Taehyung suggests they all go Halloween shopping.
As Miran leans against the hood of her car waiting for him, she chuckles drily. Only her brother can be blasé enough to propose a shopping spree when people seem to be dying all over the place. Detective Jung is still conducting a thorough investigation and she sincerely hopes that the zealous officer will unearth enough evidence to apprehend the killer.
Adjusting her cotton tunic, Miran tilts her head upwards to scan the sky. It is a startling blue, white clouds floating above the chaotic streets. She sighs contentedly when a breeze ruffles her golden hair; it is cooler today as compared to the previous weeks.
But the momentary relief is instantly replaced by anxiety when she remembers that Taehyung and she are supposed to meet Seokjin and their parents for dinner tonight. Their Chuseok break is just around the corner, and her mother insists on pretending like they are a happy family whenever the holiday approaches.
Checking her phone for the millionth time, she wonders what is taking Taehyung, Hoseok and Jimin so long. At the thought of her former boyfriend, an uneasy feeling slithers into her bones. Jimin has been nothing but cordial towards her since she broke it to him that she cannot consider a romantic relationship. And Miran wonders if his indifference is a façade.
When Namjoon calls her for the tenth time in fifteen minutes, she finally slinks through the gates of the university to lug her brother and her friends out herself. Inha and Jungkook are already waiting for them at the antique costume shop with Namjoon, and Miran conjures a few choice words she is hoping to fling at her brother for his tardiness.
Most boys blink in surprise as she wades through the hidden gap in the fringes of the dormitory to reach its doors, a slit the guards still haven’t noticed exists. The male students swerve out of her path in shock as she stomps in through the entrance, and she hears a few whistles being emitted in her wake. Jackson Wang, a fourth year Music major, is the source, his tanned chest on full display as he exits the gym embedded into the building. Miran raises her fingers in a lewd gesture which only makes him snicker.
It is strictly prohibited for female students to enter the Boys’ dormitory and vice versa, but Miran doesn’t remember that rule ever being followed in the four years that she has studied at the university. The students always find a loophole to work around, effortlessly tricking the languid guards who couldn’t care less. But considering the recent events, she is surprised no measures have been taken to reinforce the security. It is no wonder that the killer hasn’t been caught.
Leaping over two stairs at a time, Miran reaches the floor which houses the rooms Hoseok and Taehyung have been allotted. She is about to knock on the former’s door when she remembers who his roommate is. Not relishing the prospect of running into Yoongi, she strides further down the hallway to her brother’s room, which he shares with Namjoon, and raps on the door. There is no answer, and it budges easily when she pushes against it. Apparently, boys do not feel the need to lock their doors.
The room is spacious like all the others, state-of-the-art technology installed in it to ensure the comfort of the students. Twin beds are separated by a wooden stand and Taehyung’s charger is plugged into the socket jutting above it. Her brother’s side of the room is adorned in paintings and pictures, quirky paraphernalia festooning the walls. A frill is draped over the lamppost positioned beside the dresser which displays Taehyung’s unique fashion choices.
Namjoon’s section, on the other hand, is messy as usual. Clothes are strewn over his cabinet and stacks of books are haphazardly cluttered over his desk. A picture of him and Inha is carefully placed on the shelf built beside it, arms slung around each other. The shared bathroom is opposite their beds and Miran can hear a shower running, indicating that her brother is probably still in the midst of grooming himself. Ambling towards it, her fists thud on the door noisily.
“Hey, you goof! We were supposed to be at the shop half an hour ago,” she yells to be heard above the din of the gushing water. There is no response and Miran is about to knock once again when the door jerks open, and her jaw drops when Min Yoongi steps out. In nothing but a towel slung around his waist.
Miran blinks, wondering if she is in the wrong room. But Taehyung’s cameras and Namjoon’s books extinguish that doubt. Yoongi is staring at her, his body glistening with droplets of water which slide down his pale skin. His arms are not very muscular, but Miran swallows at the sight of his chiseled torso. It is obvious that Yoongi works out and he rakes his fingers through his damp hair.
