This song is called 'Spine Breaker' by BTS. It is a track form their second extended play, 'Skool Luv Affair' (2014).

This song discusses (mocks) "the padding craze" in Korean schools in 2008-09, which played a major role in bullying. There are several articles online to know more about this. 

Coming back to the song and choreography, the music video for Spine Breaker is easily their most unserious one, made completely by the boys themselves. Same with the choreography, which was done by Jin. 

That being said, the performances for this are also just Iconic. It's BTS, what'd one expect?Do give the song a listen while reading this chapter!

(✿)

"Phew! What a woman."

That was Ms. Hwang's opening statement upon entering through the front door and the said woman was out of earshot. Auntie acted a dementor, except she was powerful enough to not have to kiss people to suck the life out of them. She could do it just with one (1) simple conversation. 

When she turned around, she was met with the sight of the four kids staring at her, Areum paused midway through what Min-ah guessed was an explaination on her project that had moved places from he dining table to the coffee coffee table in-front of the blush pink settee that the maknaes of Bangtan currently occupied.

At first, it looked domestic. At a second glance, the scene was almost hilarious to her, noting the expressions on their faces. Areum had a slightly manic glint in her eyes, she got that whenever talking about whatever interested her. Taehyung looked like he understood some of it, while Jungkook seemed to have blanked out midway. Jimin, who was squished between his brothers in the small space, looked almost relieved to have Ms. Hwang back in the house and put a pause on whatever hidden demon they'd unleashed from inside her daughter.

Jimin's eyes were pleading and Jungkook really did look like he was mildly regretting his life decisions, so Min-ah decided to rescue the poor boys. "Don't bore or traumatize our guests, Areum-ah." She said, only half-joking.

Areum loved her subject of study, and could go on for hours if asked about it. That, and the many, many fictional boyfriends. 

"Mom!" Came Areum's indignant exclaimation. Jungkook snapped out of his zone-out and Taehyung waved. Ms. Hwang waved back. "Did you give them something to drink, yet?" She asked her daughter, who nodded and got up from her seat. "Do you want something to drink too?" 

"Sure. Auntie really talked my ears off today, something refreshing will be very nice. Thank you. Get comfortable, boys. I'll be right back after freshening up." Min-ah said as she went up the staircase, waving at the three guests. 

"I'll go and get something for her. Let's continue later? Or do you guys have anymore questions?" Areum asked them, starting to make her way to the kitchen. 

"No no- Noona. It's fine, we can discuss this later. Do you need any help with that?" Jimin asked, getting up from his place and following her to the kitchen. However, he just sat on one of the dining table chairs, turning it around so that he faced Areum as she worked on retreiving a glass from an overhead shelf. "It's fine, Jimin-ah. This won't take too long. How about munching on some snacks while we wait for Mom?" 

He pouted unknowingly, forgetting to give a reply to the girl that had taken out a bottle of lemonade syrup from the refrigerator in the meantime and was now looking at him in confusion. "Jimin-ah? Is something wrong?" 

Jimin snapped out of his thoughts, giving Areum a smile and denied. Areum, still suspicious of the sudden mood change asked Jimin for help with pouring out the syrup while she got a spoon and ice-cubes. The boy's face brightened back instantly and he practially jumped out of the chair getting into the kitchen. Areum smiled.

Back in the living room, Taehyung took out his phone and opened up an article about what Areum was talking about. Jungkook peered in from his side out of curiosity. Taehyung was very intrested in interior designing and wanted to look up some things Areum mentioned. Jungkook did not understand much of whatever Areum was telling them about, but he hated not being on top of everything, so he too peeked at whatever the boy next to him was looking at. 

It was silent for a while, bar some talking from the kitchen, where Jimin and Areum were. Jungkook made a comment quietly. "Areum-ssi is a lot like Namjoon hyung."

Taehyung turned to look at his only younger brother. "Hm? But I don't hear anything break." 

Jungkook huffed out through his nose, barely containing his amusement. "I meant it regarding academics. And I'm going to tell hyung you said that." He looked at his youngest older brother, doe-eyes twinkilimg with mischief.

"Aw, you're no fun." Taehyung pouted. "But I see what you're talking about. They do share whatever demon possesses them talking about their subjects of study." 

This time, Jungkook actually snorted a bit and was about to reply when Jimin and Areum came out into the living room, Areum carrying a tray with two glasses of lemonade and the other carrying a bowl of popcorn that smelled good. 

"Noona, you didn't have to." Taehyung said as soon as they joined them and Jimin handed over the bowl of nice, caramel flavoured popcorn to him. Areum gave Jimin the tray to hold and worked on shifting her project somewhere. Jungkook got up immediately to help. 

