Yunhee assessed the crooked number "15" dangling from the door and suppressed the impulse to straighten it up.

She'd asked herself countless times if visiting Hobi was going to frazzle her nerves, but after her initial text reaching out to him, it was the least she could do.

She'd invited him to the mansion for their talk, but he insisted they meet at his pad. It was a tough call; Hoseok had treated her like a piece of dirt in the parallel world, but here, he was the only guy she felt comfortable enough to speak to.

Putting her neurosis aside, Yunhee had agreed on a time, but the address Hobi had forwarded was not the place she was familiar with, and as she stood on the fourth floor of the shabby-looking building on the outskirts of Seoul, she couldn't help but wonder why he'd relocated.

Had something happened for him to lose his stylish two-bedroom flat?

Lifting her shaking hand, Yunhee knocked three times and then retreated a step to prepare herself for the greeting ahead.

To say she was anxious was an understatement, but Jin had given her his utmost support, assuring the nervous woman that he would be parked a little way down the road. He'd also provided her with a run through on how to bring a man to his knees while stuffing a can of pepper spray into her purse.

With a pale face, Yunhee had left him waiting in the car, thinking about their findings on Aristotle in the library yesterday.

She had no idea if Jin's philosophy on the four elements were of value, but a visit to the warehouse in two days with a crate of bottled water and a serving of fortitude would soon answer that.

Yunhee was also inundated with thoughts of seeing Jimin. She missed his infectious laughter, those crescent eyes when he smiled, but the scent of his cologne and the whisper of his fingers on her waist was like a taste of heaven before it was snatched ruthlessly from her clutches.

She could only presume that Jimin was at the library for the same reasons as her and Jin. He was trying to find a way home, but how long would it take? Would she see him again soon, or would he appear only in visions before fading into thin air?

A clicking lock jolted Yunhee out of her melancholy reverie and she instinctively retracted a step when the apartment door swung open.

Hobi - her closest friend and confidant - hovered with uncertainty in the entrance, the golden specks in his auburn eyes overflowing with heartache, and sheer delight as he gazed at her.

'Hey,' he croaked.

Yunhee swallowed the tight knot crawling up her throat, trying to return his broken salutation as she looked at him. 'H-hey...'

Torn between throwing herself into his arms and running back to the elevator, she kept herself huddled against the torn wallpaper decorating the corridor in hopes that it would gobble her up, but when Hobi serenaded her with a genuine smile that matched his lovely eyes, Yunhee's doubts began to dissolve.

'You wanna come in?' he asked while moving aside.

Yunhee gravitated towards him, appreciating Hobi's patience when she stepped over the threshold and he closed the door behind her. She peered around the residence while slipping off her shoes, grimacing when she saw the old-fashioned wallpaper, grubby lamp shades and tattered sofas.

Hobi was meticulously houseproud, his pristine decor usually complementing his fashionable, clean-cut appearance.

The sight before her was a far cry from the man she knew.

Before she could speak her thoughts, Hobi ushered her further into the dwelling, and it was then that she noticed the desk in the corner. Its surface was home to a computer, a laptop, and piles of paperwork, and above it, a cork board pinned with notes and photos of several familiar faces.

'Hobi, what-?'

'Hi,' a gravelly voice disrupted Yunhee's perusal. She glanced sideways to find Suga slouched lazily on the frayed couch and Jungkook perched beside him with a slack mouth and broad eyes. 'It's good to see you again.'

Yunhee blinked at the two men, unable to believe that they were occupying the same space.

It was supposed to be just Hobi. He was the only one she'd plucked up the courage to see, no one else. If Jungkook and Suga were present, then...

A sharp gasp left Yunhee's throat and a grunt of pain left Hobi's when she spun around and collided with his chest.

'Shit, sorry, kitten!'

'Hobi,' she cried, blocking out the pet name as his fingers gripped her forearms, 'what is this?'

'I tried to get rid of them,' he pleaded with misty eyes, 'but they insisted on staying. They wanted to see you, too!'

'Is Tae here?' she asked feverishly as her eyes zipped around the living room.

'No, no. It's just us three,' Hobi assured as his thumb grazed her cheek.

Yunhee couldn't stop it; she flinched and pushed his hand away, weeping internally when he swore and looked helplessly at his mates.

