"We're home!" I announced as I stepped inside, about twenty pair of shoes crowding the small entryway of our humble apartment.

"Welcome back." V greeted us with a smile as he peeked his head out from the kitchen.

"Hey watch it!" I snapped at Jungkook when he pushed past me, heading to the kitchen.

"I love the smell of food cooking. What's for dinner?" Jungkook completely ignored me as he dumped his school bag in the hallway.

I rolled my eyes at him, so fed up with my twin after he humiliated me in front of my crush earlier at school. I hate him so much. I placed my shoes inside the shoe closet and headed in the opposite direction, towards my room, the only place where I can be at peace.

My brother, Namjoon, just came out of his room. He was dressed for his night part time job. I feel really bad when I see them working their backs off, and in the end of the day, we still don't have enough money to pay for the utilities. I wish I could do something to help but I'm just a high schooler, still one year away from graduating.

"How was school, kiddo?" Namjoon tousled my hair gently, always a loving gesture from him.

"Same same." I said in a dull tone and he chuckled, knowing how drained of energy I am just by the look on my face. "Jimin told us to go home before him since he has loads of student council stuff to do so Jungkook and I went ahead."

"Hey, you look tired. Get some rest." He commented and then added, "Hang in there. I know you can get through this. Just ask me for help if ever you don't understand any of your lessons in school, alright?" Namjoon smiled and patted my head once, "I better go then. My boss is sensitive to time so he reduces our salary every time we come late."

"Aren't you eating dinner with us?" I grabbed the sleeve of his shirt and asked him with genuine concern. I know he and Hoseok are working overtime to pay their due balance at their university or else they can't take their final exams.

"Nah, I'm going to be late." He answered but quickly reassured me when he saw the worried look on my face, "I can eat while at work. Don't worry and just focus on your upcoming exams. I know you feel pressured with all the college preparations but don't think about it too much. I'll help you when I have free time."

I let go of his sleeve and opened my bag to give him the sandwich that I wasn't able to eat at lunch, "Here. You can have this. Be careful on your way to work."

"Thanks kiddo." Namjoon flashed me a grin then turned his back to leave. He peeked by the kitchen to say goodbye to Jin, Jungkook and V then he turned to me, still standing at the far end of the hallway, and waved a goodbye.

When Jimin arrived, we all sat by the table for dinner. As usual, pig Jungkook was hogging all the food in his mouth as if he was made to starve for weeks on end. Hoseok and Jin were the only older ones at home since Yoongi and Namjoon are out at work. V has learned how to use chopsticks by now and is relatively getting better but these days I've noticed his fear of water. He doesn't want to be anywhere near flowing water. Is it a phobia of his? Something must've happened in his childhood that he still doesn't remember like the rest of his identity.

"Are we keeping V for real?" Hoseok asked and V lifted his head up at the mention of his given name, cheeks puffed up from food. "His family might be looking for him. Shouldn't we put like posters or notify the police? Maybe they have a missing person report that would match V?"

V shook his head, "I don't want to come back. I'm happy here with you guys."

"We don't want you to go too but someone might be looking for you." Jin explained to V in simple words, "Don't you remember anything about your family?"

"I don't have a family." V retorted, adding a spoonful of rice into his mouth, "I think I lost them when I was still very young. I don't know why but they never came looking for me."

The table was drowned in silence at V's answer. We didn't expect such an answer from a normally bubbly kid. I glanced at V and it seemed like he's perfectly okay. He's not sad or anything. He's just neutral.

"Hyung, I have a thing this weekend and I might sleep over at a friend's house." Jungkook broke the silence.

I looked up at Jin to see if he'd allow it. In our household, there are only two people who can make such decisions for the two of us, Yoongi and Jin. Since we're not adults yet, we have to ask their permission every time.

"As long as you're not doing any funny business." He eyed Jungkook. "By funny business, I meant alcohol, drugs, smoking, and women."

Hoseok let out a choking sound, almost having rice coming out of his nose, "He's barely 20 years old, Jin."

"It's better to be clear while he's still young. You don't understand how scary kids these days are." Jin replied while munching on his food.

"I've confiscated all kinds of stuff from the kids at our school. Swiss knives, cigarettes, adult magazines and dvds, liquor, you name them and they have it." Jimin added with a full mouth, equally as hungry as Jungkook, "Thankfully, I haven't confiscated anything from Jungkook and Haesung. Well, I know Haesung wouldn't do those stuff but Jungkook.."

"I don't do any of those. I swear." Jungkook said, "So can I go?"

"Alright. I'll let you go but if I find out anything, just anything, you'll be in deep trouble. Understand?" Jin said, my eyes widened as he did.

"Yeah hyung." Jungkook had a victorious grin on as he sent me a look because he knows I can never get their permission on things like sleep overs.

"Why do you let Jungkook do whatever he wants but when it comes to me, you don't even take a second to say no to my face?" I asked Jin straight up.

"Because you're a girl and you're more fragile." Was Jin's short reply.

"Bullshit." I retorted as I rolled my eyes.

"Haesung! When did you learn to curse like that?" Jin's eyes were wide as they stare at me. By now, everyone has stopped eating, even V. "I guess from your friends, huh."

"It's just so unfair." I said. My voice broke, trying to swallow back my tears.

"Haesung, we all trust you and your decisions but what we don't trust is those around you." He tried to explain and I want to understand but I just can't, "I know you have good intentions but not all people are like you. We let Jungkook since he can at least protect himself."

"I'm finished eating. I'm going to my room." I excused myself and ran to my room, where I cried on my pillow.

🐳

After awhile, V knocked on Haesung's door and when he didn't receive an answer, he took it upon himself to open the door and peek inside. Haesung was lying on her bed, silently weeping. V stepped in and closed the door behind him, slowly shuffling towards the girl. He could feel her every emotion crashing with his. It was one of the abilities he was born with. One look at someone and he could tell if they're lying just by the emotions they felt.

"Haesung?" V sat on her bed. He knew she was still awake. "Are you okay?"

"It's so unfair." Haesung finally spoke, her sobs were so painful to hear. "They always tell me that I'm weak and fragile. I know to myself that I'm not."

V patted the girl's back as gently as he could. He lied down beside her and just listened to her woes. It's the least he could do to make her feel better because he wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise until she has fully taken all of it out of her chest.

🐳

I never thought that V could make me feel so much better than anyone in this house. He's not even my real family but him patting my back, somehow eased the pain in my heart, as if he was taking my sorrow away.

At some point, I felt his hand stopped moving on my back. I peeked out from my blanket and found that he was already asleep.

Seeing how peaceful he slept, I closed my eyes too, my heavy eyelids falling like curtains, and I fell asleep right away.

The next morning, I woke up to something fuzzy and red brushing against my face. I fluttered my eyes open and screamed, thinking it was some weird thing that came into my room while I was asleep but then I realized that it was just V.

"What? What is it?" Hoseok came rushing in my room since his was just across mine. "What is that?" He squinted on the weird thing on top of V's head. "How did this happen?"