Everyday Hoseok is at the bar. Even when Nari tells him not to go because she feels Leo would be there, he shows up anyway. Leo isn't there everyday but the days he is there he and Hoseok engage in an hours long staring match that makes Nari incredibly uncomfortable.
When the bar is closed he's constantly texting her, and heaven forbid she take a little too long to respond. He's not taking any chances with her.
She's given up on trying to convince him not to go to the bar. However, she makes it very clear how much she hates both of them being in the bar at the same time. She hates being so on edge afraid of a fight breaking out between the two of them.
Monday makes a week since Nari made the decision to go back to stay with Leo in order to keep Hoseok safe. He hates waking up alone. He hates the silence throughout his apartment. He hates coming home to nothingness.
As he's on the couch eating ramen and paying no attention to the dance show he has on the tv, he gets a call from Jin.
"Hoba!" He shouts through the phone with his boisterous voice. "You'll never believe this!"
"What?" Hoseok says putting his ramen down and sitting at the edge of his seat.
"Namjoon got a tip saying Leo and his friends operate out of a karaoke bar. They sent a team there with a warrant this morning and it seems they found a lot of evidence."
"Really??" This is the first bit of hope Hoseok has felt in a week. "What did they find? Are they going to arrest him?"
"I don't know. You know Namjoon can only tell me so much. I just know they found a lot so it could take some time for them to get through everything, but he sounded optimistic."
"So it's only a matter of time?"
"I know you're having a hard time since she decided to move back in with him, but they're close, Hoba. You'll have her back soon."
"Thanks, hyung."
He appreciates Jin's words more than he can express. Not only the news of the raid on Leo's headquarters, but his endless support. From the start Jin was someone he could talk to about anything and get honest feedback and advice, even if he was a bit blunt at times.
He instantly texts Nari telling her things will be over soon. She's happy about the news, but says Leo is losing his mind over the raid. She says that he believes someone betrayed him and that's got him struggling to trust anyone. Hoseok once again makes her promise to let him know if anything happens and reminds her that he'll continue coming to the bar to make sure she's ok.
Tuesday he leaves work and heads straight for the bar. When he gets out of his car after arriving he's approached by the mystery man hidden behind a hat and mask as usual. While Hoseok is grateful for his help, he knows that there's probably not a good reason for him to be here right now.
"Don't go in there," the mystery man says.
"Why?" Hoseok asks raising his brow.
"He's in there. He suspects you were somehow involved with the raid on the karaoke bar. He's out for blood now. Don't go in there."
"What's he going to do?"
"Whatever it takes. I'm doing you a favor. Don't go in there."
"Will you at least tell me who you are?"
"I'm just someone who wants the same thing you do."
"But why? What do you have to gain from this? Did you tell the police about the karaoke bar?"
"I don't talk to police."
"So someone else called the tip in?"
"I don't know. I just know you shouldn't go in there because he thinks you called the tip in."
"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.
She says she found some papers in a drawer near his bed with a list of names and businesses along with dollar amounts, which she assumes is money owed. On the list was the Drunken Whale and she began to start making sense of some things. Why he's always coming in there looking for something in the employee room from time to time. He would tell her she knows why he's there when she'd ask, but she had no idea what he was talking about. She thinks he may have been going in there to collect payment however he could, and also probably the reason why he still lets her work there.
Jin relays the information in a text to Namjoon and asks him if there's anything new to report. It doesn't take long for Namjoon to respond then instantly call right after.
"Namjoon!" Jin answers putting the phone on speaker. "Everyone is here. What's going on?"
"I think we know who Park Jimin is," Namjoon's deep voice rings through the phone.
"Really?" Hoseok asks perking up.
"He's the nephew of a man who owned a bakery downtown. He inherited the bakery when his uncle died, but went missing not long after. The bakery was abandoned and eventually taken over and shut down by the landlord."
Everyone looks at each other unsure what to make of the information, but they continue to say nothing until Namjoon is finished.
"It's a little complicated, but when we tried to find a connection between him and Leo's organization we found a one. The short of it is that Jimin is actually known as Mimi to most people."
"Mimi??" Nari shouts. "Leo wanted to get rid of him."
"Well whoever was supposed to get rid of him didn't do a good job. We found an address registered to him about two hours outside the city. I'm trusting you guys not to tell anyone else, but we're planning to go to that address tomorrow and see if he's there and if he'll talk."
"Holy shit, Namjoon," Nari says. "If that guy is alive then whoever Leo told to get rid of him may have let him go."
Everyone pauses to put all of the information together. Could Jimin have escaped? Possibly. If so Leo couldn't have been happy about it. So what happened to the person that was supposed to get rid of him?
"And what about the karaoke bar?" Hoseok asks. "What did you guys find there?"
"I can't say," Namjoon says softly. "I can only tell that we're going to try talking to Park Jimin tomorrow. If there's anything I can tell you I'll let you all know."
It's frustrating. This whole thing is frustrating, but Hoseok knows that there's a reason why Namjoon can only say so much. He just hopes he doesn't have to wait much longer to have Nari back home with him living free of pain and fear.
Although he has to share Nari with Minnie for the day, he's grateful that he's able to have this time with her right now. He can tell she's tired from lack of sleep so again he suggests she take a nap. Taebin offers up her guest room and says the two of them can have time alone in there if they want.
Nari is reluctant at first but Hoseok convinces her, knowing she hasn't gotten good sleep lately. The two of them close themselves up in the guest room. He has no intention on falling asleep, but he wants to hold her until she falls asleep.
As soon as the door closes she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him in for a kiss. To him it's been an eternity since he's tasted her lips so he holds her in place a moment to savor the feeling.
"You know how much I hate this," he whispers into her mouth.
"I know. I hate it too," she says pressing her forehead to his.
"Then come home. Come back to me, Riri."
"I want to, baby, you know I do. I just can't. I have to do everything I can to keep him from getting to you."
"Riri, I do. Not. Care."
"Hobi he could have killed you the other day." He pauses looking at her confused. "The day you said the mystery guy stopped you from going inside, he could have killed you."
"What was he going to do?"
"He was so upset. Everything is crumbling around him and the raid set him off. He was only there that day hoping you would be there. He had a knife on him and I know he had one of his friends looking out for you nearby too. Whatever his plan was it was going to be 2 against 1 and that's exactly what I'm afraid of. I told you I can't lose you," she says near tears. "I'm afraid I'd have to witness my world get killed right in front of me and I can't handle that."
"But baby I'm scared for you."
"You weren't going to win that battle," she cries. "I know how you are Hobi and that's why I have to do this. It fucking sucks. I'm the happiest when I'm with you, but I have to deal with this just a little longer to make sure I never have to leave my happiness again."
"Riri," he sighs holding her tighter. "I love and hate you so much. You're always so stubborn."
"Stubborn but caring," she smirks. "I promise I'll make this and everything else I put you through up to you for the rest of my life."
"All I want is for you to come back to me soon and in one piece," he says kissing her.
"I promise I will."