NEW FRIENDS!

songs!
before i knew it......... mason ramsey
the truth untold... bts
chemtrails over the country club...... lana del rey
everybody dies........ billie eilish
too sweet.... hozier

🖤🩶🤍❤️

"Tie them up!"

Accompanied by Taehyung's distraught yelp, the group pulled Jai and Kehlani into the dorm, much to their protests, and tied them to the couch with Jungkook's sweatpants, taping their mouths shut.

Jin, with his face buried in his palms, paced back and forth while shit hit the fan. It was a complete cacophony of incoherent jabbling, until he told everyone to "Shut the fuck up!" with his hands in the air. "Everyone shut the fuck up for a second!"

"Mmmmm! Mm! Mmmmm!" Jai mumbled behind the duct tape, which Hoseok couldn't help but feel bad for. As his sneaky fingers reached to peel it off the boy's face-

"Don't even dare!" Yoongi smacked his delicate hand away.

Head poking out from in between the victims, "Hyung?" Taehyung chimed once the noise simmered to something less chaotic. "What we do now?"

Eleven pairs of eyes on the oldest, Jin was overwhelmed. He sighed up at the ceiling, eyes shut tightly. "I don't know."

"Hyung-" Jungkook exclaimed, arm thrown around Lola's shoulders. "maybe we should keep 'em here until we's through with the plan."

"Yeah, and go to jail for kidnapping." Giselle rolled her eyes.

"If they fuck up the plan we gon' go to jail for murder." Jungkook argued back.

Which Taehyung interrupted, offended. "Hold up- we didn't do shit!" He pointed around the room, excluding Jungkook and Lola. "It's y'all two fuckers that killed Charlie!"

"But y'all is helpin' us hide this shit!" Jungkook bit back. "Which means if we go, y'all go with us!"

Jin had to shut them down for a second time. "Alright, listen." He pointed at the tied of faces, they were full of worry, and a hint of horror. "We'll untape your mouths if you promise to not scream."

The room had fell silent. All eyes on Jai and Kehlani's wide eyes. The two nodded their head vigorously, but must've been unconvincing, with the way two voices chimed in with protesting blabbers.

"Nah, we can't trust them!" Namjoon scorned.

His rejection was followed with Jungkook's agreeing nods. With a burst lip, "For real!" he snapped his fingers. Eyes on Namjoon's equally blooded face, "They just some strangers!" he stated.

The two supported their idea until they remembered the quarrel they had mere minutes ago. Frowning immediately, the two rolled their eyes at each other and leaned back with irritated sighs.

In order to irritate Namjoon further, Jungkook pulled Lola on his lap, planting kisses along her arm while he glared at his brother through the corner of his eye. He was never the one to flex on his friends, especially Namjoon, but he felt as thought it was needed this time. Lola shoved his face back, rolling her eyes at him.

Shushing them, "If there's anyone I don't trust in this room-" Jin glared at them. "it's you two."

It was true. They couldn't finish a simple job of getting information out of Penelope, but how were they supposed to know the whirlwind of problems would be so well tangled in their souls, and get so personal?

The oldest turned back to their new friends -victims-, and cleared his throat. "Do you promise to listen?"

Jai and Kehlani were playing it safe by doing whatever was asked of them, after confirming the fact that Jungkook and Lola were, in fact, murderers. They were scared, to say the least. Nodding once again, they hummed to reassure they'd sit still.

And thus, Hoseok peeled the tape off their mouths.

Relieved with the silence, "The fuck was y'all doin' outside the door?" Namjoon scorned at them, his brow arched. "Y'all eavesdroppin' on us or what?"

"Yes." Jai nodded, though gasped when he realized he had snitched on himself. "I mean-"

"We were just passing by!" Kehlani finished before her friend dug their grave even further.

Leaning in, eyes squinted, "Y'all ain't even go here..." Destiny leaned over the back of the chair. "Why y'all at the dorms at this hour?"

"We're here to find who killed Margot!" Jai yelled.

Something shifted suddenly.

The circle around them had shrunk. Eyes prying at what lied beneath his confession. "Watchu mean?" Taehyung sneered at the boy, inching closer to his face for the intimidation factor, although, Jai only felt annoyed.