'I told you to go easy,' Suga murmured while Jungkook looked ready to cry.

'Yunhee, wait!' Hobi called, but she was already dashing to snatch her shoes. 'Please, don't go.'

Something about the urgency in his words made Yunhee slow and her shoulders sag. She'd forgotten how sympathetic and compassionate the man was, forgotten how he always strived to make her happy.

What was she thinking? She couldn't leave Hobi in this state. Even with Jungkook and Suga present, she knew she had to stay and erase the grief and confusion radiating through the air. She had to explain - the best she could - why she'd disappeared.

'Okay,' Yunhee murmured, turning to find a relieved set of faces.

Hobi shimmied aside to let her walk by, offering to take her coat, but Yunhee graciously declined, slipping the garment off herself and placing it on the arm of the sofa.

'Can I get you a drink?' Jungkook asked as he heartily sprang to his feet.

'Um...water, thank you,' Yunhee responded, distracted by the room that resembled a messy office.

Jungkook disappeared into the kitchenette, and the abode fell quiet, only the sound of Suga and Hobi's breathing permeating the silence as they awkwardly watched her examine her surroundings.

Yunhee was undeniably in awe. The flickering computer screen, the documents dispersed on every surface, the pinned missives, and snapshots of the crew she'd come to adore.

During the two weeks she'd been missing, she'd often wondered how her friends were coping, if they were tearing their hair out trying to find her.

The sight before her confirmed that. Hobi, Suga, and Jungkook had gone to extreme measures to locate her, and the guilt for not contacting them the minute she'd arrived home was enough to swallow her whole.

'We've been a little busy,' Jungkook said sheepishly as he handed over a glass of water.

'I can see that,' Yunhee tittered, taking a sizeable gulp while stealing a peek at the young man.

Jungkook's sweet personality and boyish appearance was just like she remembered. Even though his shirt clung to his firm muscles and he looked built to kill, his skin was void of tattoos and his raven hair was cut too short for a man bun.

He was not the same bloke. Jimin had put a bullet in the head of his parallel twin.

'We make quite the detective team, don't we?' Jungkook chuckled as he studied the cork board with pride.

'Hardly,' Suga scoffed, killing the amiable vibe as he ambled to her side. 'The only reason Yunhee is here is because she contacted Hobi.'

Yunhee nudged him in the ribs, wordlessly scolding him for his attitude. Min Yoongi was as cold as the gun-wielding bastard who'd shot Jimin on the beach, but beneath his facade lay a kind-hearted soul that would do anything for her.

She'd not forgotten his pressing need to help when he'd found her at the gas station a few days ago.

'So, whaddya think?' Hobi's enthusiastic tone shattered the silence as the team of four stood in a line and stared at the board.

They were procrastinating, knowing they had yet to sit down and talk about the inevitable, but Yunhee had come over tonight with the intention of seeing Hobi alone.

Could she tell them all the truth? Would they believe her?

Yunhee's eyes raked over the Post-its spread across the panel. It was clear the men had their theories on what had happened to her, but Tae's handwriting dominated the board, informing her that he was at the heart of their operation.

And why wouldn't he be? Despite their rocky relationship, he cared greatly and was probably going out of his mind as much as his three buddies.

That didn't erase the unease as Yunhee read the incriminating words condemning the man she was searching for, though. The unending ideas scrawled over the attached notes were not only incorrect, but unnervingly jarring.

Extortion, corruption of public officials, tax fraud and racketeering to name a few.

Then there was sexual assault, murder, kidnap, false imprisonment, and trafficking.

Yes, Park Jimin was a criminal to the bone. He'd kidnapped her and imprisoned her in his home all those weeks ago, but he was far from the disgusting animal that the list implied. These were the activities of another man, one that occupied another world and looked just like her ex-boyfriend.

Kim Taehyung was a villain through and through, and in that moment, Yunhee despised him. Not for the heinous crimes he carried out, not for the men he killed or the women he sold, but for the knock-on effect his brutality had on her cherished friendships.

Closing her eyes, Yunhee willed away the tears prickling her lashes.

She could still feel Taehyung's lips on hers, his fingers clutching her skin as he pushed her onto the dining table. Worse yet, he infiltrated her mind more than he should have. That dark and sinister desire that made her flesh tingle whenever she thought of him...