“Like what you see?” he asks mischievously, his towel hanging low over his pelvis. Miran drags her eyes away from his body and stares at the shuttered windows instead.
“You wish. What the hell are you doing in a room which is clearly not yours?” she demands, her gaze averted. Miran hopes her racing heartbeat is not audible. The room suddenly feels incredibly hot but she is not sure if it is the heat of the weather or her own body.
Yoongi doesn’t respond, merely stepping forward slowly. “Our shower broke down. So your brother kindly agreed to let us use theirs,” he says easily and Miran’s eyes widen in shock. Taehyung agreed?
She takes a step back. “That’s impossible.” She is dimly aware that Yoongi is only inches away from her.
“Hoseok managed to convince him. And your brother was in too much of a hurry to argue,” he clarifies. He has backed Miran into a wall now. “Why? Does it bother you to be in the same room as me?”
Miran's fingers curl into fists. “I’ll punch the living daylights out of you if you try anything,” she warns, her body twitching at their close proximity. The scent of pinewood wafts off of his skin, and she inhales it, her senses lulled by the alluring fragrance. Yoongi is only a few inches taller than her, his face dangerously close to her own and his eyes dark with an emotion she cannot describe. “What happened to keeping a healthy distance?”
“Maybe I changed my mind.”
The words die on Miran’s lips when Yoongi’s fingers reach out to graze her neck, and a shiver wracks her spine. His touch ignites something she has never felt before; not with Jimin; not with anyone else. He smirks, his other hand resting on her thigh, dangerously close to her groin. She can feel his warmth penetrating her flesh through the soft material of her pants.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” A million thoughts swarm in her head and she cannot comprehend what is unfolding, cannot comprehend the look in Yoongi’s eyes, the sensation of his touch.
But Miran doesn’t want to push him away.
“Get your hands off of her.”
Jimin stands in the doorway, an inscrutable gleam in his eyes. His lips have twisted into a grim line and his features are stern, unflinching. Miran expects Yoongi to accede, to back off. So she is stumped when he refuses to.
“Or what?”
The challenge provokes an unfamiliar emotion to flash in Jimin’s brown irises and his shoulders heave slightly. Before he can trudge towards them, Miran pushes Yoongi away forcefully.
“Jimin! I’ve been looking for you. Where are Taehyung and Hoseok?” she quickly asks, stepping as far away from Yoongi as possible.
Jimin doesn’t look away from him as he answers her question, the same unnerving look on his face. “They’re downstairs. I came back because Taehyung had forgotten to lock the door and I needed to grab my phone, anyway. So I offered to lock it for him.” His gaze fixes Yoongi in place but the other student doesn’t recoil in the slightest. “Why is he here?”
“I would answer that question myself, Jimin.” Yoongi strides towards the bathroom, pushing past Miran and the simmering young man. “But since I don’t feel like socializing with you, I’ll leave your ex-girlfriend to explain,” he emphasizes the word and Jimin feels his annoyance spike.
“Inha is going to flip any second now. We should really get going,” Miran intervenes, grabbing Jimin’s arm and hauling him away. “Yoongi can lock the door for Taehyung when he leaves.”
Yoongi mocks a salute. “Yes, Ma’am.” She glares at him when Jimin turns away dismissively.
But Yoongi only grins.
***
Despite the flustering episode with Yoongi, Miran actually enjoys the shopping spree.
She cannot remember the last time she has laughed so freely, especially when Jimin and Taehyung try on costumes for Rose and Jack from Titanic respectively. The Dance major seems to have forgotten about Yoongi, too, and he looks genuinely happy to twirl her brother around and belt out the lines to My Heart Will Go On.