"Y'all know Margot?" Jungkook questioned, his voice broken, and a spark in his eyes. Lola held his hand, squeezing her fingers around his knuckles.

Nodding, "She's our friend." Kehlani began. "When we saw the news we wanted to find out the motherfucker that did it." Her glare fell directly on Jungkook. "And you were the last person on her insta, we had to come here to make sure."

"Woah woah woah!" The group raised their hands in sync, all of them dying to explain the truth of the matter. Jungkook scorned at them. "I didn't kill Margot!"

"But you killed Charlie!" Kehlani snapped back.

Her words were followed by a deafening silence. It was surprising, the way the borough slept. Somehow, even car engines weren't there to taunt them. Jungkook had to face reality, and he wasn't going to come to terms with it by pushing it with the back of his hand. He took a deep breath, a short glance at Jin for permission, and sat himself down in front of the two new faces. "Aight, yeah. I killed Charlie-"

"We." Lola corrected.

He ignored her, a protective longing to keep her out of this mess, and pressed his lips together. "but it was an accident." His chin jutted at Lola, "That's my girl." he said.

Jai leaned closer to his friend to whisper: "I was right."

"And she was in danger. Charlie was- he was gon' do sum real bad to her. I had to do somethin'." Head shaking, as if absolving of his sins, Jungkook sucked air through his gritted teeth. He'd been in his head a lot, lately. Always on his knees, inside the suffocating walls of a dark confessional box. A priest on the other side, and his soul in his hands. Unlike Lola, Jungkook's dreams were that of hell, flames surrounding him, and for the first time, the flames weren't Lola's red curls, but the consequences of his mistakes... His sins. He kneeled on what felt like pebbles. Millions of them, piercing his patella, and bruising it with purples and blues. Those colors were only meant to be the product of love, but lately, Jungkook only found sin in his bones. They were laced with the smell of it.

Lola, just as torn, saw something fairly different, but equally maddening. She sat in a bright room, a table between her and what looked like her sins morphed into her brother, wielding his pen as if a therapist. A smile curling on his face, and the same name repeatedly stabbing Lola in the chest. Gingersnap. He'd say it with the utmost sincerity. Beside her on the clean floor laid the corpse of Charlie. Pouring blood from his skull, flies were buzzing around him, they were parasites, and reveled in the smell... Lola didn't. The smell of metal and tree moss never left her nose.

"What about the other girls...?" Jai gulped. "Anna Van Der Walsh-"

"That wasn't us!" Lola stated, certain, as if that was their only achievement. Having not killed more than one person. Having not taken more than one life.

It was cold, but the night breeze had minimal contribution to the goosebumps peppering their skin. It was the void in their eyes, the emptiness in Jungkook's, and the echo in Lola's, that made Jai and Kehlani shiver. They wanted to know more, peel the layers. "The plan." Kehlani then cleared her throat. "The plan y'all were talking about..."

"What about it?" Jin questioned, hands on his hips.

Gazing at each other, Jai and Kehlani read each other's mind. They were there to uncover the truth, and find Margot's killer. So that's exactly what they were going to do. She turned back to Jin, nodding. "Tell us what it is..."

"Why?" Taehyung scorned. "So y'all can get us locked up?"

"No." Kehlani rolled her eyes. "So we can help."

❤️

Penelope burst in the through the door, holding Emma by the shoulders with a wide grin plastered on her suggestive face. "You won't believe what just happened!"

"Jesus!" Emma ripped her headphones off and shoved Penelope back in sudden fear. "You almost gave me a heart attack!"

Laughing, "I'm about to give you one for real!" Penelope pulled her to sit on the couch in their dorm, before crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"What is it?" Emma scoffed. She's been on a roll with her studies until her devilish friend interrupted her consistent routine. "How was the date, by the way?"

"Good, but something insane happened!" Penelope clicked her tongue and leaned in.

"What?"

There was something brewing within Penelope. The tasteful yearn to watch Emma's face melt into a sulk when she tells her about her ex-boyfriend with a familiar ginger. "So, we were at the bar, right?" Emma nods and listens intently and Penelope's smile grows wider with each step into the story told. "Some rando comes up to us and starts talking to Jungkook, and before I know it, they're fighting."

