Both of them tilt their heads to the left, then to the right before they straighten themselves up, full of questions when looking at the anomaly presented to them. Then they look at each other before attempting to stop themselves from bursting into laughter. The person in front of them narrows her eyes, fists already formed as she flies towards them and hits their heads with her fists; their shouts of pain mixing with their laughter. After realizing that her hitting them has little to no effect on them, she gives up but ends up joining their laughter; something contagious to her.

"I told you two potatoes to tell me how I look, not laugh like seals," Danbi screeches. "I said!" she hits them again, "stop!" an attempt to pull Hongjoong and Mingi into a headlock, "laughing!"

"Pft-" Mingi clamps his lips together but sounds of laughter keep coming up from the back of his throat. He has tears in his eyes until he feels like his stomach is hurting from laughing too much.

"Since when-" Hongjoong struggles to say something in between laughter, "do you wear-" he presses his lips again in an attempt to kill the laughter reappearing, "pencil skirts?"

"Shut up!" She slaps a hand on the back of their heads a little bit too hard that almost makes them lose their memories from the sheer force.

It manages to make Mingi stay quiet, before Hongjoong stops laughing gradually. Both the latter and Danbi look at Mingi slowly, creasing their foreheads. Mingi is staring into the distance, looking out of it.

"Are you... okay?" Hongjoong asks.

"I think," Mingi breathes in, "I just lost a few of my brain cells and some memories from that hit alone." He looks at both of them forlornly, "I forgot both of your names."

"Stop kidding," she says.

"I'm not; I really can't recall your names. You..." he points a finger to Danbi, "look like you eat some mean soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Someone who bullies me- AHHH stop pulling my ear KIM DANBI!"

Danbi gives them the sweetest smile while her eyes shoot daggers at him. "You didn't forget my name, you idiotic lamp post. You even said my full name. If you want me to make you remember again-"

"Okay, okay stop touching me and making my soul suffer every day. It's like you get your energy from bullying Song Mingi. From all the years I lived with you I think I've lost at least a thousand brain cells."

She doesn't lose her momentum before she shrugs. "But you can't lose something you don't have."

"Oooh," Hongjoong hisses.

Mingi crosses his arms, looking dissatisfied as his mouth says, "Fine, you win this round Kim Danbi. But next time," he points two fingers to his eyes, then to hers, indicating that he'll be watching her, "I will take the throne in this house."

"You're always welcome to, Your Majesty." She lifts up her eyebrows, the corner of her lips rising to form a smile. Then she looks down at her own attire, "But seriously, do I look too stupid in this formal attire? I've got an interview at this huge company in Kalmia District and I was thinking of making, you know, a good impression."

"Wait, you really got an interview? You weren't joking when you said that you wanted to work at a big company?" Hongjoong looks genuinely surprised and proud, even. "I never thought you'd get to it so fast."

"There was a job vacancy, but it's only for this job... called a general worker. I don't know, there wasn't really much of a description, but basically once you get this job you just... do whatever is told of you. Not those that require skills though; just some simple things around the company. Doing menial and repetitive tasks probably. Still, it pays much better than all the part-time jobs I have. So maybe if I get the job I'll be quitting the others."

"Where did you get the formal attire though?" Mingi lies down on Hongjoong's lap, closing his eyes. "To be pretty honest, you look like you're wearing the skirt because someone threatened to curse you for seven generations if you don't. You don't look comfortable in it."

She picks at the hem of her skirt as she sits with her legs folded to the side before she breathes, "Actually, I'm feeling pretty uncomfortable. But at the thrift shop this was the only decent formal attire I could find that fit me. The pants were either too big or too small. Not to mention that I'm feeling pretty nervous because this would be my first interview at a huge ass company. If I mess this up I'd probably be ashamed to attend anymore so if I live off both of you after this, please don't complain. I'm relying on both of you."

"No can do." Hongjoong shakes his head. "Everyone in this house must earn their stay, I'm not letting you leech off my work."

"When's your interview?" Mingi has opened his eyes and sits upright again, before he starts to stand and rummages through his wardrobe.

"What are you doing?" she asks without answering him, looking at him suspiciously. "I don't think I like what you're trying to do."

"Pretty sure I have some formal pants somewhere... buried... Ah, found it!" With great effort he pulls out the pants, almost toppling the tower of clothes on top, and both his housemates immediately crinkle their noses, shouting in despair.

"Were you trying to make your pants into fermented vegetables?" Hongjoong pinches his nose. "That looks like it hasn't been washed in at least a 100 years."

