Covertly, Taehyung stole glimpses of Arang from across the table. She was chewing on her nails and anxiously tapping her foot against the tiled floor. Apparently she didn't comprehend the word relax. He had never witnessed her in such a frantic state before and now that he had, he realized that So Arang was a normal human being like everyone else in the world.

To be honest, Taehyung had always thought that she wasn't capable of feeling any kind of emotion but as time flew by he realized his assumption was invalid. She wasn't a robot. There were instances where the girl got scared, worried, nervous, or happy like him.

It was already bad enough that Saeyoung was gone. So when the couple found out that Jungkook was also missing, Arang nearly fainted. What was a kid like him thinking? Didn't he know that it was dangerous for him to be out at a time like this, especially because he was an idol?

Crazy, psychotic fans could be waiting for the perfect opportunity to kidnap him!

Now she had to worry about two thoughtless teenagers!

Taehyung had attempted to calm her down. It obviously didn't end well. The rest of the members were quiet. No one said anything in fear of the wrong words slipping out.

Finally the door to the dorm opened and Arang was the first to react. She was greeted with the sight of her sister and the knots in her stomachs vanquished. "Thank god you're okay! I was worried sick." She cried, enveloping her sister into her arms.

"I'm sorry for running off like that." Saeyoung apologized as they broke apart.

"As long as you're safe that's all I care about." Arang pronounced, alleviated.

Taehyung joined them and patted the younger girl's head. "It's good to have you back, but next time don't leave, unannounced like that ever again. Your sister has probably aged another ten years due to the stress you caused. If it happens again, you'll be in big trouble. Do I make myself clear, young lady?" Arang quirked a brow. Didn't he know how odd he sounded? Why was he talking like he was her father or something? This didn't fit Kim Taehyung at all. She thought that Saeyoung was going to ignore him; to her astonishment the girl nodded obediently.

Arang was beyond stupefied at their interaction. Since when did the two of them get so close? She managed to snap out of her trance only when her eyes landed on Jungkook who was still standing by the door, his gaze fixated on his feet. The fury and rage she had towards him disintegrated into thin air and to everyone's surprise (including her own), she dragged him in for a hug. "Thanks for bringing her back and returning safely." She muttered.

Her heart was now as light as a feather. Yes, Jungkook might have been the reason for Saeyoung's disappearance but he didn't need to go out of his way to find her and bring her back. The fact that he did told Arang he was a reliable and trustworthy person, despite his young age. Of course she was worried about him. He was still a kid like Saeyoung and if anything had happened to him, she would have been responsible. Fortunately they both returned, unscathed.

"I'm sorry about what I said to you earlier. I wasn't thinking straight. I'm just glad you guys are alright." She pulled away and Taehyung tried his best to conceal the envy he was currently drowning in. What was today? National So Arang Hugs Everyone but Kim Taehyung Day? Why couldn't she hug him like that while they were in his room? What was she trying to do? Make him jealous on purpose? Because if she was, the joke's on her! Taehyung could care less.

After resolving the issues at bay, Saeyoung and Arang bade the boys a goodbye. Taehyung offered to take them home and was allowed to. The three of them were in his car, sitting in complete silence. Saeyoung was staring out the window, immersed in her own thoughts while her sister would peer back to see what she was doing every now and then. Taehyung, the designated driver, was trying his best to focus on the paved road in front of him. However, he was having a hard time since all he could think about was Arang embracing Jungkook.

What the heck was wrong with him? She was simply displaying her appreciation. He was just overthinking things now. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the apartment complex. Saeyoung was the first to leave. She thanked the older boy for the ride and apologized again for the trouble she created. Arang had her fingers coiled around the handle and Taehyung quickly coughed in order to capture her attention. "Do you need something?" She asked.

He cleared his throat and turned her way. "Uh—" What was he going to say? Why the hell did he stop her from leaving anyways? Weeks ago he couldn't even stand being within twenty feet from her and now look at him!

"Thank you." Arang hummed before the corners of her lips curled upward into a subtle smile. "For being here for me again. My debt to you is really starting to pile up, Kim Taehyung. Make sure you drive carefully since it's dark out. Call me once you get back so I know you didn't get into some kind of freak accident, okay?"

All Taehyung could do was nod. Helplessly, he watched as she exited the vehicle. Before entering the building, she waved at him one last time. He couldn't help it as his lips curved into a smile and he returned the gesture.

Drying off his wet hair with a towel, Taehyung kicked his bedroom door shut with his foot. He had just finished showering and getting dressed. Next he tossed the damp towel onto the chair. His phone started buzzing and he swiped it off of the nightstand before throwing himself onto his bed. His eyes widened upon discovering who the caller was. How could he forget?

"Hello?" He answered.

"Yah! What part of call me once you get back didn't you understand?" Arang shouted over the line.

Taehyung flinched at the loudness of her voice. "I decided to shower first. I was about to call you." He lied smoothly.

There was a pause.

"I'll let it slide because it's late and since you picked up, you're obviously still alive. So goodnight." She hung up almost immediately and he didn't have the chance to say anything else. Taehyung stared at his phone in disbelief and then chuckled softly.

He pressed the device to his chest and allowed his eyes to flutter shut. "Goodnight, Arang. Thanks for being here for me, too."