"Oh my god." Emma gasped.

"But listen though!" Penelope smacked her hand. "That's not all. So, while they're fighting, Namjoon just comes up out of nowhere-"

"Namjoon was there too?" Emma arched a brow.

Nodding, "But guess what?" Penelope leaned in.

"What?" Emma did the same.

"Namjoon gets involved in the fight, and behind him... Guess who I see."

Emma rolled her eyes into the back of her head, sighing at her friend and the mysterious act. "I don't wanna guess, just tell me."

Penelope giggled. The name was between her sharp teeth, and she reveled in the idea of making Emma angry or jealous with it. Shrugging, "Lola." she said simply.

Their dorm room fell silent. Emma rose to her feet, brows knitted together. "Lola?"

"Mhm!" Penelope smiled. "She was with Namjoon!"

Crack. A crack had formed in Emma's ribs. "What do you mean?"

"Bitch, I mean exactly what you think I mean!" Penelope held Emma's arms and pulled the blonde to whisper close to her face: "Namjoon and Lola were on a date. They're together."

❤️

It was the next day, and all they were able to do was use Jai's hacking abilities to find more about the culprits. Though, they quickly realized it was useless. Penelope had nothing on her, and Carlos wasn't even on the internet. Defeated, they sat in a diner, drinking milkshakes and sharing a platter of fries.

None of them had the appetite, and all of them had ideas. "Another date?" Hoseok suggested.

"We could try-" Jin shrugged, turning to Jungkook. "but he's been on two dates, and came back with a burst lip from one of them." With a glare, he glanced at Namjoon. "Not to mention you. All you had to do was be there with Lola, but somehow neither of you can follow simple directions."

"Dawg..." Namjoon scorned, sniffing. The band-aid over the wound on his brow had arched along, his forehead creasing. "You keep sayin' the same shit, like? We fucked up the plan, but the fuck was I 'posed to do? Sit there and watch them beat my man up?"

"They wasn't beatin' me 'n I didn't need yo' help." Jungkook scoffed, his eyes rolling. The two hadn't exactly made up since last night. Jungkook was still suspicious about him and Lola, and Namjoon was still bitter about the accusations.

... Despite them not being accusations at all.

Namjoon was in deep trouble, and he was aware of it. This interest in Lola, it was getting out of hand. He was desperate for it, and maybe the impossible is what he yearned for. Lola was his forbidden fruit, but what a tragedy, Namjoon had a craving for something sour.

"So...?" Jai broke the ice. "What's plan B?"

"Plan B?" Taehyung questioned, brows furrowed.

Leaning in, "Yeah..." Jai nodded. "You know? The plan you guys made in case the first one doesn't work which-" he cleared his throat. "it clearly hasn't."

The group looked at one another, faces perplexed. Their only plan was to send Jungkook on dates with Penelope... And that was it. They weren't sure what they'd do after the blackmail part.

"We don't got no plan B." Taehyung shrugged.

Jai and Kehlani glanced at each other through the corner of their eyes, and were hit with a wave of disappointment. These are the people who were going to get Margot's killer locked up?

"Oh boy..." Jai whispered under his breath. They were amateurs, and it was painfully hilarious.

The door to the diner opened, ringing the bell hanging above. In walked Penelope, a devilish grin plastered across her face, followed by a short blonde, a face far less evil, though equally angered.

Within the second they were spotted, Jungkook pulled his arm off Lola, which she felt the lack of. Sulking, she scoffed. Knew Jungkook was playing it safe, for the sake of the plan, and had to make sure Penelope wouldn't suspect anything, and still it stung.

She rolled her eyes when Penelope approached them by the table, placing her hands on Jungkook's shoulder. "Hey guys!"

"Hi." Jai and Kehlani were the only ones who greeted her back, only out of respect, and ignored her for the rest of the conversation.

Penelope, smiling widely, "Mind if I borrow him?" squeezed Jungkook's shoulder, and sent a shiver down his spine. He wasn't exactly scared of her, but it was the relatability of it all. He knew Penelope was a killer, and it reminded him of himself. He was a killer, too. It was a dilemma he hated experiencing. Was he better because his murder was accidental, or does it matter with what intention you take a life?