'Come on, squirt,' Suga came to her rescue as if he knew something was horribly amiss in her head, 'let's go take a pew.'

'Okay,' Yunhee stuttered, wiping her moist nose as they made their way into the kitchenette.

Jungkook rushed forward to pull out her chair, and Yunhee smiled at him gratefully as she placed her glass on the table and took a seat. Suga edged himself down beside her, but Hobi remained on his feet looking a tad lost as he scratched the back of his neck.

'Um, you want something to eat?'

'No, thank you,' Yunhee whispered as she tried to figure out the best way to break the ice.

The last time she'd seen the boys was at Southside Parlor, the night before she was kidnapped. It was hilariously chaotic, the group of five sharing funny tales over glasses of wine and shots of vodka.

As she sat with them now, she longed to ask Suga to turn on the TV and Hobi to dig out the popcorn. She longed to see Jungkook trundle over with arms ladened with Soju bottles, but a lot had changed since that night, their close connection tarnished by an incident they had yet to learn of.

The room they filled was uncomfortably quiet, each man waiting in turn for her to speak. What was she going to say? What were they going to ask her? How in the hell was she going to get around this?

A swell of panic enveloped Yunhee and bile rose in her throat. Perhaps coming here was a bad idea. She'd only intended on speaking to Hobi, but now it was three against one.

Had he asked her to come to this address so they could talk her into reconciling with Tae?

Yunhee's head whipped to Suga. Had he told Tae? He'd promised her he'd give her a week...

'Yunhee?' Suga's hoarse voice was soothing, as was the hand that lightly rested on top of hers. She didn't flinch at his touch, which was a start, but his next words were enough to make her clog up and rear away. 'Can you tell us what happened?'

'I...I don't know...' Yunhee shook her head, avoiding Suga's penetrating stare as Hobi finally sat down. 'I want to, but...'

'You know we won't hurt you,' Suga mollified.

It agonised Yunhee for them to witness her trepidation, she hated that she couldn't hide that she was wary of them.

'Why don't you start from the beginning?'

Yunhee lifted her gaze and met that of Hobi's across the table. His face was ashen, his eyes glimmering with unshed tears, but he sent her an encouraging nod, willing her to go on before his heart broke into a million pieces

Shuffling in her seat, Yunhee took a deep breath and gradually nodded. All shoulders tensed in preparation for the story to come, but when the apartment door creaked open in the next room, her newfound bravery dwindled away before her revelation could begin.

Yunhee ripped her hand from Suga's, her heart pumping crazily in her chest as she leapt to her feet and knocked her chair to the ground.

She knew who the newcomer was before she even saw him. Months of living with the man had her accustomed to his entrance, the way he'd slam the door and kick off his shoes with a humph, the way he'd exhale before lumbering into the kitchen to greet her with a kiss.

Seeing Tae again should have felt like a long-awaited dream, but when he walked into the kitchenette, the moment was distorted with twinges of dread.

His wire-framed glasses were perched atop his autumn-brown hair, his persona troubled and barely paying attention to the people around him until he tossed his keys onto the counter and glanced up.

Like a magnet, his almond eyes crashed into Yunhee's, and a tiny hiss of surprise departed his lips while his knuckles whitened on the countertop.

'The fuck...' Tae gasped, frozen in place as if somebody had pointed a TV remote at him and pressed pause. 'She came?'

Suga, Hobi and Jungkook remained excruciatingly quiet, but Yunhee was unable to move, her eyes dropping to her feet as the stunned man cautiously approached her.

She stared at the tips of his toes as they stopped inches from hers, biting her bottom lip disquietly when she felt his hot breath fanning along her hair.

'You came,' Tae murmured for only her to hear.

'I did,' she gulped, finding it within herself to lift her chin.

Tae's face was alight with wonder, skimming every inch of her as if he couldn't believe she was real while Yunhee found herself transfixed by his bronzed skin and burnt copper hair.

The differences between him and the Mafia King were noticeable, but when she finally looked into his eyes, she was startled to see a similar fire burning in their depths.

Precious...

Losing all self-control, Yunhee stumbled backwards as a shadowy presence encompassed her. She was vaguely aware of her friends hurrying to her aid, Tae's voice calling her name and his hands holding her steady, but it was like trying to claw her way out of a bad dream.

