"looks like you had fun." her older sister smirked.

"well, wasn't that the point why i got out the house?" she nonchalantly replied.

"well, what was so interesting about today that you're literally smiling ear to ear?" soyeon asks in a teasing tone.

"i got to see MAYHEM. they were so beautiful up close." she fangirled, reminiscing the moments with the boys a while ago.

the elder's face suddenly turned to a surprised one. "what?! how could you see MAYHEM without me?" she whined.

"i even got to sing in front of them." jihae bragged, while soyeon sulked, making her laugh. "how 'bout you? what happened to hongjoong?"

her sister's eyes suddenly light up and a grin made its way to her face.

"i got his number."

"woah, that was fast." the youngest chuckled. "you? asking for a guy's number? how lucky can he be?" she teased.

soyeon was always known to reject boys. not in a mean way, but the people who'd confess to her would always end up embarrassed. they'd tell her how they feel and she'd always reply with something along the lines of, "i'm sorry. i don't think i know you that well."
there was even a rumor going on that she was a lesbian dating dahyun. of course, jungkook and the others quickly shut them down.

"hey, i really like him, okay?" soyeon pouted as she lightly shoved her sister away, who just laughed.

"and you? did he ask for your number?" the older sister asks, referring to seonghwa.

jihae, unlike her sister, didn't have the guts to reject them. she would say thank you and go on a few dates with the person. sooner or later, if they didn't click that well, she'll tell them, "this was nice. maybe we can do this again as friends?"

the person would get the hint, feel upset and leave, which made jihae sad since she actually wanted to be friends. this is one of the reasons why she's so open about hanging out with new people.

"surprisingly, he didn't. he just said, see you around." she said proudly.

"well, that's a first."

"sure is. he was also really kind and respectful. he didn't make me feel uncomfortable the whole time! and he sang with me on stage which, by the way, amazed me to the max. his voice was so soft, but there are times when it suddenly goes deep."

soyeon laughed at the younger's behavior. "looks like you found
your soulmate."

jihae rolled her eyes playfully. "as if." but deep down, though she might
not knowing it herself, she really wished she did.

°

it was dinner and jungkook still wasn't around.

"does anyone know when jungkook will be home?" their dad asks, quite irritated.

"he said he'd be home before eight. let's wait a bit." mrs. jeon tried calming him down, and it worked.

they ate peacefully and finished their meals without their brother.

soon, it was bedtime. still, jungkook wasn't around and the girls were getting worried.

"sis, maybe you could call him?" soyeon requested.

jihae nodded. "yeah, hang on a sec." she reached for her phone and was about to press his name on her contacts when the door opened.

"kook!" the sisters exclaimed.

the boy was quick to hush them. "you're gonna wake them up." he whispered.

the girls mumbled a quick sorry before frantically asking him questions.

"why are you so late?" the youngest asked.

"we had practice, and then i met up with lisa, and well, kinda lost track of time." he explained as he scratched his head.

"you better go to your room quick." soyeon said in a demanding tone.

"alright, alright. i suggest the both of you two go somewhere tomorrow. i don't want you to-"

"-to hear dad's yelling. yeah, yeah." the middle child rolled her eyes. "there better not be any bruises again."

jungkook chuckled. "okay." he smiled. "goodnight. it's getting kinda late."

"no shit."

the three of them went to their separate rooms and fell asleep quickly.

°

muffled screaming sounds were what woke jihae up. she quickly went downstairs, knowing what's happening.

"i told you. we had practice and lost track of time." the eldest child explained.

"you walked out of this house after breakfast and came back late at night, and you expect me to believe all you were doing is practice?" their spoke in disbelief.

"well, that's what we did."

"i highly doubt that." their dad sighed. "this whole sports thing is messing up your studies-"

"he's always been dumb, dad." soyeon joked to calm the mood, receiving a glare from her brother.

"it's because of that sports thing."

soyeon just sighed, giving up and jungkook was fuming.

"no, it's not. it's actually what i'm good at. and if you watch me play some of them instead of saying how disappointed you are, you'd know."

"so you're talking back now?" their dad was also already pissed.

jungkook gave side glances to his sisters indicating they leave, and they immediately got it.

the girls sighed as they gave him one last before getting out of the house.

jihae sighed. "you don't think dad will hit him again, right?"

"hopefully not." the other also gave out a sigh. "where are you gonna go? wooyoung's on a trip."

"oh, um.." the only place the girl could think of is the hidden mini-bar. but she'll never admit to that.

"there's always yunho." she answered. "how about you? dahyun's?"

"i think i'll meet up with hongjoong to finish the project."

"oh, really? i thought it was already done?" jihae teased.

"shut up. there's always room for improvement."

they went their separate ways to where jihae was already walking towards the place she found peace in.

9:45AM

me:
heyyy yunhooo

me:
goood morningg

me:
i know youre not awake
yet but can you pick me
up at that bar at 11?

me:
can i also stay over please?

me:
love youuu

-

it was another day for seonghwa, except this time, he was already working.

i know what you're thinking. i thought his shift was still at night? yes. it is. but one of the seonghwa's coworker broke his fingers doing who knows what, and they needed someone to fill his spot for now.

he volunteered since there would be extra income and he's got a lot of free time.

the least he expected to happen was for jihae to walk through the door first thing in the morning.

jihae sat on one of the stools on the counter and was ready to order when he saw the guy.

"uh, w-what, why are you here?" she asked, bewildered.

"i should be asking you that. a young lady shouldn't be here this early." he said calmly but still panicking inside.

"oh, um." she let out a lifeless chuckle. "well, you see.."

"did something happen?" seonghwa already knew why. he just didn't want her knowing he did.

"ah, just some trouble at home. nothing to worry about." she forced out a smile.

"oh, okay." the boy was expecting the answer. "anything you like?"

jihae was visibly nervous. someone from her school knows she drinks. that means it might reach jungkook, and boy, will that be hectic.

"uh..."

seonghwa sensed that the girl was uncomfortable so he gathered up courage and cleared his throat.

"why are you fidgeting so much? i thought we were already friends." he chuckled, hoping to put her nerves at ease.

"jihae?" he asked while the girl in front him was fiddling with her fingers.

"yeah." she barely breathed out. "um, i have a big favor to ask you." she bit her lip nervously which made seonghwa very curious.

"shoot."

the girl sighed."can you not tell anyone about me drinking at your bar? i mean, not at your bar but you're there. wait, i mean, that i was drinking and you're the-"