Jungkook cleared his throat, about to protest when- "Uh, yeah!" Jin interfered. He raised his brows and widened his eyes, signaling the youngest to go on one last date. Maybe this time he'd be successful. "Go ahead!"

"Thanks!" Penelope held Jungkook's bicep as the two walked towards the door, Lola's eyes glued to their backs.

By the entrance, "Where are you going?" Emma asked her friend, and earned an apologetic face. Penelope was always going to choose Jungkook over Emma. The blond rolled her eyes and turned to Namjoon with her arms crossed in front of her chest. He had ran out of his seat when he saw her enter. Namjoon wasn't in love with Emma, at least not anymore, and yet he couldn't stay away from her. Call it the ex-girlfriend effect, if nothing else. He felt a connection to her, and it was the remnants of their past relationship.

She noticed the band-aid on his face, and the bruise on his jaw. Most of it was from Jungkook, although Emma didn't know. All she knew was what Penelope had told her the night before. The fight and the bar, and his new alleged relationship. "You okay?" She asked, lips pressed into a thin line, eyes empty.

"Yeah." Namjoon nodded. "You?"

Nodding, "Good." Emma cleared her throat. She caught a glimpse of Lola sitting at the table, completely out of the loop, as if in her own bubble, she wasn't listening to the others' conversation. "Don't leave your little girlfriend alone."

"The fuck?" Namjoon scorned, following Emma's eyes, before his brown ones squinted. "What? That ginger ain't my girlfriend?!" He hated that he loved the idea of it.

Shrugging, "I don't care." Emma bit. Before her feet led her back to the door, having lost her appetite, her eyes fell on her twin sister at the table, and the burger and fries in front of her. "That's gonna go straight to your thighs, you pig!"

Giselle flipped her off, stuffing another fry in her mouth. She watched her twin sister swing her blond locks in Namjoon's face as she left the diner. She was always better with boys. That's why Namjoon dated her, and not her. Giselle watched him shove his hands in his pockets and stroll back to the table. She couldn't help but think of it. The video.

Namjoon hovered over Miss Park.

Her eyes bounced back between Namjoon taking his seat again, and Jimin sitting across her. She wondered about the dynamics... Wondered about Jimin's reaction when he finds out. If he ever finds out. Giselle had been keeping it to herself for an entire night and felt as though she was on the verge of exploding... Didn't understand how Namjoon had been keeping it for any longer. The video was recorded on Homecoming. Giselle wondered how long it truly had been going on. She brushed the feeling off and sighed.

"Don't listen to her." Taehyung, beside her, whispered softly. He had to repeat it again, when Giselle hummed questioningly, but couldn't because Namjoon interrupted their conversation with a loud-

"Yo' sister a tough one, Gi."

Giselle nodded. It seems she always agrees with anything Namjoon says. Her cheeks turned pink and her face heated. Taehyung always noticed that about her. The way she grew flustered around Namjoon. Wished she was the same around him. Knew it was nearly impossible. He felt like he was the only one that noticed. Sometimes he thought even Giselle herself wasn't aware of her feelings.

He slid his chocolate milkshake across the table, setting it in front of her. "Wanna taste?"

"No, thanks." Giselle mumbled, her eyes on Namjoon.

At the end of their table, "Anyways." Jin pushed his chair back and fixed his shirt. "I have stuff to do, but the plan's in work again. We'll see what we need to do after Jungkook's back." He told them, paid for the meal, and left the diner with his hands in his pockets.

"Mane, Imma go too." Namjoon groaned, yawning before rising to his feet. "Call me when JK's back." He told Yoongi with a hand on his shoulder, and stepped out the door.

Lola, already up out of her seat, "I need to go too!" told the others, apologizing to Destiny and Giselle for not spending enough time with them lately, and rushed out after him. "Namjoon! Wait!"

"Lola?" He turned to her, frowning. "The fuck you want?"

She cleared her throat. Behind her, cars passed on the big road, engines roaring and smoke filling the air. "Last night..." She began. "The thing Jungkook said about you, and how you feel about me-"

"He trippin'." Namjoon cut her off, ready to take a step Lola didn't let him take. "Watchu want?"

