Yoongi let out a slow controlled breath, but the thick tension in the air weighted heavily over his head. While the apprehension of the awkward stillness was so brittle that it could snap, no one spoke. What is there to say?

As if reading his mind, Hongjoong broke the silence. "How about we head inside? The race will be starting soon."

"Yeah, sure, lead the way."

"Very well, follow me." Yoongi attempted to relax his body by slackening his shoulders, lolling his head in a circle, and loosening his stride to a more nonchalant pace. It was a decent effort, enough to fool the casual observer, but Jimin could feel how tense he was.

"Relax, boss, we got your back," Jimin whispered reassuringly.

"Thanks."

passion.

Hongjoong led them to the top floor. The lights were dimmed with a warm hue. The gold and white interior, mirrored walls, and the massive crystal chandeliers suspended from the center of the room gave off a fresh, sophisticated vibe. "This is our private lounge. Feel free to get comfortable here."

"Don't mind if we do." Taehyung quickly sat on one of the sofas, gently bouncing, "This is so comfy, and I love the vibe."

Mingi felt proud of himself. "I am not the one to toot my own horn, but, toot toot, I designed it myself."

Jongho frowned. "Mingi, please. You did nothing but give a useless input about wanting it as if you were sitting on a fluffy cloud high in the luxurious sky."

"It was fitting at the time," Mingi reasoned.

"It was stupid. Try sitting on an actual cloud, then come back to me." Jongho snickered. "That's if you're alive."

"You are so mean." Mingi moped.

"It's my day job." Jongho loved teasing Mingi, but he was someone he doted on the most.

"Anyway, how about we get some drinks in our system to loosen the mood." Yunho pressed a button, and a hologram waiter appeared.

"Hello, I am Apex. How may I be of service to you today?"

Yunho stood before her. "Hello, my girl."

"Hello, father."

"Can you provide a menu for my guest and me?"

"Yes, father, would you like high-end, leisure, or blended?"

"Blended would be fine, my girl." The menu suddenly appeared on the screen. "Order at your own leisure. It's on me."

"Holy shit, that is so awesome," Jungkook exclaimed.

"Thanks, she is still a work in progress, but perfect nonetheless." Yunho bragged.

Taehyung excitedly examined Apex. "How did you get the three-dimensional interfaces to merge so seamlessly?"

"A lot of trial and error. Maybe I can show you one day." Yunho offered.

"That would be great."

Mingi was astounded. "Since when are you nice?"

"Shut up. Apex, I would like a bottle of Belgian Blonde Ale and Sam Adams Utopias."

Yoongi was in a dilemma. One could convey a lot about a man by the drink he chooses. There are two routes presented to him. He could play it safe and order something on the cheaper scale to appear humble or go with their accustomed exquisite taste.

Finally coming to a decision, he gave Namjoon a slight nod. "Hello, Apex. Can I have a Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare?"

"Of course, sir, your orders will be here momentarily."

Hongjoong was off to the side with Yeosang and Seonghwa. "They seem to be trustworthy," he commented after observing the other's interaction.

"They are Mafia's. Mafia's can't be trusted." Yeosang was still wary of them. He has seen firsthand how merciless Mafia can be.

Hongjoong understood precisely where he was coming from, but, "In the eyes of the world, we are no different from Mafias. We are criminals."

"Malarkey. We are Vigilantes. We fight for the weak and broken. Don't ever compare what we do to the likes of them." Seonghwa was enraged. Because of the Mafia, his family was taken from him, forcing him down a rabbit hole of pain, struggle, and mistrust.

"All I am saying is your prejudging because of your past experiences. No one chose this life, but somehow, we ended here. It makes me wonder what fate has in store for us."

Seonghwa groaned. "I hate when your logic makes sense."

Hongjoong chuckled. "I know you and Seonghwa's history and unnerving hatred towards the Mafia but try to give them a chance for Y/N's sake." he patted their shoulders before joining the others.

Seonghwa sighed. "As convincing as Hongjoong is, I still don't trust them, Yeosang."

"I hear you, brother, but like Hongjoong said, we should give them a chance for Y/N's sake."

"If you say so."

Yoongi

Gatekeepers, advanced technology, and an entire civilization literally growing right under my nose. The Underground is indeed remarkable.

Apex suddenly appeared in front of us again. "Your orders are here." platters of drinks and appetizers came gliding to us on a conveyor. "Will you be needing anything else?"

"No, my girl, that would be all."

"Very well."

San anxiously took a swig of his drink. "I would like to apologize again for earlier. We are very protective when it comes to our sisters, especially Y/N. She was our first baby and a best friend I confined in."

I gave him a gentle smile. "I understand and would like to extend my apologies, but I assure you I would rather off myself than ever hurt Y/N. You have my word."

San extended his hand to me. "Hurt my sister, and I will take you up on that offer."

I grasped his hand in gratitude for accepting me.

"This is our private lounge, so you can remove your masks. No one besides the people in this room will see your real faces." Hongjoong said, grabbing his drink from the conveyor.

This was the moment of truth. I should allow myself to be vulnerable for Y/N. So, I slowly removed my masks, signaling the others to do the same.

"Unexpected but not surprising. Even your choices of liquor are surprising yet fitting. What a man chooses to drink can tell you a lot about him."

Namjoon put a few ice cubes in his glass, allowing the coolness of the ice to chill his Johnnie Walker whiskey as he feels the glass. "I couldn't agree with you more. For instance, if a man makes whiskey his drink of choice, you know he's got his head on straight. He sees the beauty in things and takes time to appreciate everything. As great as he is in life, he's even better in the bedroom."

Hongjoong looked at him, impressed; I don't blame him. Ever since I can remember, he has always had a way with words, "Are you praising yourself?" Seonghwa asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Force of habit."

Studying people is Yoongi's forte. However, body movements, mannerisms, dress style, and even what they choose to eat, and drink are all factors that help define that person or read their mood. "It's like when a man chooses wine as his drink of preference. People would assume he loves sophistication and wants to present an image of style. The glass in his hand and the wine he chooses become an extension of his personality."

Attending countless business events, you learn a lot from a man's wine choice. A Merlot man is laid-back and likes to go with the flow. He's adaptable and isn't a picky person. That doesn't mean he's a pushover, but he's a person you would want to do business with.

"Malbec is my preferred drink. What do you have to say about that?" no surprise, Yeosang seems like a man of many layers.

"A man of Malbec is layered and intense. Naturally, you prefer to relax with a book than go out. However, once people peel back the layers, they see how genuine, loving, and emotional you are. As a Malbec lover, and forgive me if this comes off overly conceited, I can confirm that I have layers and complexities that might appear sexy and mysterious to others."

"Hmm, another knowledgeable man that's impressive."

"Okay, Yeosang, your turn." Jimin held up his glass. "Read me."

"Rosé? It suits you. It's a wine on the quote-unquote feminine spectrum.

It's a pretty pink wine that is flirty and fun! People want to be your friend even when you are not giving off that vibe. You're equal parts sweet and sarcastic with a great sense of humor. Your happy being you and charm easily attract others, friends, and admirers alike." Yeosang concluded.

"Wow, Jimin, my bro, seems like he read you like an open book." Taehyung laughed.

San interrupted, "Okay, enough of this wine talk. The race is about to begin!" We all took a seat in front of the flat screen to watch a much-anticipated race.

"RACERS, ARE YOU READY?!"