TWENTY-THREE

Another day, another party thrown by bangtan. The party had been going for several hours, but Nari wasn't getting drunk today. She was not a party person but she was now part of them. Wherever they went she was there.

This time Eun and Hyuk had been invited so she hung out with them by her side. Jungkook held her hand as they talked with her two friends.

     Two days have passed since Jungkook snuck into her window and now, it was a habit. Every night they'd kiss as many times as they wanted because it was just them and no one else.

Things were now different between both of them. They didn't act as a couple, they haven't made it official. He loved her and she loved him.

But they still said that they weren't together, yet.

     "Do you want to dance, Nari?" Eun asked her as she tried to have fun above all.

     Nari shrugged, "Sure."

     Jungkook let go of her hand and she walked with her best friend, Eun.

    Both girls danced crazily. They weren't professional dancers but it didn't matter. Everyone was so intoxicated that they wouldn't care at all.

    "You know that I haven't forgotten about Hyuk and Jin, right?" she told her friend.

    Eun sighed as she continued dancing but was growing tired, Nari noticed, "I know. Trust me, when he's ready he'll tell you."

Nari nodded and rapidly felt a hand on her waist, "Mind if I take her for a few minutes?"

Yoongi's voice startled Nari. His hand was placed lightly on her waist. It was as if he was afraid that she might break.

Eun shook her head, "No, go ahead."

The boy nodded before taking her hand and dragging her to another space on the dance floor.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she put her hands on his shoulders.

Yoongi chuckled, "Nothing, can't two friends dance together?"

The girl smiled as they danced to a rather slow song.

As much as Hyuk told her that he'd tell her what happened, she grew impatient.

"Were you guys and Hyuk friends?" she mumbled.

Yoongi averted his gaze from her, "It's not my place to tell you. Hyuk should," he gulped, "when he's ready."

Nari sighed as both teens continued dancing in silence.

Suddenly a loud siren was heard from outside.

The police.

    "Great, just great!" Yoongi shouted as he began to run away.

The girl stood there in shock but as she saw everyone running she began running away too. This is why she doesn't like parties. Her heart thumped on her chest, she felt as if it was about to explode.

   She passed by houses, cars and other surroundings until she was on an alley.

She had gotten to the neighborhood when she received a call. Her hands grasped her phone and answered rapidly.

"Hello?"

"Where are you?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Kook!"

"Answer my question, please."

"I'm in front of a restaurant, in the alleyway beside it."

"What restaurant?"

"The one where they make that kimchi you ordered last night."

"Oh okay, I'll be right there in a few minutes."

"Okay."

    The girl waited a few minutes. She sat down on the concrete which made bystanders look at her weirdly.

The familiar car stopped in front of her and she stood up.

She opened the door and found Jungkook smiling at her.

"How are you?" he asked as they began driving.

"I couldn't find you anywhere." she replied.

Jungkook sighed, "I tried looking for you, Eun told me that you ran off rapidly so I came."

    "Didn't want to get caught." she mumbled as she settled her hands on her thighs.

    "Yoongi told me that you asked about Hyuk." his hand found hers and they intertwined.

    Nari turned to him, "Yeah."

    "All I can tell you is that you'll know what really happened eventually." he grinned.

She sighed, "I'm just worried," she turned to him, "every time he sees you guys he just gets all angry for some reason."

    "It's not in my place to tell you, but I wish I could." he said.

   She understood that, she really did.

   "I know."

    Silence filled the car. His hand grazed upon hers and sent her body in sparks.

   Their fingers intertwined. One hand was on the steering wheel and the other held hers tightly.

   Not one word was said but they still communicated with one small gesture.

    Kanye West's Power was heard in the car as Jungkook's phone screen shined.

   "Can you get it for me, please?" he asked Nari and she nodded instantly.

   She pressed the green button before speaking.

   It was Namjoon.

   "Hello?"

    "Jungkook–wait, Nari?"

   "Yes, what's wrong?"

     "Nothing, just tell Jungkook to call me back as soon as he can–Stop hitting him, please!"

    "Namjoon, what is going on?"