"You don't talk about my pants like that," Mingi shakes his head as he tries to fan the pants, as if it could get rid of the smell. Instead it fans out the smell more that Danbi starts to feel her stomach churning and Hongjoong feels like he's about to gag. "These were the pants that I wore when I did my first presentation in college. Don't you remember, Kim Hongjoong?"

Hongjoong looks up, conjuring the possible image of a young adult Mingi presenting in front of the rest of the class. "Ah, the one that you forgot there was even a presentation, panicked and came up with an impromptu topic."

"And I aced the presentation. I got an A for it, and my final CGPA was a 4.0 for that semester."

Hongjoong rolls his eyes. "You get a CGPA of 4.0 in every semester. Your point?"

"My point is that these pants are my lucky charm. So Danbi, wear this, and you'll get that job at the big company you've always dreamed off." He stretches out his arm to show them the pants, to which they automatically recoil and put on their best disgusted expression. "Be free and go crazy."

"Not sure about the free part but I truly am going crazy. First," she scoots away from the pants, "I'm about to walk around in a high-waisted fermented pants because they're too big for me and they've been kept in your wardrobe for who-knows-how-long. Second, I'm about to go to jail because that thing would slip down and I would accidentally flash someone. Even worse, I could flash my potential employer and make a lasting impression. Only not a good one. I appreciate your kind heart, but no thank you."

"Awh," he pouts as he lowers down the pants and tries to stretch the waist, "the elastic band is still intact." He tests it again, "I thought it would be degraded by now."

"So you need new pants," Hongjoong decides. "When's your interview?" he asks the question again, this time to Danbi who's busy muttering something, her body rocking back and forth.

She stops her muttering before pushing her lips outwards and saying calmly, "It's today at 3 in the evening."

"Ah... I see," Hongjoong nods before his smile disappears.

Then both of her housemates turn to look at her so fast they almost snap their necks. They say simultaneously, "Did you say today?"

"Yeah, that's like, 3 hours from now in Kalmia District."

"Kim Danbi!" Hongjoong screeches.

"What?" she frowns. "And stop shouting in my ear."

"That's three hours from now!"

"Yeah, and so?"

"You said it's an important interview yet you're here still not knowing what to wear, and hanging around like you have all the time in the world," Hongjoong starts to nag. "Yet we're here smelling Mingi's fermented pants."

"Hey, I told you not to call my lucky pants that."

"Lucky fermented pants!" Hongjoong snaps before turning back to Danbi, grabbing her shoulders until it makes her stop muttering and focus on him. "Kim Danbi, we need to get you ready for the biggest interview of your life, and you have to give the best impression! Do you understand?" He looks to be the one in panic as he stands up, throws open his own flimsy wardrobe before taking out a fresh set of clothes while his mouth says, "Danbi, you wait here, prepare all you can and we'll be looking for clothes that are more comfortable with you. We'll be back in an hour."

"Darling, who's we?" Mingi frowns as he hugs his lucky pair of pants to his chest.

"We as in both of us," Hongjoong utters as he peels off his shirt, exposing his body. While topless he snatches the pants from Mingi, throwing it into the laundry basket saying that it needs to be washed at least twice to get rid of the smell.

Even with Danbi and Mingi in the same room as him, he's used to showing them his topless figure - Danbi is too used of seeing them that she shows no reaction when others would've probably run, hide and blush at the same time. With an expressionless face she looks at him changing his clothes, looking like he's the one in panic for the interview as he instructs Mingi to get ready too, almost resulting in giving a kick to the head as the giant is still not over his fermented pants.

With a "don't worry we know how to find the right size for you" as her brother's last words, he pushes Mingi out of the door and slams the door shut to leave her in the rooftop house alone. As she's the only person in the house left she stands up, goes to her room and rummages for something under the pile of folded blankets in her wardrobe. She searches blindly, patting all over until she can find what she's looking for.

She takes out the disposable flip phone, takes it out and scans through the messages she received and saved. She opens one, reads that one line which tells her everything is done before she snaps the phone shut. Gripping the phone tightly, she presses her forehead against the door of her wardrobe, contemplating on what she's about to do.

What have I done?

No- what am I doing with my life?

She looks at the digital clock on the only table in her room before she steps out, almost waddling as she tries to keep a decent walk while wearing something that she's not used to. She emerges from the rooftop house, looking down below and beyond to make sure that Mingi and Hongjoong are indeed nowhere in sight. When she's sure that they won't catch her she goes down the stairs almost at the light of speed, arriving at the dumpster located in the alleyway behind their building.