★  ★  ★

As Daehyun finished the last note, the instrumental reached its conclusion. He placed the microphone down and uncapped the water bottle that was sitting beside him. He chugged down the entire thing in less than thirty seconds and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. At the moment he was the only one in the practice room. 

The other members of BAP had been there earlier, shedding buckets of sweat. They had decided to call it a day an hour ago. Their bodies were exhausted; they couldn't wait to stuff their faces and be reunited with their beds. The Busan native, on the other hand, wanted to stay a little longer.

He needed to clear his mind, get his thoughts all straightened out. The past week had been a hectic one for him. Subconsciously, he grabbed his phone and opened up the browser. Images and articles of Arang and Taehyung greeted his eyes and all he could do was exhale. He should have known that a pretty girl like her would already have a boyfriend. What was he expecting? "So Arang." He whispered breathlessly, gazing at her photo. At least now he knew her name.

After packing up his belongings, Daehyun pulled his hood over his head and his mask over his mouth. The duffle bag he had received as a gift from a fan slung over his left shoulder as he made his way out of the building. The night air wasn't too hot or too cold. It was perfect. While he was walking toward the dorm, he spotted the convenience store he usually frequented for snacks and drinks. Tonight he was craving ice cream. The bells dangling above the entrance chimed upon his arrival and the cashier greeted him. Daehyun nodded in response before he found himself in front of the freezer. His eyes scanned the wide selection.

Everything looked absolutely delicious. Which one should he try? The strawberry cheesecake sounded appetizing. He could already feel the saliva pooling in his mouth. Cheesecake had always been his favorite. Just as he was about to open the door, he heard a rather familiar voice. "Byunghyun, how many times do I have to tell you? I don't want to eat instant ramen right now. I'm not in the mood." Arang groaned as she watched the boy enter the amount of time needed for the noodles to cook properly into the microwave.

"Oh come on, Arang. Instant ramen is the best. You don't even have to lift a finger. I'll do all of the work. You can just sit outside and wait like a good girl." Byunghyun tried to ruffle her hair like she was a dog but Arang bared her teeth at him, warning him to retrieve while he still had all ten fingers. Then the day Taehyung had prepared the delectable pot of ramen for them flashed into her mind.

After doing some research on him, she was shocked to discover that according to many resources Taehyung couldn't cook to save his life. Did that mean the only edible thing he could whip up was ramen?

Wait, why was she even thinking about him?

Without skipping a beat Daehyun whipped around and searched for the owner of the voice. He discovered her ten yards away from him, standing next to a guy who was definitely not her boyfriend. His eyebrows quickly furrowed as he watched the two of them interact with one another. Was she cheating on Taehyung? His mind must have been elsewhere because in a blink of an eye, Daehyun found himself planted behind Arang and Byunghyun. "Oh my god." Arang yelped as she spun around and ran into him. "I'm sorry." She bowed.

"It's really you," Daehyun mumbled under his mask.

"Excuse me?" She blinked. Then it hit her. He must have recognized her from the news. "A-ah, I think you have the wrong person." She turned to Byunghyun and flashed him a distressed expression.

"It's me, Nemo." Daehyun announced as he tapped on her shoulder and revealed his identity.

Arang's jaw slacked open. No wonder she didn't know who he was with the mask on! He had dyed his hair from that distinct bleach blond to a more natural sandy brown. "You can't be serious." Byunghyun gulped like a fish out of water. "Aren't you Jung Daehyun from BAP?" The idol nodded. "Arang, can I talk to you in private?" Byunghyun dragged the girl five feet away and peered over at Daehyun who was scanning the shelves around him. "What are you? An idol magnet? How do you know him?" He interrogated in a low voice.

"I don't really know him. I only ran into him a few times." She refuted nonchalantly.

"Well apparently those few times gave him enough incentive to approach you in public. If you're not friends with him, you need to draw a clear line as soon as possible. You can't risk getting swept up in any more scandals, especially with a celebrity like him, Arang. It won't end well for you." He advised adamantly.

"Okay, I will. You just wait here." Arang returned and Daehyun felt a little awkward as his heart thumped out of rhythm. "Look, you've most likely seen all of the news and gossip involving me so I'm going to make this short and simple. You and I... We can't be seen talking to each other. If the paparazzi catch us, it'll cause more problems for me. I hope you understand."

"What about him?" Daehyun replied, gesturing toward Byunghyun who immediately looked away and started whistling, pretending like he hadn't been watching the two of them.

"What about him?" Arang answered. "He's my friend and a normal person. Nobody will cause a scene if we're photographed together. With you though, it's a different story."

He sighed. "Because I'm famous?"

She nodded. "Precisely. So if our paths ever cross again, I hope you will act like you don't know who I am. I'd really appreciate it." Just as Arang was about to leave, Daehyun impulsively latched onto her wrist and held her back.

He swallowed before he spoke. "What if I told you I didn't want to do that?"

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author's note

»  I'm not going to get side-tracked with Saeyoung and Jungkook. You'll just have to leave it up to your imagination. It's all about Arang and Taehyung and ah let's not forget Daehyun! Look who's finally back. We could definitely see the progress between these two! Also, I bet none of you noticed that when Taehyung was calming Arang down in the last chapter, he just said her first name and not her whole name like he usually does. Slowly but surely these two are getting along and yes, Arang hugged Jungkook because she was both worried and thankful to him. And do you guys see how worried she was about Taehyung driving home at night?