    "It is none of your business."

     "Nam, it's me Jungkook, you're on speaker."

    "Come to my house as soon as you can?"

     "Did he hit him again?"

     "Yeah."

      "I'm on my way, just try to get him to stop."

      "I have been trying but he's too drunk to even listen to me."

     "Okay, hyung just try prying him off. Nari will heal him."

     "STOP H–come here as fast as you can."

     The call ended on the other line. Namjoon had hung up.

    "Who's hitting who?" she asked as she looked at the boy accelerate the car in the blink of an eye.

   Jungkook was driving very fast. He zik zagged around the streets. She hadn't seen this side of him.

   His expression had darkened just like the first time they met.

   They stopped in front of a house she had recognized as Namjoon's and rapidly got off the car.

   "They'll give you a first aid kit and you will heal him, okay? No questions." Jungkook said as they jogged to the front porch.

   "But–" his lips stopped her before she could even continue.

  Here come the butterflies.

   She stood shocked and he repeated, "No questions."

   Taking her hand, he opened the door.

   The chaos happening inside the living room startled her. All of bangtan were inside the house. Two of them were punching each other endlessly. Well, one threw punches but the other, with tears in his eyes stared at him.

   Nari couldn't figure out who was on top and who was on the bottom.

   She finally knew who it was when she saw Eun run to her with a first aid kit.

   "I'm sorry that you had to find out this way." she mumbled before handing her the kit.

   Find out what?

   "You killed her! You murderer!" Hyuk's voice thundered in the living room and she almost dropped the kit.

   He had drank a few bottles at the party, she had just remembered.

   "My sister disappeared and was later found killed on my sidewalk, all," he threw a punch, "because," another punch, "of you, Seokjin."

   Just as he had ended his fit of punches, Jungkook and Hoseok took Hyuk off Seokjin. Hyuk had blood on his lip and a black eye while Seokjin had a bruised cheek and eye.

    She couldn't believe what she saw.

   "She could be alive right now but she isn't!" Hyuk continued shouting.

   "It happened two years ago, hyung." Jin said monotone but you could see the hurt in his eyes.

   "She fell in love with you and you damaged her! You made her into your little gang queen," he motioned to the rest of Bangtan, "all of you! And you all got her killed!"

   As Hyuk saw Nari he chuckled, "Oh look, it's your new toy."

   "What–"

   "You thought we wouldn't find out about your little deal, but we did and guess what," he walked closer to her, "they did that to Mel too."

  "I don't know what you're talking about." Nari respondes as she saw Eun try to stop Hyuk from talking.

   He didn't seem to listen to her response, "Luring you to their gang, falling for one of them, to later kill you off instead of simply just breaking up with you–"

    "That's not true Nari–"

    "Don't lie, Jeon! You are falling for her but then you'll get tired of her, like all of you do!" Hyuk shouted as he turned around and pointed to them.

   "We didn't kill her. Another gang knew she had an emotional connection with one of us," Namjoon stated calmly, "that's why they did that, to declare a war." he finished.

   "Oh, is it Zik's gang?" Hyuk responded sarcastically.

   "It is–"

   Hyuk scoffed before he turned to Nari. His eyes were red, she had just noticed that he was crying this whole time.

   "Don't believe them, leave before you turn into another replacement, into another gang queen," he took her hand, "come with us." his voice wavered.

   He seemed to sober up but she could still smell the alcohol on his breath.

    "I–" she began.

   Was she just another toy? Another one of their girls?

    "Nari, I'm sorry," Eun took Hyuk's hand, "Let's go, come on." just like that they had left.

    Her hand grasped the kit as her hands began turning white.

    "Nari–" Jungkook began speaking but she stopped him.

   "Is it true, what he said?" she asked them, ignoring Jungkook.

   She wasn't mad, she was scared.

   "We didn't kill her, Zik did it." Jimin mumbled.

   She nodded before walking to Seokjin.

   "Let's patch you up." she said before applying the ointment.

   She didn't want to fight. Not tonight. They'd have to explain to her later, whether they'd like it or not.