Soobin curiously asked.
Just before Mrs. Kang could speak up, they heard giggles from the kitchen. They turned to the sound to see bother Beomgyu and Ki Chul coming out of the kitchen with trays in their hands.
"Mrs. Kang, you're here!" Beomgyu happily said as he and Ki Chul walked towards the lady.
Mrs. Kang froze upon seeing the girl.
"Oh right. Mom, this is Ki Chul, a friend of ours. Don't worry, she already knows our secret" Taehyun said while walking towards Ki Chul to introduce her.
"K-Ki Chul?"
Just by hearing that made Ki Chul freeze. Her voice sounded so familiar and nostalgic, as if she has been yearning to hear it for years. The lady face also looked familiar to her, wanting her brain to remember where she saw this middle-aged woman. Then it suddenly clicked to her making her almost drop the tray she was holding, but luckily Taehyun got it.
"Chul, are you okay?" Beomgyu asked, concerned.
Taehyun also noticed the change in their faces when they saw each other. "Do you two perhaps know each other?" he asked.
"M-mom"
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aaaaand we're gonna stop there ladies and gentlemen. see you in the next chapter!