"Why do you hate me again?" She scorned.

Namjoon did too, kissing his teeth. "The fuck you mean? I'm just walkin'."

"I thought we made up, but you're back to being rude to me!" She held his arm, preventing him from walking away.

He blew raspberries, swatting her hand away. "You crazy like JK. I ain't got a problem witchu, just not feelin' good. Don't take it personal." And started strolling down the street. Out the corner of his eye, Namjoon noticed her close. "Watchu followin' me for?"

"Got nothing else to do." Lola shrugged, hands in the pocket of her jacket. "Jungkook's on a date." She mumbled, and Namjoon knew he needed a distraction. He was glad to be the distraction she was looking for. The two took a long walk along the street side.

Back at the diner, "You wanna like, get coffee or something?" Hoseok asked Jai, which was gladly accepted. The two went out, leaving the rest behind.

"Uhm, should we..." Kehlani had her eyes on Destiny, "I don't know, go somewhere?"

"We?" Destiny pointed between her and herself.

Nodding, "Yeah." Kehlani shrugged. "Like, just go take a walk or something?"

"Uhm-" Destiny wanted to, though she wasn't sure about leaving her friend. Her eyes landed on Giselle, who gave her encouraging nods, blinking. "sure!"

Jimin and Yoongi had walked out with them, going on their own little date, which meant Giselle and Taehyung were left alone at the diner.

"So..." Taehyung cleared his throat, his feet tapping nervously. "Errbody gone."

"Yeah." Giselle giggled. "It's just us now, I guess." Immediately, she raised her hands in protest. "U-unless you don't wanna hang out with me." She laughed.

Chuckling, "Course I wanna hang out witchu." Taehyung turned to her, eyes sparkling.

"You do?"

"Mhm." Nodding, Taehyung grabbed her hand and dragged her out the diner. "Let's go see the Wicked movie."

It was disgustingly sweet, how well he knew her. Giselle was surprised. No one else had offered to take her to see it, seemingly forgetting her undying love for The Wizard Of Oz universe. Her smile stretching into a wide grin, "Oh my god! Yes!" she held his hand back.

For the first time in ever, Taehyung felt her. The way her hand curved into his, and sat cold around his slender finger. It was more than what he had imagined. She was beautiful, and Taehyung was utterly and completely captivated by her everything.

❤️

"Where we goin'?" Jungkook asked the devil beside him. They were in her car, driving down a road he's used to taking. Hands crossed in front of him, while his legs were spread, he waited for an answer.

Giggling, "The coffee shop." Penelope shrugged.

Fear started brewing within the cracks of his ribs. Jungkook cleared his throat, "Uh... Why?" and arched a brow. His eyes were that of confusion. Why the coffee shop? Was he their next victim? He watched Penelope's fingers tighten around the steering wheel.

She turned to him swiftly, glancing for only a second, before her foxy eyes turned to the road ahead. "Didn't you say you wanted to go there?"

"Nah yeah!" He nodded, teeth pulling his lip ring in his mouth. There were many thoughts running wild in Jungkook's mind, though they were quickly settled when he remembered a small detail. Penelope was utterly in love with him, or at least that's what she acted like, and it almost confirmed it for Jungkook... She would never try to kill him. He sighed, relieved with his own thought process, and hummed.

"I really thought you two were together." Penelope then said, suddenly. She took a glimpse, and grinned. "Especially at the bar. You got angry with me when I talked about Lola-" her nails dug into the leather of the steering wheel, teeth gritting, when she recalled the moment, though she softened when she brushed it off. "but then I saw her and Namjoon-"

"What about them?" Jungkook snapped, brows pulled together, eyes glued on Penelope.

She shrugged, clicking her tongue. "Y'know, they're together-"

"They're not together." Jungkook was certain in the way he cut her off. Eyes drawn half-lidded, jaw clenched.

Penelope, with a sense of rage slowly tugging at her nerves, "Are you sure? They looked pretty close at the bar." asked maddeningly gentle.

"They're not together." He repeated, as if putting an end to the conversation. "Joon hyung's still in love with Emma."

It was a lie Penelope could see through, easily. Though she chose to let it go... Licking her lips, "Who is Lola in love with?" she asked.