'Hey, hey, hey,' Tae tried to assuage, but his rich, velvety burr was anything but comforting, 'what's wrong, baby?'

The nightmare in her head passed enough for Yunhee to get a hold on herself, and when she realised that she was in Tae's arms, she gasped and yanked herself free. Shaking like a leaf, her tearful eyes snapped to Hobi in utter betrayal.

'You told him?'

'Yunhee,' Tae groaned as he guardedly created some distance, 'I asked Hobi to bring you here.'

'What?'

'This is my place,' he breathed, running his hands through his silky hair. 'I live here.'

'You...what?' Yunhee shrieked, not sure if she was more flabbergasted by the fact that they'd lured her in, or that Tae had moved out of his home in Daechi. 'You set me up?'

'Tae wanted to see you,' Hobi defended, although his face was riddled with remorse. 'I'm sorry, kit-'

'Don't,' Yunhee seethed, bolting around the crestfallen men and straight into the living room.

'Yunhee, wait!' Tae came after her, his molten eyes filled with despair as she threw on her coat. 'I'm sorry we didn't tell you, but it was the only way to-'

'I can't be here,' Yunhee quaked.

'Can't be here?' Tae responded, his harsh tone making her wince as the other men reluctantly followed. 'Take a look around you. These are your friends. I'm your friend. And right now, my apartment is the safest place in South Korea. If Jimin finds you-'

'You don't have to worry about that,' Yunhee snapped as she rammed her feet into her shoes, 'I'm safe-'

'Jesus Christ, Yunhee,' Tae whined in frustration, 'I know I hurt you, and I understand if you never want to speak to me again, but you ran from Suga at the gas station and Hobi had to coax you into meeting up with him. What are you so afraid of? Did that bastard say something to you?'

'Tae,' Suga placed a palm on his shoulder while shaking his head, 'don't push it.'

'I have to go. I'm sorry,' Yunhee said, grabbing the door handle with a juddering hand.

'I can't help you fix this if you don't tell me what's going on,' Tae implored.

A profound scoff left Yunhee's mouth and she turned to face him, her lethal eyes cutting him a scathing look.

'Are you serious right now?'

It didn't take long for Tae to register her meaning, his features tumbling when he realised that he too was guilty of not being open with her. 'Okay, so I'm the world's biggest hypocrite, but I had my reasons for keeping you in the dark. I promise I'll explain my past with Jimin-'

'I already know, Tae,' Yunhee burst in exasperation, 'he told me everything.'

The occupiers of the hallway were silent as Tae's mouth twisted in confusion and jealousy. Unable to bear his crippled expression or the ominous visions he triggered when she looked at him, Yunhee wrenched the door open and fled the scene.

'Right!' Tae shouted, his voice bouncing off the walls as he gave chase. 'So, you finally know the truth! I fucked up, Yunhee! We established that! What I don't understand is why you're siding with a man who not only ruined my father, but my entire life!'

'I'm leaving, Tae,' Yunhee sighed, pressing the button to call the elevator.

She agreed that Jimin's actions ten years ago were wrong, but Tae had returned from Busan to reopen an old wound. She'd learned this while growing close to his enemy in a parallel universe, but she couldn't tell him because there was not a cat in hell's chance he was going to understand.

'Is Jimin holding something over you? Is that why you won't talk to me?' Tae urged.

'I don't know where Jimin is,' Yunhee all but cried as she relentlessly called for the elevator.

'What about Jin? Are you staying at the mansion?' When she didn't respond, Tae stepped closer and rasped, 'Or is it that you're willingly shacking up with Jimin.'

Yunhee stiffened and her cheeks glowed while she lifted her chin to glare at him. Something about Tae's words pushed her over the edge, and she was now at the end of her tether, tired of the two persistent men who would not leave her alone no matter what world they resided in.

To hell with them both.

'Taehyung,' Yunhee fumed, 'I'm not asking you. I am telling you. Do not. Follow me.'

The lift doors slid open and she darted inside in hopes that he would take the hint.

There was no such luck.

'Hey!' Tae called, planting his hand against the metal to stop it from closing. Yunhee waited with bated breath for the onslaught to come, but to her relief, his face eased, and he sifted out his phone instead. 'I'm sorry. Just...just hold on, will you?'