"Taehyung-ah, you guys haven't eaten anything today. That cannot be healthy. I was about to cut up some fruits too but your brother here said popcorn was enough because of the milks you guys drank. Thank you, Jungkook-ssi!"

Jimin placed the tray containing refreshments and picked up one of the glasses, sipping on it. Taehyung was tempted to steal a taste, but he'd just consumed strawberry milk, and milk and lemon do not go together. He'd found out the hard way. 

By the time Areum and Jungkook were done placing her project carefully on the floor in a safe corner, Jimin was half-way through his glass and Ms. Hwang was coming down the stairs. 

Ms. Hwang in casuals was something they'd never seen, so it was difficult to get used to the woman in a worn-out tee and sweatpants. She looked comfortable but also so domestic. 

"Ah, thanks for the lemonade." She said, picking up the remaining glass and taking a sip. "Oh, this tastes good!" She said, her expression pleasantly surprised. 

"Jimin helped me make it. He's handled the proportions." Areum told her mother who then turned to Jimin to give him a look of approval, raising the glass in a faux cheer. "This is really good, Jimin-ah. I was surprised because my daughter is not to enter the kitchen other than for baking. " 

Areum just gave a long-suffering sigh. 

"Okay!" Min-ah clapped her hands after finishing the drink. "I'll start the lunch. Areum, why don't you show them around the house till then?" The said girl nodded, easily agreeing. 

Jungkook was surprised at the ease with which she agreed to show them her house, her safe space. Growing up, he'd always been wary of strangers in his home, because it was his safe space. He'd become possessive and protective of it and the people that lived in it. It was scary to have unknown people breach the comfort and privacy it provided and see himin his most vulnerable. That thought was uncomfortable. He did not want to make Areum uncomfortable. His brothers seemed to have the same thoughts, and looked mildly concerned. 

Their expressions did not go unnoticed and Areum said humorously, "Don't worry, it's not that messy."  That prompted the three to start sputtering simultaneously and get up from their place to go with Areum. "Okay, let's see, shall we start with upstairs?"

Rain turned out to be a beautiful house. It was not very big or as grand as Jungkook and his brothers had grown used to back at Tomorrow, but it had a homely feel and had a cosy decor. He decided he liked the house and would love to sit wrapped up in one of the many fluffy blankets he saw in Areum's in fact, very orgainized room. 

The walls of her room were painted in a mixed array of blue, one vertical column loosing concentration and varying to white. The curtains were off-white with a material that looked like satin but was thicker, layered with an off-white net that had tiny daisies embroidered on it. A pastel blue book shelf was to the right of the window. Many thick novels made themselves home there, placed with utmost care. On the opposite side, to the left of the window was another bookshelf pretty much identical to its twin except the books this time were of her studies and was a mess of chart rolls, scales, thick books and more. The desk was in a similar condition. 

In conclusion, Areum was more like Namjoon-hyung than they previously thought. She even had a pot of some plant in her window. No wonder their hyung took a liking to her so easily. 

While Taehyung talked to Areum in the front, Jimin and Jungkook lurked behind them. "Jungkookie, I think she likes blue." Sarcasm evident in his voice, Jimin commented-whispering. Jungkook smirked at that. They saw Ms. Hwang's room, but only from the outside. They still managed to get a glimpse at a few pictures on her wall- one from her wedding to Areum's father, one family picture with what looked like a three-year old Areum and one with their father, two. It stuck Taehyung suddenly, they did not have any picture together with her-well they did- but they weren't suitable to be a framed picture. He silently resolved to convey that to Hoseok, who loved taking pictures. 

By the time they reached downstairs, the place smelled like heaven- according to Jungkook. Ms. Hwang's cooking was that good, after all. "Are you done yet? Areum-ah, help me arrange the plates. " The chef called from her position, giving the last few stirs to what so deliciously smelled like tteok-bokki. 

The girl immediately rushed to complete the order, leaving her charges alone. Jimin and Taehyung rushed to help her, while Jungkook- lured by the smell of food- asked to help Ms. Hwang. He knew asking to help her for help was equivalent to getting to be her taste-tester. It was a symbiotic arrangement, according to the doe-eyed boy. Min-ah got to get her food tasted and checked, and he got to eat. That was perfect. 

It was busy for a while, setting up the table, getting water jugs, banchan and hot utensils of freshly cooked food. They started eating soon.

Areum looked up from her plate for a few seconds to observe the boys and how they reacted to her mother's cooking, before pausing.

"Jungkook-ssi, is everything okay?"

Here it is. Do comment and vote if you liked this!

(✿)

[ 1842 words ]