Looking around, she's trying to make sure she's the only one there, but the road is pretty deserted since most of those in Patch are at work right now. She crouches as she picks up a brick, placing the disposable phone on the asphalt road. She raises the brick, then brings it down onto the phone, essentially smashing it into pieces. When the phone no longer looks like one she picks the pieces up, scattering the bits into as many different dumpster bins as she can just as a safety measure.

Then she turns back, quickening her pace as she goes back to their house, heaving a sigh of relief as she manages to return without bumping into anyone. She waits for her two housemates to return, putting on a suitable expression and demeanour, like she had never even stepped out of the house.

---

"We found you these formal pants and we're pretty sure you're going to love it. I picked it out myself," Hongjoong says cheerily as soon as he puts a foot inside the house, finding Danbi munching on a bar of chocolate filled with hazelnut cream.

She looks up to see Mingi coming in just after Hongjoong, looking like he's sulking because he keeps glancing at Hongjoong and pouting before he crosses his arms.

"Did you turn Mingi into a duck while you're out too?" She takes the shopping bag from Hongjoong before peeking inside. Her eyes immediately light up at the sight of the newly-bought pants still wrapped up in tissue paper, looking delicate and probably costs a lot more than she would have spent by herself.

Hongjoong knows what she's about to say so he quickly clarifies, "Don't worry about the price of the pants, treat it as a little gift from us. You're going for an interview at a huge company!" Then he tilts his head towards Mingi's direction, "Don't mind him, he couldn't buy ice cream then he sulked all the way home."

"There was a discounted offer to buy two ice creams but Hongjoong didn't want ice cream and now I end up with none," he grumbles. "Buying only one is expensive but I only wanted one."

"And... your conclusion is that I'm the sole cause of you not being able to get ice cream."

"Absolutely correct. Your argument after isn't valid because I'm always right."

Danbi smiles looking at Hongjoong's cheerful expression, then to Mingi's bitter one. They're always bickering with each other, but she wouldn't trade it with anything else because it's what makes her feel like she has a family, despite not being related by blood.

Or would she?

She gets reminded of the disposable phone she destroyed but she assures herself that she's only doing what her heart feels right. It's not like she's about to leave the two of them in the dark for too long; she just needs the right time. Even she is trying to make sense out of it.

When it looks like Danbi is staring too long at them but looking out of it, Mingi snaps his fingers in front of her then puts his hands on his hips. "Earth to Danbi, you have an interview in less than two hours and you're still not in your attire."

She shakes her head to clear her thoughts before shaking the bag with the pants, claiming, "I'll be changing into these. And thank you, I wouldn't survive life without the two of you."

"Oh please," Hongjoong grins. "We know. Now go," he does a sweeping motion towards her bedroom, "change and be on your way, you don't have time to lose."

"Yes sir." She does a mock-salute to him before changing the lower part of her attire; only then she feels like she can breathe.

The pants fit perfectly, and she knows that she could trust Hongjoong in picking out clothes that suit her the most. The pair of pants are striped but they're not prominent; wearing them boosts her self-confidence more, and she feels more ready than ever as she steps out of her room. Bidding goodbye to both, she takes a deep breath before stepping out into the world.

"Both of us have night shifts today!" Mingi shouts before she closes the door. When she turns around, Mingi is towering over her, standing under the doorframe as he leans against it. He crosses his arms before he clicks his tongue. He reaches out a hand and she almost karate-chops him, but he's only fixing down her bangs. Then he licks his lips before nodding, "You're good to go. And sorry we couldn't be here when you get home after your interview. We'll be cheering you on."

"We will!" Hongjoong's drowned-out voice comes from inside the house.

"Good luck, Kim Danbi. I want to say kick some ass, but that would be inappropriate. Break a leg, but please don't get hurt. Control your anger issues- I'll stop, please don't hit me with your bag. No don't look at me like that, I still have a long life to live."

"I'll give you more time to live," she jokes.

She sets off from the house, waving to Hongjoong and Mingi who are leaning against the railing surrounding their rooftop house, with Mingi shouting another round of good luck while Hongjoong keeps on waving with both his hands. She turns into the main road, emerging from the neighbourhood that looks so much different than those around. The further she walks, the more sophisticated the buildings look, the more expensive the people walking look.

Arriving at the subway station, she takes out her transportation card and earphones, putting them into her ears as she taps her card. She looks around when she feels someone watching her, but could not locate anyone suspicious. Shrugging off the tugging feeling, she tries to focus on the approaching train while rehearsing under her breath, muttering the generic script she got off the internet.