Tae fumbled with the gadget, pressing a sequence of buttons until her phone vibrated in her coat pocket.

Pulling it out, Yunhee stared dumbfounded at his name flashing across the screen.

'In case you deleted my number,' Tae said with a wry smile before disconnecting the call. Taking a step back, he released the elevator and allowed her to leave, but before the doors slid shut, his searing eyes smashed determinedly into hers. 'I love you.'

Tae disappeared, and Yunhee was left alone in the tiny compartment as it trembled on the wires and began its descent. Before she reached the ground, though, her legs gave out and she slipped along the mirrored wall until her backside hit the floor.

'What a mess,' she sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

Yunhee couldn't be angry at Tae for acting hot under the collar. He had every right. The man loved her and was concerned about her welfare. He wanted answers, which she refused to give, and he needed to know if she was okay, which she clearly wasn't.

She'd also not expected him to make an appearance this afternoon. She'd tried to remain calm when he'd approached her, but after hearing Taehyung's resonating Precious in her mind, she'd panicked.

'Where are you, Jimin?' Yunhee sniffed and wiped her nose.

The man she longed for could not solve the issues between her and Tae, but his lack of presence did little to alleviate Yunhee's woes.

She just wanted him to come home.

*

Tae clomped back into his squalid living room to discover his companions on their feet, motionless and gawking at him. He was in no mood for the barrage of questions to come, and so he walked to the window and snubbed them while trying to process what had just occurred.

'What in God's blazers was that all about?' Hobi was the first to squawk, his expression as rigid as his torso.

'I don't know,' Jungkook announced on Tae's behalf, 'but hey! At least Yunhee's alive!'

'JK...' Suga warned before coming to stand by his side. Tae was lost, however, his palms pressed together and resting on the tip of his nose as he stared at the brick buildings lining the street. 'Did she leave?'

'Yes,' Tae deadpanned.

'Shit,' his friend uttered, 'you alright, mate?'

With a brusque grunt, Tae dropped his hands and shook his head. What he was - above anything - was completely shell-shocked.

It was his own fault for doubting Yunhee. He'd gone out of his way to orchestrate getting her here. He'd told Hobi to arrange it, but the realistic side of him did not expect her to show. And so, returning from the store earlier to find her standing in his kitchen looking as beautiful as the day he last saw her...

Tae had almost choked at the sight, but then something unexpected had happened.

Yunhee had freaked out and tried to run. Not only from him, but her best friends. None of her actions made sense, along with her reluctance to tell them anything. What surprised him even more was the terror on her face when their eyes met.

Suga wasn't wrong; Yunhee was not herself. But why? Was it because she finally knew the truth about his past? Even so, she had no reason to fear him. Jimin was the one that had caused the damage ten years ago by setting his father up and ruining his family.

A low growl emitted from Tae's throat and he left the window, his pensive gaze roaming the busy cork board as possible scenarios began to enter his head.

She was supposed to hear about the Park and Kim feud from him. He was ready to tell Yunhee everything as soon as he found her, but now she was dodging him.

What the fuck had Jimin said to her? Had he fabricated a lie to paint Tae as the villain? Had the Mafia King brainwashed her into believing that he was the good guy in all of this?

Tae froze, his fists curling into tight balls until he almost drew blood from his palms.

Had Jimin seduced her to get back at him for sleeping with Heiran all those years ago? Perhaps that was his motive all along. Taunting him at the warehouse with no intentions of ever handing her back.

'That fucking son-of-a-bitch,' Tae spat, forgetting for a moment that he had company, 'he did this on purpose.'

'Tae,' Suga cautioned from where he leaned on the windowsill, 'I know what you're thinking, but let's be rational about this. Yunhee would never deceive you like that.'

'Would she not?' Tae shot back with a bitter laugh as the rest of the room looked on in horror.

'Wait, wait, wait,' Jungkook waved his hands in a time-out, 'what are you trying to say?'

Suga - arms folded and glowering - answered for him as bluntly as possible. 'He thinks Park Jimin fucked his girlfriend out of spite.'