As hard as can be, Jungkook's chest tightened. He wanted nothing more than to grab her hair and slam it against the steering wheel, but he thought of Lola... These dates were getting on his nerves just as much as they got on hers, and he wanted it to be over. "Ion know. We don't really talk about shit like that with each other."

"Good." Penelope smiled, giggling.

❤️

Namjoon crossed his legs on the bench, before drawing out a pack of crumpled joints from his pocket. Lola was always impressed with his pre-rolls, and how he always had some in stock. He lit one, and held it in front of Lola's face, and watched her shake her head. "Lame." He scoffed.

The sun had been casting right on her, highlighting everything Namjoon was infatuated by about her. Therefore, he hadn't really been looking at her all that much. Scared if he did, he wouldn't be able to crawl out of the pit he was falling into... Not that he thought there was a chance of him ever surviving this misery. He was deeply in love, and it was eating him alive.

"I'm lame for not smoking weed?" Lola frowned.

He hummed, nodding. "Just try it, once."

"You know what?" Lola turned to him, eyes squinted under the sun, she plucked the joint from his fingers and placed it between her lips. "Maybe this will help with my stress."

Namjoon watched her take a long puff. "Yeah. This gon' getchu relaxed in no time, trust."

Cars were all over the road, once again. The city wouldn't be itself without the engines, and the honks. The trees around them were intoxicated with the fumes, slowly killing all signs of life and still, it was the city Lola felt most alive. She'd been pacing back and forth between life and death, but a gentle New York breeze was enough to blow all of her worries away.

They indulged in the scenery, rather than the conversation, when both of them leaned back against the bench. The park was empty, but they liked it more this way. As if they were alone, and the cars were driving themselves. Namjoon watched her subtly, as she tucked her curls behind her ears and pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose. She handed him back his joint, and took in a deep breath.

"You okay?" Namjoon asked.

She nodded.

"You sure?" He asked again. Something agonizingly irritating pinched his heart every time he saw her sulking. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was his ribs caving in... Or maybe he heart grew in size. His attempt at making her laugh ended in a short temper when he leaned in to say: "You look like you seen a dead body."

Lola, gasping, smacked his shoulder. "Don't joke about that! It's not funny!"

"It is!" Namjoon snorted, placing the joint back between his lips. He took a puff and blew the smoke in her face. "Relax, girl." His arms were then swung over the back of the bench, and he realigned his legs, spreading them comfortably. There was a long silence between their words, just like here was between the two of them. Lola was sitting right next to him, and still, he couldn't touch her. "I seen a dead body, once."

"You have?"

"My sister's." Namjoon nodded.

She hummed, leaning back. He'd mentioned it shortly, a couple times. Lola had heard about the story. She pressed her lips into a thin line and sighed, her opal eyes sparkling when she looked at him.

"Don't look at me like that." Namjoon scorned.

"Like what?"

"Like you feelin' bad for me, or sum. Pity" He licked his lips and turned away from her. Eyes faltering to the road, and the sky, the patches of brown-ish green grass under them.

She shook her head, clearing her throat. It was something she felt closely. People's faces were written in pity when they looked at her. Always. As if her brother's past followed her like a shadow. "I don't feel pity, trust me." She told him. "Just, sorry."

He laughed. "Yeah. I knew it. You not really like the rest."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She leaned in slightly.

Namjoon shrugged, leaning in only as much as she did. "You got some history. A bad one."

"Thanks." She laughed. Her fingers reached for the joint in his mouth, before she placed it in hers.

"Nah, for real." Namjoon began. "People who got a bad history understand other people like they selves. It's 'bout the relatability."

"So you're selling me you relate to me?" She asked.

He nodded. "Sorta."

"I don't have a dead sibling." Lola leaned forward, holding his joint out for him, while she leaned her other arm on her knees. It was the honesty Namjoon loved the most. No one had told him so openly. It reminded him of his loss, but did so in a comforting way. He never lived without grief, but always wanted to. Lola's words were shedding a new light. She laughed out of her nose as she watched the cars on the road. "Mine's a killer."

