$ s e v e n t y $

Yoona invited Sehun down to the pool with them, but the maknae of the Wolves would only go if Darleen went with them. Darleen was unsure at first, since she didn't know Miran's sisters. But Sehun convinced her, telling her that he would be there and Miran would be there too. They got along pretty well. The former novice finally agreed and went up to her suite in the hotel, which she shared with Sehun, to get their bathing suits and some towels. Yoona wasn't pleased that she would be coming along. But at least she had gotten Sehun to offer to carry her all the way out to the pool. 

He set her down on one of the chairs by the pool and then stood by the side as he waited for Darleen to come back. When she did, dressed in a beautiful black one piece swim suit, and Sehun cut the distance to her, Yoona was dismayed. Both of them looked perfect for each other, like they had just stepped out of the latest fashion magazine.

Sehun kissed her on the cheek and took the bag that she brought for him, with his swim trunks in them. He then left her briefly to find a changing room. Miran sat nearby to her, watching Mijin while she jumped in the pool to play with other kids who were there with their parents. Yoona asked her older sister, "What's the deal with them? Are they together or something?" She wondered, eyeing Sehun who was like a puppy trailing behind Darleen.

He had followed her nearby where they found chairs of their own to sit down at.

Miran looked where her sister was gesturing towards and then informed her with a clueless smile. "Baram was the last of us to find someone to love, and I think Darling really compliments him." Baram was the Korean word for wind, and Yoona knew it couldn't be his actual name. But for people in gangs, it was easier and more convenient to go by a code name. Only those closest to him probably knew what his real name was. But to everyone else he would be simply known as Baram. Darleen, on the other hand, had been given a name very close to her real one. It was a term of endearment that Sehun had been using for her. Darling.

Yoona huffed in annoyance, getting back on her feet and keeping up the act that her ankle was in pain. She limped over to where Sehun and Darleen were sitting.

"Do you want to go for a swim?" She asked him, her voice portraying a false innocence.

Sehun took one look at her, tearing his gaze away from his love for a mere instant, and started, "I'm sorry. I'm kind of busy right now--" 

He had started bluntly rejecting her. The maknae wasn't used to babysitting, and he didn't want a seventeen year old clinging to him all day. Darleen, thinking him impolite, stomped her foot down on his and widened her eyes at him as she said through gritted teeth. "Don't be like that Sehunnie. We should always be nice and kind to those around us."

Sehun heaved a sigh, clearly burdened by her words because he would be forced to spend time with Yoona. Sehun saw what Darleen couldn't yet. That the seventeen year old was into him and wanted his attention. But he already had someone to give all his attention to. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't interested. But he knew that Darleen would think him rude if he did so. Instead, he let her pull him back on his feet and looked towards Yoona.

She watched him with excitement and took a step back. It had been just enough that she slipped on the edge of the pool and slowly fell backwards into the water below.

-

"I have a surprise for you." Was all the information Tao gave her when they left the casino that morning. 

Iva hardly left her sanctuary, even after hearing the news that her former husband Fu Jian had been murdered by the Coven. She was mortified that he had survived somehow and that he would find her. That he would get his revenge on Tao and the rest of the boys for not killing her when they had been asked to. 

Tao had assured her several times that she had nothing to be afraid of. He would protect her at all cost, and if that wasn't enough, he had his brothers to back them up.

He was all smiles as he led her to a waiting car and blindfolded her once she was inside. Iva felt her breath hitch in her throat nervously, flashbacks burning in her mind from the time she had been taken hostage. At the time, she didn't know it was Tao who did it and he would never harm her. At the time she actually believed her life was in danger and that her husband would do everything to save her. She had been very wrong about him. She had loved someone who didn't deserve it and who only pretended to love her for her family's money.

The drive to their destination was a couple of minutes, but Iva wasn't exactly able to keep track, since she couldn't see the time on her phone. Nor could she even see where they were going.

They stopped after a while and Tao led her out carefully.

She heard jingling as he got a set of keys out and opened the door. Once inside, he closed the door behind her and locked it. She was becoming impatient when she didn't hear any more sounds and she began to grow nervous.

Perhaps he had changed his mind and decided to end her life after all?

"Tao..." She called his name in the chill of what felt like an empty room. Not another soul there but him and her.

"You can take the blindfold off." He told her, gushing with excitement.

Her hand moved up to her face, pushing the piece of fabric away from her eyes and as she was able to see again, her jaw dropped in amazement. It was dark, dimly lit by a few lights, and others that didn't seem to work too well. But it was a library. Shelves upon shelves of books that seemingly went on for miles. Tao stood in the middle of the room, a few feet away from her, a grin plastered on his face.

"Do you like it?" He asked her, having noticed that she was absolutely speechless.

Iva nodded her head slowly, her blue eyes taking in everything. Making an effort to memorize every part of her surroundings, as though it would disappear any moment. 

When she married Jian and wasn't allowed to go out anymore, she found a refuge in Tao and her books. Now he was giving her something that reminded her of the comfort she felt when she was so alone in a big empty house. It had so much meaning to her that her eyes pooled up with tears and she brought her hands to her face in order to prevent them from spilling over. 

He cut the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. "I just want to make you happy, baby." He told her as she cried into his arms, now with full on sobs.

But they were tears of joy.

Never before had she felt so wanted, so loved. 

Tao and the Coven were her home.

-

filler because i havent written for this in a long time.

next chapter i want to feature yixing and silver, as well as jagi and soo. because suddenly i seemed to have forgotten about them. also chan and hella. so stay tuned for that. 

i have to go. im going to jog at the park with my cousin.

i'll see y'all tomorrow.

-clary