'No way!' Hobi yelled incredulously. 'That's ludicrous-'

'Is it?' Tae spun on the outraged man while his resentment towards his old friend fermented unpleasantly in his blood. 'That bastard's still not over what I did with Heiran.'

'Oh, my God,' Suga barked out a laugh and left his post by the window, 'you think Jimin gives two shits about that vapid woman?'

Vapid was one way of describing Lee Heiran. He hadn't seen her since he'd left for Busan, but he hadn't forgotten the night he'd fucked her to break up their 'happy' relationship.

'This is not about Heiran,' Tae argued, trying to make them understand, 'this is about revenge. For all I know, Yunhee has known Jimin for years. The night I asked for her number may have been a set up to ensure we met-'

'I don't mean to piss on your parade, Tae,' Suga interrupted while massaging his brow restlessly, 'but you're the one that approached Yunhee. You also returned from Busan to wheedle your way into the House of Cards to embezzle his money.'

'All the more reason for Jimin to plant Yunhee in my life!' Tae threw his hands in the air as more wild speculations bounced around his brain. Perhaps he was losing the plot, but right now all he could do was lash out because, deep down inside, he felt partly responsible for the damage. 'I'm telling you, Yunhee and Jimin-'

'Stop!' Suga bellowed, smacking his hand onto his chest to shove him onto the sofa. Enraged, Tae went to get up, but he pushed him again and blocked the man's path. 'Listen to what you're saying, you fucking idiot!'

It wasn't often that Min Yoongi showed his fury, but when he did, it was enough to make everyone stand to attention, and so Hobi and Jungkook did little to interfere, waiting for him to finish his piece as they stood immobile in the centre of the room.

With a hefty exhale, Suga dragged his fingers through his salt and pepper hair and then pointed aggressively at Tae's chest.

'Let's get one thing straight. Yunhee is not to blame for your fucked-up history, so stop projecting onto an innocent woman. She is terrified. Terrified of you, me, Hobi. Even JK. Something shitty happened to her while she was gone.

'Whether that was Kim Namjoon, Kim Seokjin or Park Jimin, I don't know, but you need to quit brooding like a jealous fool. You care about Yunhee. We all do. So, why don't you pull that thick head out of your arse and help us get to the bottom of it?'

Suga spun on his heel, breathing briskly as he paced back and forth to try and get his temper in check.

'I'm...I'm sorry,' Tae sputtered while watching him stride, 'you're right. I'm sorry.'

Fuck, he really was a fool. It was highly unlikely that Yunhee and Jimin had plotted together to bring him down, but Tae still couldn't shake the notion that she'd been indoctrinated by the mob boss during her kidnap.

And yet...she'd found the guts to speak to Hobi today.

Was it possible that she was trying to reach out to them the best she could? Was it a silent plea for help?

'She's hiding something, and I don't think she's in a position to tell us,' Tae stated, looking each man dead in the eye as he rose to his feet.

'Now that I agree on,' Suga stated with conviction.

'But what?' Hobi asked, biting his bottom lip as he sank to the sofa. 'What is she hiding?'

'That's what we need to figure out,' Tae replied as Jungkook tapped his teeth in thought.

It was a long shot, but after this afternoon's escapade, the last thing Tae wanted to do was hunt Yunhee down and scare her off again. She needed to come to them comfortably and in her own time, but the only way that was going to happen was to regain her trust.

'Don't yell at me when I say this,' Tae began, his attention focused wholly on the man occupying the couch, 'but do you think you can arrange another meeting?'

Hobi's face contorted. 'Oh, come on-'

'Just you this time,' he added, 'no one else.'

'I don't know, Tae. I get the impression she won't talk to any of us after today.'

'Just...try,' Tae pleaded. If anyone could do this, it was Hobi. Their close relationship had always driven him mad with jealousy, but now he was relying heavily on the bond they shared. 'Please.'

Hobi sighed, but then reluctantly nodded while Jungkook flopped onto his back and Suga tisked in disapproval.

Tae didn't care.

Getting Yunhee alone was a start, and he was thankful that his friend was still willing to help despite his transgressions. Suga was right earlier; he'd told him not to push it, but that didn't mean he was giving up.

Yunhee was worth more than that, and he selfishly feared the man he would become if he lost her for good.

***

AISH! :D Tae! *tut tut*

29th September 2020