Namjoon pointed, nodding. "It's that part." He looked at her like she put the sun in the sky, smiling. "Death. That's what's relatable. We got different histories, but somehow death always a part of it. It's like we can't breathe without it."

A shiver traveled down Lola's spine. She had never thought about it in a way that made her feel this way. "Everybody dies." She shrugged, gulping.

"True, but you and I-" Namjoon whispered, "we die every day." and watched her lashes flutter behind her frames. "It's eating you, right? You think about yo' brother all the time. About what he did. He ain't dead but he the reason other people are."

"I hate that you're like, Socrates or something, right now." Lola looked away, taking a deep breath to drown out the sounds.

"Well, Socrates believes death could be a benefit if you smart..." Namjoon chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "JK's the same, now." He licks his lips and presses them together. "It wasn't the first time carrying a corpse for you, but it was for him. Now he someone with a bad history. Death gon' eat him alive, just like it's eatin' us."

"Can we stop talking about this?" Lola groaned. She hated herself for taking so long to realize what Jungkook must be feeling. He wasn't used to dead bodies, that he had killed. Lola was so used to it, she never questioned it once. As if it was a habit of hers to throw body bags in lakes and watch them swim away. She has done it multiple times, and assumed everyone did. It was Namjoon, that made her rethink. Not everyone's hands were covered in blood, and neither was Jungkook's... Before killing Charlie.

She blamed herself.

"I don't like talking about this."

"Me neither." Namjoon cleared his throat. "It just... Comes out."

Nodding, "Is that what happened last night, too?" Lola turned back to him. "When you told him he probably enjoyed killing Charlie?"

"I was drunk." Namjoon scorned. He regretted it. Wasn't sure how or why it escaped his mouth. It was the sharp end of a knife he never thought he'd pull against Jungkook. It had been gnawing at him brain since their fight after the bar.

"Drunk words are sober thoughts." Lola reminded.

Sighing, "Yeah, I get it. I fucked up. Shouldn't have said that to him." Namjoon slouched back. "Ion know what to do."

"You can start by apologizing." Lola suggested.

Namjoon turned to her with a frown, "Apologize?" he chuckled. "Nah. We don't do that shit."

"How do you make up, then?"

"We brothers. We don't need allat, it just happens." He took the last puff and threw the joint of the floor before stomping on it with the heel of his shoe.

She wasn't sure what to tell him. It always ended up awkward, no matter what. Namjoon's gaze had been lingering longer, lately. Lola looked around, searching for something to start a conversation out of, and behind her, between the buildings in the back, she noticed a short silhouette. Squinting to see better, Lola shivered. With gasps, she stood up.

"The fuck?!" Namjoon did too, looking in the direction she was pointing at. The sidewalk was crowded, and between the buildings stood a couple youngsters smoking and conversating. "What's wrong?"

Lola, breathing deeply, "I thought I saw Carlos." said. Great. She thought. I'm even hallucinating now.

"Damn, you even hallucinating now." Namjoon read her mind, laughing. Maybe you need therapy."

"You or me?" Lola rolled her eyes.

Namjoon laughed. "I don't need therapy."

Suddenly, as Lola watched him smile brightly, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him.

Fire. It consumed him. Namjoon froze, and simultaneously burned in her embrace. She smelled like a bonfire, and felt like flames. He couldn't escape it, didn't want to escape it. His arms wrapped around her, far too gentle, as if handling glass, Namjoon hugged her back. Tears stung his eyes, and an unapparent knot formed in his throat. Somehow, everything around them disappeared. It was him and her, and no one else. At least to Namjoon. He placed his chin on her shoulder and reveled in all her being. Namjoon hated it. How easy it was to love her.

When Lola pulled back, Namjoon sulked. He realized even more, that the lack of her touch was one of the worst things he'd felt in his life. "Thanks, Joon. Talking really helped." She smiled, and Namjoon melted.

Nodding, "Any time." Namjoon cleared his throat. His heart was beating out of his chest, and his nails were digging into the sweaty skin behind his neck. It was what broke him. The hug wasn't the same as the ones Lola gave Jungkook. She wasn't in love with him, and he could tell by the way she tapped his shoulder with a friendly smack. Friendly. Namjoon hated the word.

"I was gonna head back-" she pointed behind her.