The antique shop is located a few blocks away from the café owned by Inha’s parents, and the owner is on friendly terms with Miran’s group. He ushers them through a screen into a newly built section which contains the latest stock pertaining to characters from anime and movies. The racks are swathed in funky outfits and colourful wigs, and each of them tries on a multitude of costumes before choosing the ones they want.
Once they are done paying the exorbitant bill, they shuffle out the doors towards their own destinations. Miran and Taehyung drop Jimin, Hoseok and Jungkook off at the university while Namjoon and Inha steal away on a date.
As Miran navigates her car through the intermittent traffic of Seoul’s roads, her brother turns to face her from the passenger seat. “Ready for a dinner from hell?”
She chuckles. “What do you think?” The only thing that Miran is looking forward to is seeing Seokjin. It has been a while since she has spent some quality time with her brother and if nothing, this will at least provide her with a premise to talk to him.
She wonders if she should ask him about Yoongi.
Miran maneuvers her car around the sharp corners, weaving through the thinning traffic as they traverse the streets of Gangnam. The lavish district is speckled with lights and expensive-looking buildings and shops, and she steers the vehicle towards the residential section. Brick houses flank them, interspersed with well-lit patios and modest gardens. The setting sun illuminates the area in a soft glow as Miran pulls up before a particularly intimidating mansion.
The gates are constructed with sharp spires, their iron surfaces glittering in the shadows cast by the car’s headlights. Beyond it, the four-storeyed house sparkles with tiny lights emanating from the bulbs implanted into the verandas. A garden veers off to the side, a small pond obscured by the railing affixed over it. Miran and Taehyung tread the cobbled pathway slowly, an easy-going banter flowing between the twins until they reach the porch.
A swing hangs from the ceiling, its netted seating the same colour as Miran’s hair. Walking to the door, Taehyung rings the bell, the shrill chime reverberating within their surroundings. A tall woman clad in a maroon pantsuit answers the door, her auburn tresses rolled into a bun. The lines of her mouth radiate authority, the shape of her eyes bearing a stark similarity to her daughter’s. But her lopsided smile is akin to her son’s.
Kim Yuna hugs her children. But her embrace feels empty. “Taehyung, Miran! I’m so glad to see you!” She sounds sincere enough, guiding them through the bright foyer. Dandelions sprout from every vase decorating the stands and shelves, and a sickly sweet smell permeates the very walls. “Dinner is almost ready!”
Taehyung and Miran follow their mother, exchanging puzzled looks. Yuna seems chirpier than usual and the twins know something is amiss. As they enter the massive dining room, Seokjin rises from his seat to crush them both in a tight hug.
“Oh, my dear siblings! How I have missed your company!” he exclaims dramatically and Miran laughs before swatting his arm.
“Have you been reading Shakespeare or something?” Taehyung inquires suspiciously but their handsome brother only winks at them. He has donned a loose white shirt and black trousers, his hair sticking out untidily. But Seokjin still looks good. He always does.
A voice sounds from one end of the table. “It’s good to see you both.”
Miran and Taehyung turn towards their father who sets his wired spectacles on the polished table. Kim Jaesung’s features bear a marked resemblance to Seokjin’s, his full lips pulling into a taut smile. But unlike their brother’s, it appears forced. A striped shirt stretches over his chest, his graying hair neatly combed to the side. He motions for the three siblings and their mother to take their seats. “Your mother and I have news for you.”
Here it is. Miran and Taehyung exchange wary glances again, the latter looking at Seokjin questioningly. But the counsellor refrains from meeting his brother’s eyes.
“What is it?” Miran asks carefully, her gaze flitting between their parents. Her mother looks uncomfortable. And Miran knows they are not going to like what she is about to say.
“We’re pulling you two out of the university.”
***
The next chapter will finally provide some closure regarding the events that took place two years ago. I'm working on it now and I hope you guys will like it :D Meanwhile, what do y'all think of Yuna and Jaesung? Let me know your thoughts!
And please do comment and vote!
Thank you :D