During the train ride, she keeps on checking her documents, even though there's nothing much she can offer. She only graduated high school, so her certificates were much lesser compared to Hongjoong and Mingi. Even then, she has a lot of work experiences due to her immediately picking up what she can do to work, earning her own money while Hongjoong was off to community college. They had rented the house together when Hongjoong was 19 and her 18, finally leaving the orphanage they grew up in, with Mingi joining a year later.

The journey to Kalmia District only takes approximately 15 minutes so before the announcement is made, she already stands up, hand out holding to the metal pole to steady herself as the train comes to a stop. She gets off the stop that's nearest to the company, not realizing that the owner of the pair of eyes who keeps following her has stepped out too, never letting her go out of sight. She comes out of the subway station, the building where the interview will be held already in sight due to its height and prominent logo.

She's the only person waiting for the light to turn green so she can cross, despite having a number of people walking past behind her. She looks down at her phone, noise of the world drowned out as she turns the volume of her music up, the guitar riff at the beginning of the song making her forget all her troubles for the time being.

She doesn't hear the screams around her as she's too focused on the screen of her phone, scrolling through the daily news. The next thing she feels is her bag is yanked backwards, and for a moment she thought someone was trying to rob her. But it doesn't seem so as her arm is pulled next almost forcefully before she gives in to gravity, and only then she realizes that someone else is cushioning the impact before her body manages to hit the ground.

Then she hears the loud crash.

Trying to take in everything that happened just seconds ago, she looks back to the spot where she was standing when she was waiting to cross. A car just slammed into the traffic light pole she was standing beside just moments ago, its bumper completely ruined and smoke puffing out from under the dented hood. Her breath gets stuck in her throat, thinking how she would not have survived if not for her saviour.

I almost died.

Only then she looks at the man under her, the one who had yanked her backwards and thus saving her from the near-death experience. If not for the situation they're in, the first thought she'd have is that damn, he's hot. The said man is grimacing in pain, shutting his eyes tightly as he breathes out.

"Are you- are you okay?" she stutters, lifting herself off him and crouching next to him.

As she moves, the man quickly grabs her wrist, as if scared she would run away. "Miss Bae, please don't run away again, we looked for you high and low."

"I'm not-" she tries to think of which one she's going to deny, because both were wrong. "I'm not a Miss Bae, I think you got the wrong person. Also, I'm not going anywhere. I just need to- you're bleeding."

The man touches a hand to the back of his head, coming up with a smudge of blood on his fingers. He stands up, and Danbi's eyes follow him as he stands up, looking like it was nothing. More people are fussing over the car and the driver rather than the two of them, and soon they're separated from the crowd.

"You're bleeding, you need to be attended to-"

"It's fine, it's only a small cut." He purses his lips before sighing, "Miss Bae, where have you gone to? You made everyone worried when you disappeared without a warning. There are a lot of questions I need to ask you, but first, we need to go back home. Your father and boyfriend would be happy to know that you're safe."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not Miss Bae, whoever that is?" She's starting to get annoyed when it seems that the man is merely focusing on the fact that she's the person he's claiming her to be, and not the fact that he just saved her. The words of thank you get stuck in her throat. "Look, I'm late for the interview and I would say thank you for saving me when I almost ascended just moments ago, but I'm not this person you're looking for."

This time, it's the man who looks defeated. Without saying anything anymore, he takes out his phone, unlocks it and turns the screen so she can see it. "Tell me that you're not the same person in this picture, and we'll talk. I don't know what game you're trying to play, but we're tired." He lifts up his eyebrows, and she swears she feels like punching that smug smile off his face, in spite of thinking how handsome he looks with that particular smile.

Her eyes lower down to the level of the screen, and they automatically go wider. She's looking at a picture of herself, dressed up in something she has never worn before and probably can't afford to. The only difference is that she has bangs, while the person, whoever that is, doesn't. It's not her, yet at the same time it does seem like it is. She looks exactly like the person in the picture.

He turns back the screen to himself before dialling a number. When the other person picks up, he says into the receiver, his stance in the ready in case the person in front of him would run away, but it seems unlikely as she seems too shocked to even move.

"It's me, San," he eyes her before concluding, "I found her."

---

[A/N: I apologize for the irregular updates as there are a lot of things going on at the moment. The next updates might also be irregular so I apologize for that in advance ;-; But whoever is here, thank you and I hope you have/had/are having a nice day <3]