"Yeah, same." Namjoon nodded again. "Let's go together."

❤️

"Guess the owner's not here..." Penelope leaned in, elbows on the table, before she sipped on her latte.

Carlos was nowhere to be found.

Jungkook nodded. "Guess so." He sniffled, and cleared his throat. He had to do well, because he wanted this to be his last date with her. Searching for the right words, "Penn, you got secrets?"

Maybe a little straightforward, but Jungkook knew how much she loved it. Penelope liked when he got to the point. She liked it because she moved quick. Like a snake. The corners of her lips curled up. "Why?"

"Wanna play a game?"

Those were her favorite. She nodded, setting her mug down to put her entire focus on the tattooed boy sitting distressed in front of her. "What kinda game?"

Jungkook leaned forward, brows raised, he pointed at her. "You tell me a secret, and Imma tell you one. Tell me another one, and Imma tell you more."

She pressed her lips in a thin line and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes were squinted, and her mind boggled. "What's the catch?"

"No catch." Jungkook shook his head, before leaning in closer, as much as the table allowed, and whispered sensually: "Don't wanna get to know me better?"

His blink made Penelope give in. Slender fingers sprawled out on the table, she sighed. "Okay. Uhm, oh my god this is so bad but, I've been taking off my makeup with just wipes for like, a week now."

Clutters of knives and forks were heard in the coffee shop, as Jungkook fell short for words. He looked down, chuckling. "Right."

"Oh my god, I'm so bad!" Penelope laughed with her dainty hand in front of her agape mouth. "Don't tell anyone, that's like, totally embarrassing!"

Jungkook nodded, clearing his throat. "That's your secret?"

"What?" She frowned. "Isn't that shocking?"

Scratching the back of his neck, "Yeah nah, not really. I'm just sayin' like-" he sighed. "Ain't you hiding something bigger?"

Penelope's face turned pale. She knew they were onto her. Carlos had told her about them following his truck, but she wanted to believe the dates were real. She wanted Jungkook to want her. Gulping, "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean-" Jungkook whispered, licking his lips. "I thought you was a bad girl, Penn." He eyed her up and down, gaze lingering on her cleavage for longer because he knew she'd be feral for it. "You don't got nothin' crazy that you hidin'?"

Penelope brushed the hairs out of her face and coughed. "Uhm... You tell me a secret, and I'll tell you a crazy one, then."

Nodding, "Aight." Jungkook leaned back and began thinking. Teeth playing with his lip ring, he knew the perfect "secret" to make her melt. "I played Lola."

Her grin stretched in an instant. "Really?"

"Real." He lied. "Told her I liked her, then I broke up with her just to fuck with her."

Eyes wide, "Oh my god!" Penelope laughed. Her voice, high-pitched, and agitating. She had grabbed the other customers' attention in the shop, having to suppress her laughter with plastering her hand against her mouth. "You're such a fucking player!"

"It's what I do." Jungkook smirked. He took a sip of his black coffee and jutted his chin at her. "Your turn. Tell me a secret, somethin' bad you did."

She searched for something, and landed on it. Pulling him in by the hand, "I mean it's not really me, but it affects me too." she looked around before whispering: "My dad's been evading tax."

... Jungkook sighed. "Penn-"

"No, seriously." She cut him off with a whisper. "He hasn't paid tax since, like, twenty-fifteen."

It had started to intrigue him. Resting his chin on the back of his hand, "How much we talkin'?" he questioned.

"Promise not to tell anyone?"

A smirk appeared on his face. "Promise." Jungkook winked.

"Like, millions."

"Millions?!" Jungkook repeated in a question.

And Penelope nodded, confirmingly. "Millions. Like, he could go to jail for it, and not even mom knows. I'm the only one that knows."

"You fuckin' serious?" Jungkook asked. His teeth were gritting painfully. Somehow, it is always those with money, who avoid taxes. He wanted to wipe that grin off her face by using her as a mop to clean the floors. Jungkook hated her, and these dates had solidified his feelings. She nodded, and Jungkook cleared his throat. "Damn." A smug smirk had started to widen on his pompous face. "Don't worry, Penn. No one gon' know."

🖤🩶🤍❤️